Plant-based proteins: Beans, lentils, tofu, sweet peas, soybeans and green beans

Grapes and berries: Grapes, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cranberries

Dark green foods: Spinach, broccoli, other cruciferous vegetables like kale, Swiss chard and cauliflower

Nuts: All nuts, but particularly walnuts, almonds and pistachios

Orange fruits/vegetables: Sweet potatoes, pumpkin/squash, carrots, tomatoes, red and orange peppers, oranges, grapefruit, clementines, apricots and peaches

Fiber: Oats, brown rice, quinoa, whole grain breads/cereals, whole grain corn tortillas, whole grain pasta

Tea: All types of tea, but particularly green tea, black tea and white tea

Albert Leans interested in putting their culinary skills to the test are invited to attend the Great Vitality Potluck later this month, where people can submit recipes for dishes that incorporate longevity foods.

The event, part of the AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at Americas Best Value Inn. Community members who would like to judge the entries are invited to attend.

Hazel Spiering, co-chairwoman for the potluck, said participants are invited to form a team and prepare one dish for each of the following categories: Appetizer, main course, salad, vegetable and dessert. All dishes must include an ingredient from the longevity food list. No mayonnaise, canned soup, Jell-O or processed meat are allowed.

Recipes need to be submitted by this coming Monday.

Recipes can be submitted by e-mail to bluezonerecipes@gmail.com or by mail to Blue Zones Recipes c/o Community Development, 221 E. Clark St., Albert Lea MN 56007.

Prizes will be awarded in each category and the grand prize will go to the team with the most winning dishes, Spiering said. The best recipes will be printed in an Albert Lea Tribune cookbook and entered in the national AARP online cookbook.

If a team does not have all five courses to submit, they are still encouraged to participate, she said. They should bring portions for eight to 10 people.

A free-will offering, a suggested $1 per person, will be taken at the door and people will be given five tickets to vote for their favorites in each category.

“We have a lot of people who say this will be fun and that they’re interested in it,” Spiering said.

She noted people brought many healthy recipes containing longevity foods to the Labor Day Vitality Project breakfast potluck, so she is excited to see what will be entered into this potluck contest.