HappyHealthy Newsletter: Bell Peppers

Looking to add flavor and crunch to your meal? Bell peppers are a healthy, colorful addition. Green, yellow, orange, red, and purple bell peppers are in season during the summer months. Did you know that red, orange, yellow, and purple bell peppers start out green and ripen into their colors?

Benefit

• Bell peppers are packed with nutrients and add flavor and crunch to our meals!
• The taste and health benefits vary by color. They all contain high amounts of vitamin C and are good sources of fiber and vitamin A.

Select

• When choosing bell peppers at the store, select peppers that are firm with tight skin. Whichever color you choose, the brighter, the better!
• Green bell peppers usually cost less. Green bell peppers are not as sweet as yellow, orange, or red bell peppers.

Prepare

• Rinse peppers before using.
• After rinsing a bell pepper, cut it into strips or dice, whichever size is needed.
• Remove the top, cut in half, remove the core, and stuff the bell peppers with other ingredients such as cooked rice, meat, sauce, and other vegetables.
• However a pepper is prepared, it is important to remove its stem, core, and seeds.

Fun with Food

Children Can Help:

• Plant and water a bell pepper plant and harvest peppers when ready. Bell pepper plants grow well during the summer in a container or garden.
• Choose bell peppers at the store, and wash and remove seeds at home.
• Older children can cut bell peppers into slices or rings.

Slow Cooker Steak and Peppers

• 1½ pounds sirloin or round steak (or any thinner, leaner cut of beef that is on sale and can be cut into strips)
• 20–24 ounces frozen peppers and onions
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 14–14.5 ounce can low-sodium beef broth
• 3 cups cooked brown rice

1. Wash your hands well with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Trim fat and cut beef into ½- to 1-inch strips.
3. Add beef and frozen bell peppers and onions to your slow cooker.
4. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, pepper, and beef broth.
5. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours until steak is cooked through.
6. Follow package directions to cook rice.
7. Serve peppers and steak over ½ cup cooked rice.
8. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Hummus Spread

• 2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon paprika (½ in recipe, ½ as garnish)
• 1–2 tablespoons water (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

1. Wash your hands well with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
2. Drain and rinse beans and add to a medium mixing bowl. Mash beans with a fork or potato masher.
3. Peel and mince garlic. Add garlic, oil, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon paprika, and continue to mash beans.
4. If hummus mixture is too thick, add water.
5. Top with paprika and cumin.
6. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

For more information on how to store and freeze fruits and vegetables, visit:
http://happyhealthy.extension.msstate.edu/tips-videos

HAPPY HEALTHY

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Publication 3993 (POD-04-24)

By Samantha Willcutt, Mississippi State University Extension Service.

This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - SNAP. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.