purple vegetables?

[Bobbie]

I'm trying to make rainbow salads - all the colour of the rainbow, but whenever it comes to the blue, indigo and violet, I always have to include fruits, because I can't think of any veg. But there must be some so I've been googling to see, and all I've come accross is beetroot (which is red when I buy it).

I think I once heard of blue potatoes???? Anyone heard of these, and has anyone tasted them? I think they're sometimes used to make crisps (potato chips in America).

Also I think I once heard of sweet potatoes that were purple.

I know recently in Britain, the newspapers tried to revive purple carrots - their original colour.

Does anyone know if these purple varieties of carrots and sweet potatoes have different nutritional value to the orange ones??

And would the blue potatoes contain the advantages of purple veg, or would they be the same as white potatoes?

And do you know any other purple veg - preferably ones I could get hold of.

[Bobbie]

I found an article on blue potatoes but it's in French, which I don't speak!

http://res2.agr.ca/fredericton/nb/n10_03_01_f.htm

[Bobbie]

http://www.deliciousorganics.com/images/prplepot3.jpg http://www.deliciousorganics.com/images/allblue.jpg http://www.deliciousorganics.com/images/redpotside.jpg

Purple, Blue and Red Potatoes.

[Bobbie]

http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/handbooks/gourmetvegetables/images/gourmetveg_6_2.jpg

Purple Asparagus

[mindelicious]

I was just recently in Waikiki and ate at the Hula Grill--had a beautiful locally grown salad-- but anyway one of my cooked friends had purple sweet pots as a side dish--apparently they were incredible. So they definately exist but the ones they had were grown in Hawaii, sorry no help on the availability.
Also I would think the vitamin/mineral content would be even better--veggies w/ brighter bolder richer colors usually are more nutricious

check this out:
http://www.deliciousorganics.com/recipes/potatoes.htm

You can buy purple sweet potato seeds here:
http://www.scottfarms.com/sweetpotato_plants.html
Be cautioned they need high humidity & heat, they grow in a tropical environment.

[mindelicious]

Oh and what about purple onions & cabbage???

[Bobbie]

http://www.gardenandleisure.com/prodimages/large/wsut152729l.jpg

Purple Sprouting Broccoli

[Bobbie]

http://static.flickr.com/25/48886877_ada210610f_m.jpg

Purple Peppers

[Bobbie]

http://www.snowflake-designs.com/images/kyle's%20marketplace%20purple%20onions.jpg

Purple Onions

[Bobbie]

http://www.acclaimimages.com/_gallery/_SM/0017-0305-3108-0416_SM.jpg

Purple Cabbage

[Bobbie]

Oh and what about purple onions & cabbage???

Thanks! Yes, I can't believe I never thought about them. Purple Sauerkraut would be beautiful too but apparantly it turns red when fermented :(

[Bobbie]

I was just recently in Waikiki and ate at the Hula Grill--had a beautiful locally grown salad-- but anyway one of my cooked friends had purple sweet pots as a side dish--apparently they were incredible. So they definately exist but the ones they had were grown in Hawaii, sorry no help on the availability.
Also I would think the vitamin/mineral content would be even better--veggies w/ brighter bolder richer colors usually are more nutricious

check this out:
http://www.deliciousorganics.com/recipes/potatoes.htm

You can buy purple sweet potato seeds here:
http://www.scottfarms.com/sweetpotato_plants.html
Be cautioned they need high humidity & heat, they grow in a tropical environment.

Wow! Thankyou. I don't think I could grow them. :(
Did your friend think they tasted the same as orange sweet potatoes?
They must look sensational.

[Bobbie]

http://us.inmagine.com/168nwm/photodisc/pdos001/pdos001064.jpg

Purple Kale

[Sheryl]

How about purple kohlrabi?

Cheers,
Sheryl

[Bobbie]

Thanks! I'd never heard of it.

[Bobbie]

http://www.humeseeds.com/kohl_p.jpg

Purple Kohlrabi

[dreamrawalwz]

I've seen purple and yellow cauliflower before

[Bobbie]

Wow!! Thanks. I thought there were hardly any purple veg but there seems to be loads!

[Bobbie]

http://www.cuisinecapers.com/images/veggies1-thumb.jpg http://www.cuisinecapers.com/images/mixedveggies-thumb.jpg

Purple Cauliflower

[Bobbie]

does anyone know what that yellow vegetable is?

http://www.cuisinecapers.com/images/mixedveggies.jpg

[Rawmommie]

looks like squash to me. :)

[Joyful Mary]

Looks yumm!

[exurb]

Wow, I love this post with all these purple veggies! A ROYGBV salad!

I knew about all the other purples except purple asparagus - that's a new one, now I'm on a mission! It looks amazing!! I just doubled the asparagus bed this year, too bad I didn't know to look for purple asparagus! Gotta have it!

The yellow veg looked at first like yellow zucchini, but on a closer look it could also be yellow cucumber, because the seeds look shinier and wetter more like yellow cucumber. I have grown yellow and white cucumbers in the past. You often see seeds for "lemon cucumber".

BTW, purple cauliflower is easy to grow, where white cauliflower is very difficult, so if any green or not-so-green thumbs want to give it a try... It just needs nutrient rich soil, lots of compost or whatever you use.

I grow those potatoes the all red and all blue, as well as the purple kohlrabi (though you have to peel it, and the inside's white).

Did you know you can use the color from purple cabbage as litmus paper? It will go blue or red depending on base or acid.

Bobbie, where did you find that photo of purple asparagus, do you have a link?

BTW another reason to eat raw, those purple peppers if you cook them turn to plain ole green peppers :eek:

[mattsonfamily]

Here is where I get my purple potatoes. www.boxedgreens.com
They are very nice and have great produce.

Mindi