February is dull and dark and cold…..but at the same time full of promise. The earth is beginning to tilt toward the sun and every day, the sun shines in February the snow and ice melt---it’s true---there are more icicles in February than any other winter month—that is because the ice/snow is melting. Hurray!

Let’s turn our attention towards the sun and the promise of warm days ahead. February is American Heart month and with heart disease the leading cause of death in the US, we need to take care of our hearts.

We know we need to eat more fruits and veggies—but this time of year the “fresh” isn’t so—and we might be tired of the canned and frozen. How can we add a little zip to our meals?

How about citrus? It is in season right now—the grapefruits and oranges are at their peak in the winter. Yes, I know I always talk about the miles on our produce, but citrus is a bit different. #1—We can’t grow citrus here. #2. The thick skin of the fruit protects it from the degradation that we see in other produce. So buy the grapefruit from Texas and the oranges from Florida—great sources of vitamins A & C, folate, potassium and fiber---they are super foods! Some recent studies indicate that citrus can be a good source of cancer fighting phytochemicals.

 Think savory—try this:

Grapefruit Vinaigrette: Whisk together 1/3 cup fresh grapefruit juice, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons honey mustard and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or parsley; season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve over salad, fish or chicken. Use as a marinade, toss over roasted beets and feta cheese in a salad,

Be Smart, Eat Well, Get Healthy