“The Da Vinci Code” isn’t the only code worth cracking this summer.
To help more Americans eat the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, various government agencies have color-
coded fruit and vegetables into five color families: green, blue/purple, white, yellow/orange and red.
If you’re interested in a comprehensive list, go to 5aday.org, but rest assured the plot line for produce is really less complicated – and certainly less controversial – than a Dan Brown thriller.
All you really need to remember: The deeper the color, the more bang for your health.
That’s because the pigments that give fruits and vegetables color contain antioxidants, compounds credited with preventing premature aging, dementia, blindness, heart disease and cancer.
The Farmers Market Salad combines an impressive mix of summer stone fruit from a wide color spectrum – peaches, nectarines, plums and cherries – served on a bed of seasonal greens. They’re referred to as stone fruits because a hard stone pit protects the seed.
Peaches, nectarines and plums contain good amounts of antioxidant carotenoids and vitamin C. If cherries are not in season (look for them in late July and in August), try strawberries, which are loaded with vitamin C and potassium. All these fruits contain fiber, particularly if you leave the skin on.
The salad is dressed with light vinaigrette and sprinkled with toasted walnuts, a nut high in healthy omega-3 fats.
Farmers Market Salad
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Directions
Pour juice into small saucepan. Cook over high heat 5 minutes or until juice is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in vinegar, oil and salt and pepper.
Place greens in salad bowl. Toss peaches or nectarines with lemon juice; drain and add to salad. Add plums and cherries or strawberries.
Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with toasted walnuts.
Per serving: 248 calories (23 percent from fat), 7g total fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 46g carbohydrates, 7g protein, 26mg sodium, 8g dietary fiber.
