It is a cold winter day- perfect for a soup or stew filled with a generous portion of delicious vegetables served with steamed broccoli on the side to fit For the Love of Food principles- half the plate filled with vegetables.

 Buy a whole chicken and ask the butcher behind the meat counter to cut it into 8 pieces, 10 pieces if the breasts are big enough. Make sure the butcher gives you the giblets (the heart and liver in the little bag) along with the back bone and freeze it for a soup to be used at another time.

Hoilday time is the perfect time to share For the Love of Food recipes with your friends and family. I just added two great appetizers you can prepare for your next gathering. Both the Red Pepper Pesto Spread and Chick Pea Nuts are delicious and  can be made ahead. When friends ask where you got the recipe please send them to this project and ask them to pass it on to their friends too.

When I recommend families eat more fruit and vegetables, cost is an often cited obstacle. Here is how I save money:

If you love mashed potatoes please try the Whipped potato and carrot recipe I just added to Vegetable Sides. I am testing recipes for an upcoming class at Stonewall Kitchen and have been experimenting with adding vegetables to potatoes to make them better. By replacing half the potatoes with an equal amount of carrots I shaved off almost 160 calories and added 7 grams of fiber to a recipe that makes about four servings. Trust me the result is delicious – no compromise on flavor. Just in time for the holidays too!

More than 10,000 participants enrolled in a  1999 study for the purpose of assessing whether food choices impact the risk of depression and guess what they found? Those eating more fruit, vegetables, nuts whole grains and fish had a much lower risk. Those eating the most meat products and whole fat dairy had the greatest risk of depression. The researchers conclude that eating a “Mediterranean- type diet” can play a protective role in preventing depressive disorders.

http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/10/1090

If you have experienced the pain of a kidney stone or know someone who has you will be happy to learn what you eat can reduce kidney stone risk.  In the United States about 10-15% of adults will be treated for kidney stones and the rate is climbing in children too. The symptoms can include pain, blood in urine and nausea and vomiting. About 90% of stones are small enough to pass out of the body through urine, but stones that are large and do not pass may require surgery. Once you have the condition you are at greater risk of having kidney stones in the future.

Green and wax Beans are finally in season here in New England. I just added Very Easy cooking instructions under Vegetable Sides. Now is the time to visit your local farmers market too. If you live in the New Hampshire go to www.seacoastharvest.org to find local farms and farmers markets.

Knowing fruits and vegetables are good for your health will do you  no good you must actually eat them to get the benefits. As I talk about this project I am learning that many of you do not know how to buy or cook vegetables. To improve your recipe repertoire I have added a Really, Really Easy Vegetable section under vegetable  sides and will add a new vegetable each week. The only additional ingredients you might need will be salt and pepper, cooking oil or butter and the only equipment is a saucepan for steaming and a baking sheet for roasting. I started with asparagus check in next for what to do with avocados.

The Environmental Working Group created a list of conventionally grown produce with the highest pesticide residues. The list includes: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, potatoes, and carrots.

Now is the time to take advantage of the foods that grow this time of year. Look for fresh asparagus and rhubarb in the market. Rhubarb is often called America's Pie plant because that is how most of us eat it. In my opnioin it tastes best combined with other fruits such as berries and you will find two delicious rhubarb recipes in the dessert section.

Asparagus is often more expensive then other in season vegetables because each stalk must be hand picked. When chosing asparagus I look for thin stalks with closed tips. Some people eat asparagus and notice it makes their urine smell funny. Asparagus contains  a harmless sulfur-based compound ( related to skunk spray) that breaks down once eaten to cause the odor. Serve asparagus as a side vegetable or as an appetizers recipes for both can be found under recipes.