Rainbow salad platters

Preparation

Steam broccoli and roast the sweet potato.
Arrange ingredients on a plate, to make a colourful pattern and enjoy!

Tips from the author

Ensuring your plate is covered in a wide variety of coloured vegetables is a good way to guarantee you’re consuming as many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and disease-fighting phytochemicals as possible.

Fruit and vegetables fall into five different colour categories each delivering its own set of unique health properties. Check out the cool colours I've discovered:

Green: Kale, spinach broccoli, herbs, lettuce, beans, zucchini, asparagus.
Green vegetables contain lutein; an antioxidant that reinforces improved vision. They also contain potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K and folic acid as well the phytochemicals carotenoids, indoles and saponins, all of which have cancer-fighting properties.
Red: Tomato, capsicum, radish, rhubarb.
Red fruits and vegetables contain several beneficial antioxidants, such as lycopene and anthocyanins. These compounds help promote the health of your heart, eyes and immune system, as well as help prevent cancer.
Orange: Carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin.
There’s truth to what your mother said: “Carrots really do help you see in the dark.” Due to their high levels of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A, this vegetable contains essential vitamins for healthy vision.
Purple: Eggplant, blueberries, blackberries, red cabbage, purple onions.
The darker the vegetable, the higher the antioxidant level. The plant pigment that gives these fruits and veggies their purple hue is called anthocyanin. It has antioxidant properties that protect cells from damage and can help reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease.
White: Onions, garlic, potatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, parsnips, turnips.
Many white vegetables contain a range of health-promoting phytochemicals such as allicin (found in garlic), which is known for its antiviral and antibacterial properties. These vegetables are also high in potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, fibre and folate, and have anti-cancer properties as well as reducing the risk of heart disease.

Read my blog From Paddock to Plate - Rainbow Bowls of Goodness