Something Else the Grandmothers Know: Prickly Pear Is Good for You

I have several neighbors who grow different varieties of prickly pear, Nopal/Opuntia. Some stay close to the ground as they spread. Others form beautiful tall shrub-like plants. I know some grow them simply for their ornament. However, some - such as my neighbor, Ismael, across the street - grow Nopal to eat. Not only does opuntia taste good especially as a salad ingredient, but it also has medicinal properties - something the Abuelas have long known.

Simply put - Nopal controls blood sugar and tests have shown that it helps control Type 2 Diabetes.

It is easy to grow, its fruit is tasty once carefully gathered and prepared. Ask a neighbor if you can cut a pad off. Let it heal for a couple of days and then stick the pad in the ground. Soon you will have more and more pads growing off this first stem.

I will keep coming back to Nopal - how to grow it, prepare it, make juice from the tunas (fruit) and more. After all, it is abundant in the frontera. It is El Paso Naturally.

Here's a good salad recipe:

Nopalito Cactus Salad with Jicama and Orange
Executive Chef Chad Luthje, Red Mountain Spa
Serves 4 (1/2 cup servings)

Ingredients
2 ounces nopalito cactus strips
1-1/4 cup jicama, cut into 1” batons
1/2 cup orange segments
1-1/2 tsp. cumin seed, toasted

2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. fresh cilantro, stemmed, rinsed, and chopped
1 pinch kosher salt

Preparation
Rinse and drain nopalito strips. Cut into 1-inch lengths. Toast whole cumin seeds on cookie sheet at 350˚F for about 5 minutes, or until you can smell the cumin in your kitchen. Combine all remaining ingredients and serve.