"September is National Fruits & Veggies - More Matters Month!"

Vegetable of the Month: Chili Peppers
Hot peppers (chilies) are often used to spice up dishes, and they are especially popular in ethnic cousine including Mexican, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Arab and Spanish cooking. Chiles are an excellent source of Vitamin C if you can withstand their powerful bite.

Recipe: Cherry Pepper Salad                                                                                                     
Makes 4 servings, Each serving equals 1 1/2 cups fruit or vegetables
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 cup each thinly sliced sweet yellow and green peppers
1/4 cup thinly sliced mild chili pepper
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp pickled ginger strips, optional
4 cups mixed greens

Toss together all ingredients except greens; refrigerate 1 hour or longer. Serve on mixed greens.

Nutritional Analysis per serving: Calories 80, Protein 2g, Fat 2g, Calories From Fat 23%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 15g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 100mg.

Fruit of the Month: Figs
Figs, one of mankind's oldest fruits. Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower inverted into itself. They are the only fruit to ripen on the tree. Orginally native from Turkey to northern India, the fig fruit spread to many of the Mediterranean countries. The primary producers of dried figs today are the United States, Turkey, Greece, and Spain. This highly nutritious fruit arrived in the United States by Spanish missionaries settling in Southern California in 1759. Fig trees were soon planted throughout the state.

Recipe: Fig Banana Smoothie
Makes 4 servings, Each serving equals 1 cup of fruit or vegetables
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped dried figs (stems removed)
1 cup 1-inch banana slices
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
3 cups crushed ice
1 Tbsp honey
mint leaf or berry garnish

Place all ingredients except garnish in a blender (not a food processor), and blend until smooth, approximately 2-3 minutes. Strain liquid and pour into tall, chilled glasses. Add garnish.

Nutritional Analysis per serving: Calories 178, Protein 2g, Fat 1g, Calories From Fat 4%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 44g, Fber 9g, Sodium 9mg.