COLOR YOUR WORLD

Each spring, color returns to our food: vibrant spring greens, ruby-red radishes, the fresh orange of the first baby carrots and, of course, the rainbow of dyed Easter eggs. All these colors awaken both our eyes and palate.

That we also eat with our eyes is a fact not lost on food manufacturers. Americans consume five times more food dye now than in 1955. Today, dyes make white bread look more like whole wheat, add eye-popping color to cereals and mimic fruits or vegetables in processed foods. They are sometimes even sprayed on oranges to brighten them up.

Commonly used synthetic dyes, such as Red 40, may pose a “rainbow of risks,” including cancer (at least three dyes indicate a risk in animal studies), hyperactivity in some children and allergic reactions, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. (In Europe, synthetic dyes have been largely phased out.) The FDA requires manufacturers to list synthetic color additives by name. Look for the numbers, like Blue 2, in the ingredient list.

But you can still have your color and eat it too: safe plant-based and mineral dyes can accomplish a similar effect. Ones you might see on food labels include chlorophyllin (green from algae) and paprika (red from peppers).

Pale blue – Red cabbage

Violet – Beet

Khaki green – Red onion skins

Orange – Yellow onion skins

Yellow – Turmeric

Here are top tips for hard-boiled eggs:

1. Don’t actually boil them: Boiling causes the shells to crack, plus boiling water is just too hot and results in stiff, rubbery whites. Barely simmering water is just right.
2. Use a timer: 10 minutes of barely simmering water is all you need for perfectly cooked eggs. And don’t approximate – set a timer. After cooking, put them immediately into ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Overcooked eggs are tough and typically show that less-than-attractive (but completely edible) green ring around the yolk.
3. Wait before you cook: very fresh eggs are hard to peel. If you have fresh eggs, keep them in the refrigerator for several days before cooking – the whites will be less likely to stick to the shell so the eggs will be much easier to peel.

For perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs: Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan; cover with 1 inch of water. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook at the barest simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, immediately pour our hot water and cover eggs with ice-cold water. Let stand until cool enough to handle before peeling.

To color your Easter eggs naturally read more on Eating Well magazine’s website eatingwell.com

And as always let the food industry world know that you are against animal cruelty. For Easter and always buy either cage-free or organic eggs. If you buy organic you know that the animals are fed with the food which is not pesticide and genetically modified. Eat only egg-cellent eggs!!!