Food color blocking

Have you ever considered that the color of what you eat may influence its nutritional properties? Just take a tour on Instagram to see what we're talking about: the monochrome dish is a new trend that has become viral in a short time. Ingredients: Several ingredients connected by the same color, containing different vitamins, proteins and minerals can be put together in the same dish for a health bomb. What gives hue to plants? The answer is Phytochemicals: naturally pigmented substances such as chlorophyll and lycopene, which give distinctive colors to vegetables. Thanks to them, The Serious About Food Magazine can give you excellent tips for more beautiful, but also healthier dishes. Because you know, a dish that’s nice to look at is double the goodness! Are you ready for an energy rainbow?

RED like Love. Red is an energetic, positive and vital color. An intense red is often the result of a large amount of lycopene and anthocyanin, which are carotenoids commonly found in red vegetables and fruits. These substances have significant antioxidant properties, thus preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease, and are great sources of vitamin C, promoting collagen production and helping to control cholesterol. In addition to protecting us, they stimulate our immune system, protect the skin and the lymphatic system, while helping us stay in shape with their draining action. Try these gourmet summer salads in red tones:

Red turnips and apples. Cook red turnips in the oven with olive oil and thyme until they are soft, then cut them and season with a vinaigrette made of mustard, apple vinegar, horseradish, salt and pepper. Add a sliced green apple and pistachios to the final touch. Watermelon and feta. Cut a watermelon into cubes and mix with cucumber, feta and red onion. Season with a homemade dressing flavored with honey, mint and lime. If you have an Empire Red Artisan Toaster, you absolutely have to put it on some toast for a fancy Instagram pic!

YELLOW and ORANGE as the sun, bright as the summer! Yellow and orange ingredients, also naturally rich in vitamin C, are essential for the prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and cellular aging due to the flavonoids they abound in. The high content of beta-carotene also inhibits free radicals. Its powerful skin-protecting effect promotes the production of vitamin A, which is essential for tissue regeneration and immune system protection. Get your fill of yellow with these easy and fast recipes: Melon and Red Fruit Spaghetti. This summer dessert is easily prepared with KitchenAid Stand Mixer attachments, (it would be fabulous if you have one in Honey). Peel and clean the melon, then use the spiralizer to prepare melon spaghetti. Make a coulis of raspberries and strawberries mixing them with dark rum, a spoonful of honey and a pinch of salt in the food processor. As a final touch, decorate the plate with grated coconut and fresh mint leaves.

Mango and Banana Smoothie Bowl. To prepare this refreshing and delicious recipe, blend banana, kiwi and frozen mango – for a smoothie-like consistency - with almond milk. Pour into a bowl and decorate with cubes of mango, kiwi slices, chia or hemp seeds, and fresh coconut.

GREEN Green is the hue of calm and hope, and eating green is generally associated with a healthy and balanced life. Green-colored food does bring many benefits: chlorophyll is a powerful antioxidant and combined with carotenoids – also present in green ingredients – it strengthens our body against cancers and vascular diseases. Green foods are often rich in magnesium, which helps with the metabolizing of carbohydrates and proteins, mineral absorption and pressure regulation. Adding green to your food is really simple!

Green curry chicken. Thai green curry is the perfect fit for recipes based on vegetables and for salads, due to its very fresh taste. Use the Green Apple version of the Artisan blender to mix coriander, pepper, hay, green chili, turmeric, ginger and cardamom. Asparagus and avocado salad. Cut a large asparagus in slices, leaving them raw and crispy. Mix with a ripe avocado, coriander, plenty of fresh lime and pepper. Ultra-green, ultra-good!

PURPLE is the color of mystery and one favoured by creative people, but it is also a cure-all for its food properties. Purple ingredients provide many benefits, including urinary and cardiovascular system protection, while carotenoids contrast cellular aging and degenerative processes of the nervous system. They also contain anthocyanins, which protect circulation and capillaries, as well as important sources of magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C. Use your purple Plumberry Artisan Stand Mixer along with its Slow Juicer attachment to prepare delicious smoothies, or nutritious juices.

Smoothie Bowls. Blend frozen Cranberries with Coconut Milk, Maca Powder and Acai, along with a teaspoon of Stevia. Decorate with cranberries and decorticated pumpkin seeds. Yum!