'Tis the season to grill. My hubby and I had a steak dinner planned as a special welcome weekend supper (and chuck eye was on sale recently). Yesterday I realized it was Thursday and we had not chosen our new produce for the week. So I drove to Whole Foods (like I ever need a reason to go here). Again I have to say summer is my favorite time for produce. There easily was ten different items for my hubby and I to sample without even searching for the perfect hidden gem. Melons galore, but as the Golden Honeydew melon was last week I decided to branch out. Then I saw an item I have semi-tried but never in its whole food state, RED CORN (I have tried the patriotic corn chips of blue, red, and white strips. So technically I have tried this product but not officially prepared by my hands)! Many of us have seen this decoration in numerous homes around the autumn season as it is gorgeous when dried. But ladies and gentleman this produce is not just for decoration anymore. It is tasty, healthy, and eye-catching. First lets start with the eye catching red. To prove to us shoppers Whole Foods had peeled the husk slightly so we could see the beautifully hued kernels. I would describe the color as more of rosy pink then brilliant red. But I believe, there is a chance the color had started to soak back into the cob. Healthy because we review the common rule of thumb that with most produce; the deeper the color the healthier the product. Again true in this case as the red reflects the antioxidant qualities that one may find in pomegranates.
Now unto how do we prepare this beautiful produce that is in its peak season of (June - October)? How do you like your corn prepared. I bet this would be delicious in a salsa or a very pretty soup. We prepared it on the grill. YUM! Have you ever had grilled corn on the cob? So easy. You can husk it completely and throw the ear on to get a bit of char on the kernels, but watch it. Because burnt corn is as tasty as burnt popcorn. Blech! I have heard of others preparing the corn and wrapping it back into its husk. We used tin foil after we spread a dab of butter and a few spices like garlic powder, pepper, salt, cayenne, and a tish of paprika. So good! Now we probably should have left one of the ears plain so we could have tried the red corn flavor straight forward. Very similar to typical corn (yellow, white, and bi-color). The color after this prep turned into a faded brick red, slightly brownish. Other preps I believe would draw out the brilliant reds more,(for instance salsa I think would be quite eye-catching). The taste for me was altered due to the spices, but I found that they pretty much on par with yellow corn. Although I did read two different blogs and one stated that red was sweeter and the other blog said it was earthier. I am suspicious that the flavor may have to do with when the corn was harvested. The texture however was noticeably different in my opinion. I found the red kernels were a bit crispier with more of a satisfying pop than the yellow kernels when chewing the corn off the cob. Great addition to your summer meal. Also how fun for kids (the younger and the older versions) to try in a simple bowl of corn kernels mixed with other colored varieties.
May your HealthFULL Journey have you satisfying all your senses (vision - red, hearing - pop!, smell - grilled produce, touch - bumpy texture, and taste - yum!) while building a healthier you. 'Til we meet again. . .
I stopped by your blog today.
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