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Purple Coloured Foods

By Gwen Nyhus Stewart

Purple is the colour of intuition, power, and reason. This colour is said to be the brain’s creative and intuitive food. Purple suggests a sense of the mysterious and is linked to the unconscious. It strengthens and supports the central nervous system and is important for our mental health. Using purple will calm those suffering from high anxiety as it calms a jangled nervous system, induces sleep, and placates emotional upsets.

Purple is used in the treatment of pain, rheumatism, epilepsy, diseases of the scalp, and helps heal the bones. This is a good colour to use to learn to love your self as it contains potent yet balanced vibrational energy that can purify thoughts and feelings. The colour purple is believed to lower the risk of some cancers, contribute to urinary health and healthy aging, and assist memory function. This regal colour indicates knowledge, wisdom, creativity, and spirituality.

Purple Foods and Recipes

Beets (Beta vulgaris)

Beets are a significant source of vitamin C, potassium, and the antioxidant B vitamin, folic acid that maintains tissue health, may help to prevent heart disease, and may reduce the risk of certain birth defects. Beet juice, used in Europe to treat cancer, has been shown to prevent cell mutations that lead to cancer. Beet greens provide even more of certain nutrients including folic acid, potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C, fibre, magnesium, and iron.

Roasted Beet Salad

3 Beets, roasted and peeled

1 Green onion, sliced finely

½ tsp. (2 mL) Capers

2 tbsps. (30 mL) Feta cheese, crumbled

½ head Green lettuce, washed

Vinaigrette

½ Lemon, juice, freshly squeezed

1 tsp. (5 mL) Vinegar, red or white wine

3 tbsps. (45 mL) Olive oil

1 clove Garlic, small, minced

Sea salt, to taste

Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Trim and wash whole beets, leaving skins on. Put beets into an ovenproof pan, add ¼ inch (2 mm) water, cover, and bake at 300º F (150º C) until tender. It will take approximately 1 – 1½ hours for small beets. Check water level and add more if the water has evaporated. Cool, peel, and cut beets into bite-sized pieces. While beets are roasting, mix vinaigrette and whisk together until thoroughly blended. Mix together beets, green onions, and capers. Arrange lettuce leaves on serving plates with beet mixture on top and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Vegetable Pancakes

1 Egg

1 Potato, medium, shredded

2 Beets, medium, shredded

2 Carrots, medium, shredded

1 Onion, small, shredded

1 tbsp. (15 mL) Flour

2 – 3 tsp. (10 – 15 mL) Olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg with salt and pepper. Peel the vegetables and grate them coarsely, either by hand or with a food processor. Squeeze out the moisture from the potatoes. (I place them in a tea towel and then squeeze them to ensure I get as much moisture out as I can.) Mix the flour and vegetables with the eggs.

Brush a heavy skillet with the olive oil and heat until the oil begins to sizzle. I use my non-stick electric frying pan. Reduce the heat and drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the skillet a few inches apart. Press down the pancakes with the back of the spoon. Fry the pancakes until golden brown. As each batch is done, transfer to paper towels to drain and reserve in a warm oven. Serve hot.

Purple grapes have long been associated with detoxification and can help relieve a wide range of ailments as they have been shown to have both antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena)

Eggplant is rich in the antioxidant monoterpenes that protects tissue from free radical damage. It is a source of vitamin C, iron, and fibre. The potassium in eggplant regulates blood pressure and heartbeat thus protecting the heart and helps reduce plaque build-up in the arteries that can lead to arteriosclerosis and heart disease. When cooking eggplant, various methods are recommended but all methods suggest that salting and draining will ensure that the eggplant uses much less oil for cooking. To salt, simply sprinkle eggplant with salt, place in a colander for 30 minutes, lightly squeeze out the moisture, and pat dry. Adjust the seasonings to compensate for the salt on the eggplant.

Sautéed Eggplant

Cut peeled eggplant into small cubes. Salt, let drain for 30 minutes, and pat dry. In a sauté pan, heat the oil and add eggplant pieces. Sauté until lightly browned on all sides and just tender. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Grilled Eggplant

Peel and salt eggplant. Place in a colander for 30 minutes, drain, and pat dry. Toss with oil flavoured with herbs and garlic. Thread on soaked wooden skewers, broil or grill. Turn frequently while eggplant is cooking to ensure all sides are completely browned. Season with lemon, sea salt (if using), and freshly ground black pepper.

Purple Coloured Vegetables

Sea vegetables are an excellent source of protein, soluble fibre, beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc.

Other purple vegetables include purple asparagus, purple cabbage, purple onions, purple peppers, and purple seaweed.

Purple Coloured Fruit

Purple coloured fruit include blackberries, blackcurrants, figs, prunes, purple plums, raisins

Purple Coloured Herbs

Bee balm, cloves, garden hyssop, marjoram, purple basil, scented geranium

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