The Right Stuff: Colorful and healthy, bell peppers are versatile veggies

When you think of bell peppers, the varying colors immediately come to mind -- green, red, yellow, orange, red and even purple. But few know about the great nutritional value peppers have.

An uncooked bell pepper has more vitamin C on average than a cup of orange juice. They have just as much vitamin A, making them an ideal snack for those watching their waistline.

The average bell pepper has 30 calories, no fat and no sodium.

Like other foods, however, when cooked, the pepper loses some of its nutritional value.

Whether stuffed or included in other dishes, bell peppers are also versatile vegetables.

They can be baked, steamed, fried and even microwaved.

Bell peppers ripen on the vine, and they turn redder and redder as they ripen. As they turn redder, they get sweeter. All bell pepper colors are natural, except purple peppers, which take advantage of growing technology to achieve their color.

When at the grocery store, look for peppers that have good color and a glossy surface. Peppers should be firm, and feel heavy for their size.

Green peppers should be used within a week, and red peppers within a few days.

Raw peppers are the most nutritious, and they are great for salads. You can steam peppers before stuffing them, which is another popular way of preparing bell peppers.

Bell pepper recipes:

Apricot pepper jelly

1 cup red or green bell peppers, cut into strips

2 cups cider vinegar

1/3 cup jalapeno peppers, stems and seeds removed

1 to 1 1/4 cups dried apricot halves, finely slivered

6 cups sugar

3 ounces liquid pectin

5 drops food color, same color as pepper

Combine pepper strips, vinegar and jalapeno peppers in an electric blender. Process stop-and-go fashion until somewhat ground, but small chunks remain.

Combine with apricot strips and sugar in saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil five minutes.

Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Cool two minutes, then mix pectin and food color. Pour into sterilized jars and fasten lids. Cool.

Shrimp-stuffed peppers

6 small green bell peppers

2 cups cooked shrimp, peeled

1 cup bread crumbs

2 whole eggs, beaten

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons celery, chopped

1 tablespoon green bell peppers, chopped

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cut off the tops of the bell peppers and save for use later in the recipe. Remove seeds.

SautŽ chopped celery and bell pepper in butter for three minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop shrimp and combine with eggs, bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add sautŽed ingredients.

Stuff into bell peppers, replacing tops. Place in a deep casserole dish. Cover the dish and bake at 350 degrees 50 minutes or until peppers are tender.

Peppers and zucchini

2 pounds bell peppers

2-3 pounds zucchini

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Black pepper to taste

Clean the peppers and cut into 1-inch pieces. Quarter zucchini lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Heat the oil and sautŽ zucchini for four to five minutes, until lighly browned and barely softened.

Stir in the garlic, cook 30 seconds, then add the peppers. Season with pepper to taste. Serve hot.