03/23/2021
Chilies! One of my top 5. Chili peppers are a member of the nightshade family (as are tomatoes, eggplant and to***co). The heat from chilies comes from the compound capsaicin, which may help quell inflammation. Anyone who has eaten a spicy chili knows the feeling of heat, followed by sweating, and (my favorite part) a runny nose. I have vivid memories of eating ice cold in Seoul with my mom and sister, literally crying from the spiciness. The cold broth + the heat from the chilies was both exhilarating and painful.
Chilies are filled with vitamins (esp C), minerals and antioxidants. Research has shown that a diet containing chilies can lower one’s risk of heart disease, increase life span, and encourage weight loss (though there are lots of factors to consider!)
When it’s in season/available, I like to put a little bit in just about everything (have you ever tasted raspberry with a little bit of chili?💓). There are lots of ways to preserve peppers, including drying them (we cook with whole dried peppers and also grind them up so that we also have chili flakes on hand), preservation via lacto-fermentation with salt and a little garlic, and hot sauces, chutneys, chili oils, and simple syrups.
I love how many different degrees of heat, fruity-ness, size and shape they come in, even tiny round yellow orbs.
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