Shanthi Appelö is a registered dietitian and health and wellness spokesperson for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan based in Detroit. Passionate about the science of nutrition and behavior, Shanthi has experience working in clinical nutrition, public health and teaching in the university setting. She earned her Master of Science in Public Health Nutrition from the University of Tennessee and has a research background in maternal and child health nutrition and public health, as well as a Certificate of Training in Obesity Interventions from the Commission on Dietetic Registration. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen, exploring the outdoors, working on art and spending time with family.
Tips and Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Produce
- Store asparagus like a bouquet of flowers.
- Wrap herbs in a paper towel in a bag to keep them dry.
- Be wary of cold spots in your fridge and don’t store vegetables with a high water content in those areas — thawed lettuce and cucumbers aren’t delicacies.
- Store produce that expels excess ethylene gas away from others. Apples, potatoes and ripe bananas accelerate the ripening of other produce.
- Notice your lettuce is looking sad? Perk it up by giving it a cold-water bath, then taking it for a ride in a salad spinner.
- Avocados and mangoes ripen great in a sunny window. If it’s perfectly ripe on Friday but needed for a Sunday brunch, pop it in the fridge to halt the ripening process.
Serving Amount
Ingredients
5 Bell peppers, red, yellow or orange
10 ounce or 12-ounce container cherry tomatoes
2 garlic heads
2 tbsp plus 1/2 cup olive oil, separated
1⁄4 cup fresh basil leaves
1⁄4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1⁄4 cup shredded parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish, basil leaves
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and prepare a large, lined baking sheet.
Step 2
Cut bell peppers in half, removing seeds, core and membrane. Add to baking sheet face down.
Step 3
Cut the top of the garlic head off to expose a small part of the garlic clove. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic heads in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet.
Step 4
Add tomatoes to baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season all vegetables with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until bell pepper has sunk in and getting charred marks.
Step 6
Let vegetables cool. Remove garlic from aluminum. Add all contents to a blender. Combine with basil, 1/3 cup olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.
Step 7
Toss or swirl with your favorite pasta. Top with shredded parmesan and basil.
