Ingredients:

bunch of basil (if basil isn’t available then use parsley)

dried oregano, salt, and pepper to taste

1 clove of garlic

6-7 sweet red or yellow bell peppers

Process for Roasting, Cleaning, and Dressing Roasted Peppers:

Start by charring the bell peppers over an open flame (in the winter you can accomplish this right on your gas stove top <just place the pepper right on the grate!>, in the summer it’s nice to char right on the barbecue via wood or charcoal briquettes).

You’ll want to cook the peppers until they are fully blackened or singed.  Moreover, you’ll want to make sure the peppers are  soft to the touch before removing from the heat source; if the pepper is still hard to the touch you’ll need to continue roasting.

Remove the peppers from the heat source and let cool for 5-10 minutes.  DO NOT USE WATER to remove the charred skin.  Simply use your hands to get rid of the blackened skin, you shouldn’t have a problem with this step if you cooked the peppers long enough (and a little bit of black skin will not kill you).  The pepper will still be hot when you begin peeling so resist the urge to use cold water (if you become a serious cook you’ll eventually develop “Nonna hands” and be impervious to hot things in the kitchen <you’ll be able to pick up hot pans without oven mitts and stir soup with your bare hands – just joking on the latter>).  You can place the charred peppers in a brown bag once they come off the heat and let them sit for 10-15 minutes .

Next remove the stems and seeds (you will want to remove as many as the seeds as possible).  Cut the peppers into long 1/4 inch strips and place in a container that can store in the fridge (with a top).

For the dressing, add the olive oil, basil, dried oregano, salt and pepper, finely chopped garlic and mix well.  Let the mixture  sit for about an hour and enjoy (the peppers should marinate before consuming).  Red peppers store well and they keep in the fridge for well over a week.

Fruits are low in calories and fat and are a source of simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins, which are essential for optimizing our health.

Fruits provide plenty of soluble dietary fiber, which helps to ward off cholesterol and fats from the body and to help in smooth bowel movements as well as offer relief from constipation ailments.

Fruits compose of many anti-oxidants such as poly-phenolic flavonoids, vitamin-C, and anthocyanins. These compounds, firstly, help human body protected from oxidant stress, diseases, and cancers, and secondly; help the body develop capacity to fight against these ailments by boosting our immunity level. Many fruits, when compared to vegetables and cereals, have very high anti-oxidant values, which is measured in terms of their "Oxygen Radical Absorbent Capacity" or (ORAC).

Anthocyanins are flavonoid category of poly-phenolic compounds found in some "blue-fruits" like blue-black grapes, mulberries, acai berry, chokeberry, blueberries, blackberries, and in many vegetables featuring blue or deep purple pigments. Consumption of fruits rich in blue pigments offers many health benefits. These compounds have potent anti-oxidant properties that help remove free radicals from the body, and thus offer protection against cancers, aging, infections, etc. Majority of these pigments in the fruits tend to concentrate just underneath their skin.

Fruit’s health benefiting properties are because of their richness in vitamins, minerals, micro-nutrients, pigment anti-oxidants. Altogether, these compounds help the body prevent or at least prolong the natural changes of aging by protecting from damage and rejuvenating cells, tissues, and organs. Their overall benefits are manifold! Fruit nutrition benefits are emormous! Including fruits in daily diet, you are protecting yourself from minor ailments like wrinkling of skin, hair-fall, and memory loss to major ailments like age-related macular degeneration (AMRD) of the retina in the eyes, Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancers, weak bones (osteoporosis).

Research studies suggest that one may eat any servings of fruits daily. It is recommended to eat at least 2-3 servings of fresh fruits every day.Include seasonal fruits in the daily diet. Variety of fruits type, color, and flavor should be encouraged to get maximum health benefits. Yellow and orange color fruits are rich sources of a and ß carotenes, zea-xanthin and crypto-xanthin, while blue, black colored like black or blueberries are a good source of poly-phenolic anthocyanin anti-oxidants.To avail maximum fruit nutrition benefits eat organic produce. Many "wild" varieties of berries and "tropical tree" fruits have still not treated with any kind of fertilizers or chemicals and can be readily purchased from local farm owners. Organic fruits tend to be smaller; however, they feature special flavor and richness in vitamins, minerals and stuffed with numerous anti-oxidants.

In the store, however, choose fruits that feature freshness, bright in color and flavor and feel heavy in your hands. Look carefully for blemishes, spots, molds, and signs of insecticide spray.Barring few fruits like wild-berries, try to wash them soon after shopping. Rinse them in salt water for a few minutes and then wash in cool running water until you are satisfied with complete cleanliness. This way, you make sure that the fruit you eat is rid-off dirt, sand and any residual chemical spray. Eat them while they are fresh, since certain fruits have very short shelf life and their health benefiting properties decline with time. If you need to store them, place them in plastic wrappings or in zip pouches to keep them fresh for short periods until you use them. Eat fruits as a whole without any additions to enjoy their true flavor, taste, and to get maximum fruit nutrition benefits.