Pizza! This is the first word that might probably come out of your mouth if I were to ask you to name one food that begins with P. For the kids, it might be popcorn or popsicle.
Well, many foods begin with the letter P, and you would be surprised at how many there are.
This article will look at the foods that begin with P, their methods of preparation and recipes, and even their health benefits.
If I ask you to tell me the names of foods that begin with P after reading this article, you might still mention pizza, but you will have more on your list.
1. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is one fruit that is so popular throughout the world, and it is used in many dishes.
A pumpkin is a plum orange-like vegetable that is highly nutritious. This vegetable is low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals.
Pumpkin serves as an excellent antioxidant. Healthy consumption of pumpkin can help you avoid muscular degeneration, prevent asthma, and reduce the development of some cancerous cells in the body.
Not only is pumpkin nutritious, but it brings an incredible taste and flavor to your meal. No wonder many people use it in their recipes, such as salads, soups, desserts, juice, and even as a substitute for butter.
You will commonly find pumpkins used for decoration during Halloween and used as stuffing for the turkey during thanksgiving.
As I said, you can use pumpkin for a lot of recipes, and one of such is the pumpkin pie recipe.
Everyone loves a good pie, and if you are interested in making one, I will suggest the following blog; there is enough information to guide you.
2. Pie
A pie is a baked food, usually made from flour with items containing a range of items. These ingredients could be fruits, vegetables, meats, pastry, and chocolate as well.
So your pie could be stuffed with sweet ingredients, or it could be savory.
Most people used pies for dessert, eaten plainly or eaten with a sauce or custard. Some people use pies as snacks and tea time, but it is a common snack in all.
There is a custom here in the US and some other Western nations where people bake a pie to welcome a new neighbor to the neighborhood. It is usually a sign of goodwill.
One of the most common pies will be apple pie, which many people seem to like. Well, there are many recipes of pies that you might not have exhausted, and it would be nice to try something new.
One pie you could try is chocolate cheese pie, and it is delicious; if you are interested, check out this blog.
3. Peaches
If you are looking for a delicious, sweet, and fuzzy fruit, then look no further. Peach is an edible juicy fruit widely eaten either fresh or used in many recipes.
You can make juice out of this delicious fruit, and you can use them in your baked pies or use them as a substitute for butter.
Peach fruit has many uses in the culinary world, and in some places, it is a stable commodity that provides income.
Apart from their culinary and economic importance, peaches provide you with a lot of health benefits.
Peaches are packed with many vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that are important for healthy living.
The antioxidants components help combat oxidative damage in the body, which benefits the body from aging and diseases.
Also, they aid digestion and improve your heart’s health. If you are worried about your skin, then know that peaches’ consumption helps maintain healthy skin and retain moisture. It is a delicious fruit, and it also contains a lot of health benefits.
One of the things you could make out of peaches is a peach freezer jam which you can enjoy with your bread or any other baked item.
It is an easy do-it-yourself recipe, and you can get directions from this blog.
4. Pizza
Pizza is a favorite meal among a lot of people, and rightly so. Who can resist this round pie of awesomeness with a lot of ingredients and flavors?
This delicious food originated in Naples, Italy, and since then, it has taken the world by storm.
The pizza business is doing so well, with thousands of pizza chains and restaurants around the world dishing out this fantastic food. Better still, a lot of people decide to make theirs at home.
The crust of the pizza is made from all different kinds of flour.
The ingredients range from whole wheat flour to cauliflower, potato and rice starch, and many more.
The kind of flour used for the pizza dough determines if you want a regular pizza or a pizza crust for a vegan or gluten-free crust for those who are gluten intolerant.
The toppings of this incredible goodness include tomatoes, vegetables, meats, cheese, seafood, and fruits.
Your pizza toppings can either contain a lot of meat for meat lovers, o it could be just vegetables for those who are vegan or who have decided to eat healthily due to health reasons.
There is always a pizza for everyone, no matter the occasion or situation. If you are interested in making a pizza Margherita which consists mainly of pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and vegetables, you can check out this blog.
5. Pancakes
If we take a survey about who does not like pancakes, I think we will get a result where almost everyone has something good to say about pancakes.
Pancakes are flat, thin, and round cakes that contain simple ingredients like flour, milk, sugar, eggs, and butter.
They are often cooked on a flat pan which is placed on a hot surface like a stovetop. These delicious flat cakes are used mainly for breakfast and sometimes when you want to get a quick lunch.
Pancakes have been around for a very long time dating as far back as prehistoric societies.
As simple as this meal is, it has a lot of recipes. Many people decide to add fruits or vegetables to the pancake to give them a different flavor and make them more outstanding.
It would help if you tried banana batter pancakes. The main difference here is using bananas while making the pancakes. You can find the recipe in this blog.
6. Porridge
Porridge is a popular breakfast mean around the world. This meal is often gotten from cereal plants, typically grains.
These chopped or finely grounded cereals are boiled in either milk or water, depending on your choice.
Some people use milk to boil their cereals, while others do not want a milk concentration using water.
This cooked porridge is usually flavored with different things like sugar, fruits, honey, or jam to make it more edible.
Some people decide to have their porridge plainly without any flavoring or sweetening agent.
If you like to add flavor and something unique to your porridge, you can try the all-grain coconut and cardamon porridge with maple butter pears.
It is a high-protein meal and perfect, especially for gluten intolerant because it is gluten-free.
If you are interested in making this, you can check out the recipe in the following blog.
7. Potatoes
Potatoes are a staple in ingredients in many meals and recipes, and in some cultures like the Irish, it is their staple food. You can use this fantastic plant in so many ways in food.
You can bake them, boil them, mash them, or even deep-fry them. No matter how you prepare them, the end product is always a tasty meal.
Also, there are different types of potatoes, sweet, russet, yellow, and red, to mention but a few.
All these potatoes have their own specialty and the best recipes you can use in the russet potatoes; they are mostly used for mashing, baking, and frying.
It would be good to know what each type of potato is used for before you venture into cooking them.
Potatoes are high in carbohydrates which Is a good source of energy for the body. Now, carbohydrates are not bad for the health.
But you have to consume a healthy amount because too much of it can have side health effects.
Potatoes support the immune system, it supports the blood vessel walls and contributes to effective blood clothing in the body and assists strong connective tissues.
As I mentioned earlier, there are many recipes to prepare with potatoes.
If you love your potatoes crispy, you might want to try the crispy parmesan roast potatoes.
This is potatoes roasted with parmesan cheese, and it is crispy and delicious.
You can check out the following blog if you get the inspiration to try this recipe at home.
8. Pretzel
A pretzel is a pastry made from dough; it is crispy and made in the shape of knots. Mastering the art of shaping this snack is not as easy as it looks.
It takes a lot of practice and experience to get it right. Nonetheless, it is a delicious sweet biscuit.
You will find different pretzels with different seasonings like cheese, chocolate, sugar, cinnamon, nuts, seeds, and sweet glazing.
The most common seasoning used on pretzels is salt.
Salt is common because it goes together with lye treatment that gives the pretzel its traditional skin.
You have the soft and hard pretzels. The soft pretzels have a shorter life span and should be consumed immediately after being prepared.
The hard pretzels can stay for a more extended period. You can look up this blog if you are interested in making your pretzel at home.
9. Popcorn
This is a typical snack for kids and for those who frequent the cinemas. Popcorn is made from a variety of corn kernels.
These corn kernels pop and become fluffy when heated, most times using a pan or skillet.
Popcorn has a slightly spongy texture, and it is crunchy. They come in different flavors and tastes; regular popcorn uses only salt or sugar as seasoning.
But other recipes spice up things by including caramel, cheese, butter, peanut, cinnamon, and coconut.
If you are looking forward to reducing hunger before you eat, popcorn helps with that. The fiber content of the popcorn slows down the rate of digestion in your body. This act prolongs satiety and helps you not to feel hungry faster.
If you are interested in making caramel flavor popcorn, you can check out this blog for more directions on how to achieve it.
10. Pineapple
This sweet fruit is an edible tropical plant; it is crucial in the culinary world, health, and economic sectors. Pineapples have spiky tough skins, with a sweet flavor when it is ripened. If you eat it before the maturity period, it will give you a sour taste.
Pineapples can be eaten raw, or they are most of the time used in a lot of cuisines and recipes.
They can be used as pizza toppings, as juice, they can be used to flavor baked items and ice cream or cook things like rice.
It is a very versatile plant whose importance in the culinary world cannot be underrated.
Medically, pineapples are suitable for your health in so many ways; they are rich in enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins.
The high amount of vitamin C in this fruit helps you fight cell damage, joint pain, and heart disease.
Pineapples also contain manganese that helps to produce strong bones in the body and reduce muscular degeneration risk.
Martha Stewart has a list of thirty recipes that you could prepare with pineapples.
One of such recipes is Spicy pork-and-pineapple stir-fry; you can check these out on her blog.
11. Pistachio
Pistachio is an edible seed that belongs to the cashew family. These edible seeds can be used as snacks, or they can be used for cooking.
If you plant this crop, it will take you ten to twelve before it bears its first fruit.
But it is not a seasonal plant, and you can find fruit on it throughout the year.
These seeds can be eaten raw, or they can be used to produce a lot of recipes.
The fine ground powder from these seeds can be added to dough during baking; they can be used for ice cream, yogurt, toppings for baked food, and used in salad dressing.
Pistachios have high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, and they serve as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.
They are a good source of protein and fiber, and these seeds are essential for vegans because they can serve as their alternative source for protein.
Pistachio seeds are naturally good for your health; if you want to tap into these health benefits, maybe the next time you plan on making your homemade cupcakes or ice cream, you could incorporate them into the list of ingredients.
You should try the pistachio muffins; they are delicious, helping you lose weight, low in sugar and calories.
Check out this blog if you are interested in the recipe for these muffins.
12. Pepperoni
If you are a fan of pizza, there is no way you will miss out on pepperoni, which is one of the most popular toppings, well, maybe unless you are vegan.
Pepperoni is meat made from cured beef and pork, usually seasoned with chilly and paprika.
This meat has a soft texture, is slightly smoky, has a light-red color, and most of the time is cut into slices.
The thinly sliced pepperoni is mostly used on pizza, and they have a crispy texture.
You can also use them for pepperoni rolls, salads, pasta, and pepperoni sticks.
If you hope to use some slices from this delicious savory meat for your pizza, you can check out the following directions stated in this blog.
13. Pickles
Pickle is actually not a particular kind of food; instead, it refers to the process of storing vegetables and fruits in vinegar or in brine which consists of salt and water.
The purpose of doing this is to preserve these food items for a long time.
The preserved vegetable absorbs the vinegar’s taste or takes on a sour nature from the brine mixture.
Although most people seem to associate pickles with cucumbers, it is not restricted to cucumbers; other vegetables can be pickled as well.
These pickled vegetables can be used as a side relish for meals or used in salads and baking.
Pickled vegetables also add a tangy taste to your food, and there is more to them than just their taste.
Pickled food is loaded with nutrients, low in calories, and helpful to the good bacteria that live in our system.
Pickled food helps our digestive system function properly and your ability to absorb and use nutrients easily.
14. Pandowdy
Pandowdy is a pudding that is spiced with apples, and it is baked in a deep dish.
This is usually served as dessert; other ingredients added to this pudding include maple syrup, sugar, molasses, and these are covered in a finely mixed dough.
The juiciness from the apple filling is necessary to add flavor to the buttery crust.
The difference between a pandowdy and a regular pie is that the filling should be wetter at the outset; this thickens up the crust as it cooks.
15. Pawpaw
You might also know this fruit like papaya, it has the shape of an elongated melon, and its origin can be traced to the tropics.
This is an edible fruit with orange or green skin, depending on the level of maturity, and it has black seeds that are medicinal.
You can eat this sweet fruit on its own when it is ripe, or you can add it to your fruit salads. You can also use this fruit for other recipes; you can stuff the pawpaw with shrimps and bake them, you can also use pawpaw as an addition to salsa.
Other uses include smoothies, baked items, ice cream, and papain, a juice obtained from the unripe pawpaw used to tenderize meat.
You will find a lot of South American and Mexican dishes that contain this delicious fruit.
Pawpaw is low in calories, and it is a good source of calcium, iron, vitamins A, B, and C. the papain juice extracted from the papaw aids in digestion and is suitable for your digestive health.
16. Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan is one of the best pieces of cheese that you can get in the world and is highly acclaimed by cheese connoisseurs.
This cheese is also known as Reggiano or Parmigiano cheese.
Parmesan cheese falls in the family of hard cheese; it is made from cow milk, it is pale yellow, and it is Italian cheese.
This cheese is usually grated and used on food like pasta, pizza, and salads. This cheese is protected; this means that it must be made in the prescribed way for it to be called Parmesan cheese and only in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.
17. Parsley
Parsley is a herb and vegetable that is used in a variety of dishes. You can use these fresh herbs to elevate your salads’ taste and flavor, fish recipes, and soup.
You can also obtain oil from the plants and seeds and use them for culinary purposes.
These leaves can also be dried, processed, and sold commercially as a seasoning for food or health purposes.
Parsley contains antioxidants that can help you to manage diabetes.
Adequate consumption of this herb improves the immune system, maintaining the health of your brain, kidneys, and heart.
If you are looking for a way to fight bad breath, consuming these leaves can help you fight bad breath and freshen your breath.
You can use this vegetable to garnish your rice; here is one recipe that you can rely on.
18. Pear
Pear is an edible fruit that is yellowish and brown-greenish in color, depending on maturity level.
This fruit is narrow at the stalk and expands towards its base. The flesh is gritty, and it has a wet texture that makes it pleasing to eat.
This fruit has a sweet taste; it can be eaten on its own or added to other fruits to make a fruit salad.
Or you can use it for your juice or as a filling and flavor for your baked goods.
One incredible thing about this fruit is that it has so many uses in the culinary world.
You can use this fruit in a cooked meal or roast it and prepare it with other ingredients. There is no limit to how you can use this fruit in the kitchen.
One of such recipes that you can try is roasted pear crostini with cashew cream. If you are already drooling or curious about this recipe, you can check it out on this blog.
Not only is this fruit versatile in the culinary world, but it also has a lot of health benefits. They contain niacin and folate, which are essential for energy production and cellular function in the body.
Pears also contain Vitamin A, which is vital for the healing of wounds and supports skin health.
Pears also help promote your gut health, and they contain insoluble and soluble fibers that assist digestive health.
They help your bowel activity, so if you feel constipation or hard to use the loo, you should consider eating some pears.
19. Pasta
Pasta is a type of food made from unleavened dough, and this dough has a combination of wheat flour, eggs, and water. This mixture is cut into different shapes and sizes and given names to differentiate one from the other.
There is long pasta, short pasta, pasta for soup, others used for stuffing, and about six hundred pasta shapes.
You then cook this pasta plainly or mixed with other ingredients to have your end product.
There are many recipes that you could try. Pasta originated with the Italians, so you will commonly find it in their cuisine.
One recipe you could try for pasta is the Creamy Chicken and bacon pasta; this delicious meal contains tender chicken, tomatoes, bacon, and spinach. You can find a guide to this recipe on this blog.
20. Periwinkle
Periwinkle is seafood that is delicious and pleasing to the palate. They are a class of shellfish mostly found around coastline areas.
You can serve these periwinkles for meals or prepare them in a way that you can eat them as snacks.
Some people decide to cook them with seasoning, others prefer roasted or dried, but there is no one way of enjoying these delicious creatures.
These periwinkles are also very nutritious and good for the health.
They contain phosphorus which assists us in the formation of healthy bones and teeth.
Periwinkles are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, low in fat, and a good protein source.
One recipe you could try out is the Periwinkle Escargot with Sweet and Sour Tamarind Sauce. You will find the recipe on this blog.
21. Pilaf
Pilaf is another name used for pilau, and this is a rice dish. It involves you cooking in broth or stock, and the rice gets coated in oil before they absorb the cooked broth or liquid.
The end product is that your rice will be cooked while it would be tender, plum, and the rice strands will be separate and not sticky.
Other ingredients for this dish include vegetables, meat, and spices. You can have vegetarian pilaf, chicken, and meatball pilaf, depending on your taste. It is a different way to enjoy delicious rice at home.
There are so many recipes and methods of preparation for this fantastic meal.
One of the recipes to look out for is a rice pilaf with caramelized onion, cherry, orange, and pistachio.
If this sounds like an interesting recipe, then you should check out the full instructions here.
22. Pinole
Pinole is made from grounded maize, and this is mixed with spices, chia seed, cocoa, cinnamon, vanilla, and agave.
The mixture from these ingredients is further used to make other foods like beverages, baked goods, tortillas, cereals, and you can mix it in water and use it as a drink.
It is a nutrient-packed meal containing lots of vitamins, fiber, protein, antioxidants, and amino acids.
The type of ingredients you add to this mixture will also determine the nutrients you get from it.
23. Plum
Plum is another sweet fruit that has a variety of uses in the culinary world. This fruit has an oval appearance, it is fleshy, and when it is ripe, it can be either purple, reddish, or yellowish.
There are about two hundred plum varieties and the leading nation with the highest production and harvesting in China.
This fruit can be eaten in its raw nature when it is ripe, or it can be crushed and used to make juice, used for jam, and used as part of a dessert.
They can be used to bake cakes, muffins, and pies, and they have a distinctive flavor that sets them apart.
This fruit is low in calories and has no saturated fat, but it is rich in dietary fiber. Plum contains iron and potassium, essential nutrients vital for the formation of red blood cells.
One exciting way of adding this fruit to your diet is by making a plum tart, and it is delicious. You can find the recipe for this tart in the following blog.
24. Plantain
Plantain belongs to the Musaceae family just like bananas, but they are not the same.
Plantain differs from bananas in so many ways; they have a higher starch content, they are longer, and they have thicker skins than bananas.
Bananas are sweeter than plantain, and since plantains are less sweeter, they are preferable for savory dishes and recipes.
Also, plantain has a variety of uses depending on its stage of ripening.
It can be used as a vegetable at a much earlier stage, but it can be used as a fruit when it ripens more, and it becomes sweeter, just like a banana.
You can use the plantain for soup, or as chips, biscuits, and even crackers. It has different preparation methods and different recipes that you can use.
You can fry or grill the plantain when it has ripened, and it is sweet; there is a recipe for fried sweet plantain.
Check out this blog on the preparation method, and you would be surprised about how lovely this meal is.
Finally
These are just some of the foods that begin with P, and they are unique dishes here that I bet you have never heard of or eaten before now. There would be no harm done if you explored one or more of the recipes and dishes listed here.