How to Nourish With peppers Brought to you by Viva Vegetables A Utah State University Extension and Nutrition and Food Sciences Department campaign The goal of the How to Nourish With lesson series is to provide adults and older children with helpful information and demonstrations about selecting, preparing, cooking with, and storing vegetables. This basic knowledge may encourage families to include vegetables more often as a mainstay of family meals and snacks. Objectives: 1. Adults will explain a health benefit provided by peppers. 2. Adults will explain how to select peppers. 3. Adults will discuss cost and time effective strategies for incorporating peppers into family meals. 4. Adults will discuss preparation and storage techniques of peppers, including cleaning, trimming, cooking, and storing 5. Adults will make and taste food that includes peppers. Total Time: ~1 hour Materials Yellow pepper, 1 small piece per person Green pepper, 1 small piece per person Red pepper, 1 small piece per person 1 cup per person 2 whole peppers for cutting demonstration (use them in the recipe you will be demonstrating) Ingredients for Red Pepper Omelet and Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew recipes Bowls, plates, forks, spoons and napkins, 1 per person Preparation Required Review the lesson Chop peppers into taste-sized pieces Place 1 piece of each colored pepper into a cup so that each cup has a piece of all three colors This material was funded by USDA's Food Stamp Program. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call 1-800-221-5689 or visit online at Uhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htm U. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture's policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 1 P a g e Meagan Latimer MS, RD; Tamara Vitale MS, RD
LESSON PLAN Introduction: Welcome and introspective activity Time: 5 minutes Welcome everyone to the class and thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend. Tell participants that the things they learn about peppers will help them have a healthier diet, be able to prepare healthier meals at home, and may help them to want to incorporate peppers into their favorite meals. Ask the class: What are some barriers that you experience in using peppers in your cooking? o Invite a few people to share. After they share, you may include: My family doesn t like peppers. are too expensive at the store. I don t know any other way to serve them besides in fajitas. The different varieties of peppers confuse me, so I don t even think about serving them. are too hot. Tell the class that hopefully the things they learn today will help them use peppers in their cooking and overcome their barriers. Explain that peppers are divided into two flavor categories: sweet and hot. The hot pepper varieties are often called chilies. o Hot: Small chile peppers are hotter than large ones Mature (red or orange) peppers are hotter than green ones Seeds and veins are the hottest parts of the chile o If a chile is too hot, drink milk or eat milk products or bite into a lime. Drinking beer or water does not wash away the burn. Explain that for the rest of the class, you are going to focus on the sweet peppers category. The most common type of sweet pepper is the bell peppers. Explain that you are going to begin one of the recipes immediately so it can cook while you are teaching. Begin the Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew. Follow the recipe until you put the sweet potatoes in. Let simmer for 10 minutes and check in the middle of your discussion. Objective 1: Adults will explain a health benefit provided by peppers. Activity: Nutrition discussion Time: 2-3 minutes Ask the class: When you think of vitamin C, what do you usually think of? Answers may include: o Getting sick in the winter time o Oranges o Citrus fruits Tell the class that peppers are a great source of vitamin C. That is one more thing they can add to their arsenal against being sick. So, when they re tired of eating citrus or just want a delicious change, vitamin C from peppers is a great option. 2 P a g e
Objectives 2, 3, and 4: Adults will understand how to select the best peppers; Adults will understand cost and time effective strategies for incorporating peppers into family meals; Adults will understand preparation and storage techniques of peppers, including cleaning, trimming, cooking, and storing. Activity: Discussion and taste-testing Time: 25 minutes Ask the class: What do you look for when you pick a peck of peppers? o Answers may include: Should have tight, deep colored skin. Should NOT be wrinkly. Avoid pepper with blemishes, soft spots, and darkened areas. should be heavy for their size. It means they are juicy! Who wants to eat a dried-up pepper? Why are peppers different colors? o Explain to the class that green peppers are peppers of other colors that have not yet matured. This means that they are technically not ripe but can still be eaten and add a scrumptious flavor and texture. o Other colors of peppers are bred specifically for that color. o Ask the class: What color peppers have you seen in the store? Garden? Market? (Make sure to point out the unique colors of peppers they may not have seen before). Green Purple Red Blue Orange Brown White Pass out the cups with peppers in them o Instruct the participants to taste the green pepper. o Instruct the participants to taste the red pepper. o Instruct the participants to taste the yellow pepper. o Ask the class: What are the differences in flavor? o Ask the class: Which pepper do you prefer? Why? o Ask the class: Which pepper do you think your family would try? Why? ***Add the rest of the ingredients to the stew and let it continue to cook for 15 more minutes*** Ask the class: What forms of peppers (either sweet or hot) have you seen in the market (not brands or colors)? o Pre-cut (in bags in the produce section) o Frozen o Whole o Dried o Canned Ask the class: How would you use these different forms of peppers in your cooking or why would the form of pepper make a difference? How do they affect the issue of time or cost for a family? o Pre-cut: Generally more expensive Easy to throw into any dish 3 P a g e
Saves time and fewer dishes and utensils to wash o Frozen Easy to throw into any dish Nutrients are preserved You can buy out-of-season for a constant price (generally) o Whole Least expensive You can do just about anything you want with the whole product (i.e. cut it the way you want, stuff it, etc.) o Dried chilies Can be soaked in boiling water if you don t have fresh chilies o Canned chilies Convenient Not generally very expensive In addition to the colors and forms of peppers, you can also think about what you can make with cooked versus raw peppers. o Cooked: sauté peppers and onions together to use in many different dishes. o Ask the class: What ways would you use cooked peppers? Answers may include: Add to cooked pasta with some seasoned tomatoes, parmesan cheese and diced chicken. This works as an entrée or pasta salad if served cold. Fajita Breakfast burrito Add to other sautéed vegetables Add to some of your favorite meats: On top of a steak To hot dog or bratwurst On a burger o Ask the class: What ways would you use raw peppers? Answers may include: Added to a green, pasta, or potato salad In a coleslaw Hummus (a paste made from garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas) Ask the class: What meals do you currently make with peppers that are a successful way to get your family to eat peppers? Answers may include: o Stir-frys o In omelets o Fajitas o Salads o Added to soups o Sliced onto a hot or cold sandwich o Added to salsa o Stuffed peppers Demonstrate to the class how to cut a whole pepper (see pictures and instructions attached). o Tell the class that there are many ways to cut a pepper. You will show them several ways and they can choose what would be the easiest for them. o Instruct them to remember to cut the pepper with the skin down. Since the skins are tough, positioning the pepper this way for cutting will make sure the knife doesn t slip and injure them. 4 P a g e
o Remind them that if they are going to cut chilies or hot peppers, they should wear gloves and not touch their eyes or nose. Wash equipment well or there may be added heat to foods where they don t want or expect it. o Finish cutting the peppers in the way that you will use them in your omelet recipe. Objective 5: Adults will make and taste something that includes peppers. Activity: Demonstrate Red Pepper Omelet recipe Demonstrate Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew recipe Time: 10-20 minutes Serve the stew to the attendees to eat as they watch you make the omelet. Ask for a few people to help you as you make and serve the red pepper omelet recipe (as appropriate). Conclusion: Summary and Regroup Time: 5 minutes Ask the class participants if they have any questions. What did they learn today that encourages them to go home and feed peppers to their family? What serving ideas or recipes are they planning on trying? Thank them for attending. 5 P a g e
HOW TO CUT A BELL PEPPER: Method #1 1. First, lop off the top. Don't worry if half the stem is left behind in the pepper. 2. Turn the pepper so it's sitting on that nice stable flat side you just made. Then you can cut straight down to slice off a side. (This is where the "squarish" part makes it easier.) 3. Continue cutting off the sides straight down. 4. Turn what's left of the pepper over on to its side and cut off the top. If your sides of the "pepper cage" around the seeds are thin, it might break in half. 5. Then it's easy to slice and/or chop up the conveniently sized and shaped pieces of pepper for cooking or just plain eating. HOW TO CUT A BELL PEPPER: Method #2 1. Start by cutting a circle around the top of the pepper, following the top edge all the way around. Pull the top off by the stem and discard it. There might be a few seeds left inside the pepper, but the majority of them should be on the top. 2. Look at the inside of your pepper. See the white-ish ribs? That s where you want to make your cuts. 3. Slice down the middle of one of those ribs, making sure the point of your knife lands on the bottom-center of the pepper. Continue slicing down each rib, having each slice end at the same point. 4. Your pepper should be in 3-4 pieces now (depending on how many ribs it had), and the edge of each piece should have part of a white rib on it. Begin slicing off the ribs from the edges of each piece, starting at the top and slicing in a U-shape all the way around until the rib has been removed. 6 P a g e
Spice up your meals with peppers Types Choose it Use it Cut it Notes: Meagan Latimer MS, RD; Tamara 7 Vitale P ams, g RD e This material was funded by USDA's Food Stamp Program. The Food Stamp Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call 1-800-221-5689 or visit online at Uhttp://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htm U. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture's policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Pepper your table with some outstanding recipes Red Pepper Omelet 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 red bell pepper (medium) chopped 1 green onion, chopped 1 tablespoon Mozzarella cheese Cooking spray Coat the pan with cooking spray. Heat pan on low-medium heat. Add egg to pan. Allow egg to cook until almost set. Flip the egg over. Add bell pepper, green onions, and mozzarella into the middle of the egg patty and fold in half. Simple Sautéed and Onions 1-2 T olive oil 3-4 large red and green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips 1-2 large onions cut into thin strips Salt and pepper to taste Place oil in a large, deep skillet and turn heat to mediumhigh; one minute later, add peppers and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers and onions are lightly browned and very tender. Season with salt and pepper. *Add to pasta, fajitas, breakfast burritos, hamburgers, hot dogs, or mix with other vegetables for a delicious side dish. Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 tsp chili powder 2 C orange juice Salt and pepper 2 C finely chopped onions 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 Tbsp minced garlic 2-3 chopped red peppers 2 Tbsp minced ginger (optional) 1 1/2 lb, 1 cubed, peeled sweet potatoes 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed, drained 1 small can diced green chilies 1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add ginger, chili powder and cumin and stir 2 minutes. 2. Add sweet potatoes, orange juice, and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until sweet potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes, adding more liquid as needed. Stir beans, chilies, and bell pepper into sweet potato mixture. Cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 3. Serve with polenta, rice or cornbread. 8 P a g e