For a piece of produce paradise, stuff your sandwiches, salads and other recipes with plants aplenty! While we love garden-fresh greens and tomatoes plucked off the vine, some fruits and vegetables benefit from (and in some cases require) cooking for maximum enjoyment. From roasted veggies to pickled peppers and more, it’s time to veg out!

Eggplants: Also known as aubergines, these big, violet berries (yes, really!) make a great meat alternative, but only after cooking. When raw, eggplants range in size, shape and color depending on variety, mostly with a glossy, purple skin and white, spongy flesh. Grilling, sautéing or otherwise cooking softens both, creating a mild, slightly smoky flavor and creamy texture common in dishes like eggplant Parmesan, baba ghanoush and sandwiches!

• Globe/American: Dark purple; large and plump; versatile flavor; available year-round
• Japanese: Deep, dark purple; medium length and thin; sweeter than globe eggplants
• Chinese: Bold, vibrant purple; long and slender; similar to Japanese variety
• Graffiti: Purple and white stripes; small and round; small seeds; sweet flavor

Peppers: These colorful fruits (also technically berries!) are hollow with lots of tiny, edible seeds. While cousins to spicier relatives, bell peppers are bigger and rounder with a crispy bite and mild to sweet flavor. When eaten raw, they have a pleasant crunch, but cooking (roasting, stir-frying, etc.) brings out a sweet, smoky flavor. Fun Fact: The color indicates ripeness with only minor flavor variation, so the pepper you pick is completely up to you!

• Green: Shortest time on the plant; fresh, raw flavor
• Yellow: Moderate maturation; slightly sweeter tang
• Orange: Mostly ripened fruit; sweeter still
• Red: Fully ripened; sweetest of the big bells
• Aloha: Specialty pepper with red and yellow stripes and mild sweetness
• Mini Sweet: Red, orange, yellow or green; smallest, sweetest variety 

Onions: While some of these beautiful, layered bulbs are ready to eat as soon as you slice them, others benefit from caramelizing, pickling or otherwise cooking to soften their natural bite.

• Yellow: Coppery skin, pale yellow flesh; mild, all-purpose cooking pick
• White: White skin and flesh; sharp flavor ideal for cooking or salsa
• Red: Reddish purple skin, purple-rimmed white flesh; mild flavor, good raw or pickled
• Sweet: Pale yellow skin, white flesh; sweet flavor good raw or cooked
• Cipollini: Small, squat; pale yellow skin and white flesh; sweet, usually cooked whole
• Shallots: Small, teardrop-shaped; rose gold skin, pale purple and white flesh; subtle flavor
• Green: Long, green leaves, small white bulb; very mild, great for garnishes

Enjoy all three of these vibrant "veggies" and more in our Grilled Eggplant Sandwich Recipe!

Selection may vary by store and season.