Eating the rainbow can brighten cold winter days. As nights come earlier and darker, colorful foods can bring pizzazz to the table, whether it’s set for Monday dinner or for a holiday feast. There’s a reason, of course, that nutritionists have copped the term “rainbow”: Fruits and vegetables get their coloration from phytochemicals and natural bioactive compounds, which, in addition to giving many fruits and veggies their eye-catching hues, also support good health. Chlorophyll (green), carotenoids (yellow, red, orange), betalains (red, yellow, purple), and flavonoids including anthocyanins (red, blue, purple) and anthoxanthins (yellow, cream, white) create most of the pigments we find in our fruits and vegetables. This edition of Cooking Fresh celebrates this culinary color wheel one dish (or drink) at a time.
Recipes from this Issue
Carrot Pie with Pecan Crust
This recipe features the humble carrot in a playful version of a holiday classic.
Purple Sweet Potato and Cabbage Soup
Besides being hearty, bright, and delicious, this vibrant purple soup is loaded with anthocyanin-rich veggies and is vegan and gluten free.
Spinach Crepes with Mushrooms and Greens
In this crepe recipe, using boiling milk creates a spongy look and texture.
Pomegranate Upside-Down Blue Corn Bread
Butterfly pea flowers take this Pomegranate Upside-Down Blue Corn Bread to another level of the cerulean hue.
Beets, Pearl Couscous, and Fried Rosemary
Pearl couscous showcases the pink color imparted by beets, and a fried rosemary topping adds an herbaceous crunch.
Marigold-Infused Tequila & Margarita
Our Marigold-Infused Tequila and Marigold Margarita feature Cempasúchil, the traditional flower used to celebrate Día de Los Muertos.
Stephanie Cameron was raised in Albuquerque and earned a degree in fine arts at the University of New Mexico. She is the art director, head photographer, recipe tester, marketing guru, publisher, and owner of edible New Mexico and The Bite.
