This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own.

Fact: I never used to like peppers.

I know, I know. I’ve heard for years, “But you’re Italian. How can you be Italian and not actually like peppers?” I never had the answer. I just knew that I wasn’t a fan of any bell pepper. Then, slowly but most definitely surely, I started eating peppers in some dishes and I realized that I was missing out on a whole lot.

You can experience sweet peppers or peppers that are a little stronger (like green bell peppers). I really prefer the sweet peppers because I tend to add some spice to my dishes so the sweet peppers really help to balance out my entire dish nicely. 

But do you want to know what my favorite kind of pepper is in the whole world? Sure you do! It’s a Fresh From Florida pepper! Fresh From Florida bell peppers are now in season and this is huge because Florida produce typically has a hard time growing in the hot temps of late spring to early fall. By the way, squash and sweet corn are also in season here in Florida. 

Why Seasonal Produce Is So Important

Seasonal produce is amazing. Even better when that produce is also local because you end up with the best of the best and it 100% makes a difference in the taste and quality of your food. Shop your produce by what’s in season around you and you’ll get a bigger depth of flavor. You’ll get brighter produce so those pretty plates we all want to see. Your produce selection will even last longer! 

Why Fresh From Florida Bell Peppers

I’m an advocate of buying local and these Fresh From Florida bell peppers are absolutely no exception. Besides all the reasons I gave for purchasing seasonal produce in general, buying local means we are supporting the local farmers who are growing our food and providing our families with the nutrients our bodies love.

These farmers are making it easy for everyone to eat fresh produce year-round and we should showing our gratitude by purchasing the produce that comes from them.

A Recipe Using Fresh From Florida Bell Peppers

So when it comes to bell peppers, I can think of a number of dishes, but the one that comes to mind first is something in the taco/fajita family. Who doesn’t love the sizzle of fajitas being brought to your table at a restaurant, right? I love to really char my peppers, but you do you. 

For this recipe I used ground turkey, charred bell peppers, shredded cabbage, quick pickled radishes, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice (never ever use lemon of lime juice from those little plastic containers in the grocery store, ya got it?)

Let me tell you: the flavor you’ll get from these bell peppers are out of this world. I have plenty left over in this bag so here’s how else I’ll use them:

– Raw with an amazing dip
– Sautéed with sweet corn and used as a salad topper
– Blended up with tomatoes and other seasonings for an epic pasta sauce

If you’d like some more inspiration, visit the Fresh From Florida website, and check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!