The Favourites - Day 1: Vegetables & Fruits

Is it odd to be picking this as a category? Maybe, but in 2010 one of my resolutions was to be healthier and it has truly made me appreciate the variety of fruits and vegetables the Earth has to offer.

*clears throat* Let's begin. 

1. Jícama (pronounced 'He-caw-ma' *)

It is a mexican root that can be eaten raw and it is absolutely delicious! It's great on its own or with a little bit of lime & chili powder (we mexicans love to put lime and chili powder on everything).
The perfect snack on a hot summer day, it'll hydrate you in no time.

2. Oranges/Mandarins

I can never get enough of sour things; be it candy, dishes or fruit! The perfect orange/mandarin for me is borderline sweet - sour. I love the process of peeling it and savouring each slice, with the occasional accidental squirt! Again, another perfect summer snack. 

3. Red Bell Pepper

Like a kid, I used to say I didn't like them without ever having tried one... My college roommate (& fellow blogger, Maria) convinced me to give them a chance- there she was in the kitchen, eating one. RAW. I couldn't believe it. "She's crazy." Up until that point in my life, peppers were meant to be eaten in stir fry, not just straight out of the fridge!
But I guess it's true what they say about the college years: it's all about experimenting.
All it took was just one little bite...

4. Sweet Potato

I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes. Seriously, there are so many ways to cook it that you can't tire of it too easily. With the fear of sounding like Bubba: plain ol' boiled sweet potato, oven baked sweet potato, sweet potato casserole, sweet potato soup, sweet potato fries, sweet potato pie, bourbon sweet potatoes, sweet potato hummer, and I could go on but I think I made my point.

5. Beet

One of the reasons I like beetroot is its colour- sometimes I just want to dab it all over the white walls in my house, leave handmarks around the kitchen... But that's just a vegetable induced fantasy (and I hope my children never do it).

I like to boil it and eat it plain. It's just the right amount of sweet and juicy for me! 

Also, I've heard people have used it as a cheek and lip tint. 

6. Spinach

Remember how Popeye used to eat a can of spinach and instantly become as strong (if not stronger) as The Hulk? I think I've said enough. 

7. Cucumber

Or cuke, as my friend likes to call them.
Cucumber sandwiches at tea time. Cucumber tossed in a salad. Or cucumber in raita. Fresh, fresh, fresh and it's great in water too!

8. Carrots

When I was but a wee child, I was obsessed with eating carrots. I'd even pretend to be Bugs Bunny and walk around the house saying, "Eh, what's up, Doc?". I was a strange kid.
A decade and so years later, I don't have 20/20 vision. A lot of good that carrot eating did me!
Biting that carrot that is sweet, easy on the teeth and a striking orange colour reminds me why they're so good.

9. Raspberries

 I just want to bob for raspberries in that picture!

They're good for you (or so I heard) and they're a great yogurt/ice cream topping! Little kids like to eat them by placing them on their fingertips- so, not only are they yummy and nutritious, they're also fun to eat! 

10. Pomegranate

In spanish it's called a 'granada' which is translated to grenade. Where am I going with that? If you were to throw a pomegranate at a wall (or someone, if you're feeling violent) it would explode, and the tiny little seeds would burst into the air, a delicious red rain!

PHEW!

Tomorrow, it's all about the beverages!

Meet you in the kitchen?

* I obviously don't follow the IPA.