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Aside from dotting the Arizona landscape with their characteristic spiky selves, cacti come in various shapes and sizes. (Fun fact: there are more than 300 species in the Sonoran Desert alone.)
Opuntia, more commonly known as prickly pear, is one prized for its showy flowers and flavorful fruit.
The wide, flat pads called nopales – deriving from the Uto-Aztecan language of the Nahuatl who called them nohpalli – is a common ingredient in numerous dishes of Mexican origin. Of late, nopales have been dubbed a “superfood” for the many health benefits they bring, among them antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Buen provecho!
– Hannah Van Sickle, The Arizona 100