On the pulse...

Although at least one can of baked beans is likely sat in most of our cupboards, that is often where the relationship many people have with pulses ends. It's a shame, as making use of peas, beans and lentils can open up a whole host of possibilities. Unlike most other veg, they're packed full of protein, so can be used as an alternative to any animal products at a meal. Pulses work well in soups, stews, curries, chillis, bolognese, potato topped pies - just think of any dish where you have meat in a sauce and substitute with pulses. If the thought of not having any meat in a meal is a bit daunting, try starting off by replacing half of the meat in a dish with pulses - not only will you cut down on your fat intake and fill up on fibre, but you'll save yourself a packet too.

Aside from garden peas, broad and green beans, can you name some pulses? Most of us will be familiar with kidney beans, maybe chick peas and butter beans. However, on the bean score, haricot, borlotti, cannellini, adzuki, pinto and black-eyed varieties are all readily available in supermarkets; health food stores and delis are also a good bet.

Canned pulses are increasingly popular, as they don't require pre-soaking and cook very quickly, though are not quite so economical and are more heavily packaged. Whether you decide to use canned or dried pulses, they're certainly a must for any store cupboard.

If you've got a favourite meal that involves pulses, please share them here!

In the spotlight - Star fruit

Time for something a little different? If like me you've never bought a start fruit, chances are if you have eaten some it will have been a slice on the side of a dessert along with a kumquat and squirt of cream. Having read this article, I doubt you're suddenly going to add star fruit to your weekly shopping list, but if you're throwing a dinner party, you might like to use one as a finishing touch to your sweet, add it to a fruit salad, use as a salad garnish or in chutneys.

• Also known as Carambola, star fruit are originally from South-East Asia and are so called because when they are sliced, a 5 pointed star is clearly visible.
• Weight for weight they provide a useful source of Vitamin C, but in the quantities they tend to be eaten, are unlikely to contribute much to your daily intake.
• Unfortunately they need to be avoided by people with kidney failure, as eating star fruit is thought to lead to accumulation of a toxin, which causes irreversible damage. They are also best avoided by people taking statins to lower their cholesterol, as eating star fruits while taking this medication can alter how the body processes it.

A resolution...

With New Year only a matter of days away, you might be starting to think about what you want to achieve over the next year. Often we think about the bigger things such as getting a new job, improving our fitness or going on that holiday we've always dreamed of, but what about something small? I doubt you'd consider fruit or veg in relation to this topic, but a resolution involving them might just set you on the road to better health, a new skill or hobby. Not convinced? In that case, glance over these ideas.

• Aim towards your 5 A Day. If you're currently way off the mark, perhaps start by including just one extra portion each day. Once you're into the swing of things, you can up it by another portion.
• Cook a new dish each week, where veg is the main focus. So easy to sneak an extra portion or two in this way. 
• Always have a standby of frozen or tinned fruit and veg in, then there never can be an excuse of having run out for not including them with a meal. Always try to choose fruit tinned in juice and veg tinned without added salt.
• Start making your own soups - you'll save yourself money, can pack more veg in and have control over the added salt, fat and sugar.
• Include different fruit and veg in your diet. We're all guilty at times of getting into a food rut and adding different fruit and veg to your meals can help you get out of it. Not only will it give you more variety at your meals, but will enhance the range of nutrients you receive.
• Decide what is important to you. Find out more about food miles, organic produce, supporting fair trade or local producers, then apply this to your fruit and veg choices.
• Start to grow some fruit and veg of your own. Even if you don't have much outdoor space, a number can easily be grown in pots, so why not give potatoes, carrots, strawberries or cherry tomatoes a go on your patio? No outdoor space? Start with herbs on your windowsill - they'll make a lovely addition to soups and other veg based dishes.
• For anyone who has been bitten by the grow-your-own bug, but is running out of space in their own garden, why not contact your local council about the availability of allotments nearby?
• If home grown isn't an option, consider using a fruit and veg box scheme; as we've said previously this is a great way to eat seasonally and support local producers.
• Start to compost your fruit and veg waste, and within the year you'll be adding back the goodness to your own garden.

Ten suggestions to get you thinking, perhaps you have another idea you'd like to add to the list?

Using up your Christmas leftovers

Christmas Day may only have been a couple of days ago, but chances are those sprouts, red cabbage or parsnips will still be sitting in your veg basket in another few days and starting to look a bit sorry for themselves. The same goes for that box of dates or the remaining half of your honeydew melon. The solution? Time to get creative!

Don't feel that you have to stick with any rules about which veg or fruit goes with which dish. The only limit is your imagination. Try these few ideas to get you started.

• While roasting is the traditional way to serve parsnips, they are lovely in a soup with ginger, can be mashed with potato or other root veg as an accompaniment or topping for a pie, or why not make parsnip crisps?
• Red cabbage can really be used in any dishes that their white or green cousins are, so for coleslaw, stir-fries, colcannon or stuffed cabbage parcels, add a splash of colour.
• Similarly, sprouts can just be treated like mini cabbages. Experiment by adding various herbs and spices to off-set their slightly bitter taste.
• Carrots are easy to use up, as they lend themselves so well to soups, stews, curries, spag bol, chilli or again add them to a root mash.
• Cauliflower and broccoli are always a favourite in a cheese sauce, but chopped up small they make a nice addition to salads, stir-fries, fish pies or can be served with dips.
• Dates, or other larger dried fruit for that matter, can be halved and stuffed with a small amount of marzipan to make a festive sweet. Or why not chop them and add to muesli, cereal, stewed fruit, yoghurt, cake mixture or allow them to soak up a good slosh of brandy and serve them as a pudding with a scoop of ice cream?
• Melon balls can be frozen then used as ice cubes for cocktails or soft drinks. Chilled melon soup can also make a refreshing change for a starter.
• Juice the remaining satsumas and use this to stew cranberries, to compliment carrots in a soup or freeze in an ice cube tray to add to the Buck's Fizz at New Year.
• Fruit salad might have seemed such a good idea, but with the option of Christmas pudding, chocolate log and cheesecake, it was over-shadowed. Whizz up your remaining fruit salad to make a smoothie - add extra juice to thin it or a banana if thickening is required. Adding some yoghurt and oats to this smoothie makes for a very filling breakfast - just what you need when you've got a day of shopping at the sales ahead of you!

Yes, there are still the courgettes, cherry tomatoes and the lonely pomegranate left, but I'll leave you to think about what you can create with those!

In the spotlight - Cranberries

Think of the trimmings you might have with your Christmas dinner and cranberry sauce might spring to mind. However, there is more to cranberries than an accompaniment to turkey!

• A native fruit to North America; apparently if you lined all the cranberries up that are grown in the USA each year, they would stretch from East to West coast more than 500 times. That's a lot of cranberries!
• Although we usually think of cranberries growing in water, this is a bit of a misconception. They are grown in beds made from layers of sand, peat, gravel and clay, which are regularly irrigated. Undamaged, the vines can grow indefinitely - some vines today are over 150 years old.
• Cranberries are very rich in Vitamin C and sailors from the USA and Canada used to take them to eat on long voyages to prevent scurvy.
• Drinking cranberry juice regularly has been suggested to prevent urinary tract infections, possibly by a component of cranberries preventing bacteria from adhering to the cells of the urinary tract. However, there is currently not sufficient scientific evidence to confirm this.
• Cranberries have a bitter taste - the Pequot Indians named them ibimi, meaning bitter berry - so usually are sold in a form where sugar or sweetener has been added to them; only 5% of the cranberries grown are sold in their fresh state.
• Try adding dried cranberries to cereal, muesli, flapjacks, biscuits and cakes. Be careful if you choose to snack on dried cranberries, as they are loaded with sugar.

Parmesan and cranberry scones

• Rub in 200g (7oz) self raising flour, 2tsp baking powder, 50g (1.75oz) sugar, 50g (1.75oz) margarine and 50g (1.75oz) parmesan, until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add 110g (4oz) dried cranberries and up to 125ml (4.5fl oz) milk to the mix to form a firm dough.
• Roll out on a floured board to 1cm (0.5inch) thick and use a 5cm cutter to form rounds.
• Cook in a pre-heated oven (200 degrees C/gas mark 6) for up to 15mins or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool, then enjoy with a thin spread of light cream cheese.

Puddings - a fruity addition

Who doesn't like puddings? Whether you have a soft spot for chocolate, ice cream, sponges or pastry, incorporating some fruit into a dessert, while not necessarily making it into a low fat or sugar option, can certainly dilute the calories and add a boost of fibre and vitamins.

When we think of fruit based puddings, odds are apple crumble or pie will be top of most people's list. However, don't just limit these to apple - rhubarb, gooseberries, mixed berries, plums, apricots, pears and peaches (whether fruit is fresh, frozen or tinned) can all work well. Having a deep layer of fruit, adding oats to a crumble, limiting added sugar and keeping pastry to the top of a fruit pie can all make these puddings a healthier option.

If we only eat trifle at one time of year, it's likely to be at Christmas and by all means if you want to enjoy the cream and cake, I'm not going to stop you. However, if you are looking for a lighter option, try the following

• Use a generous helping of tinned fruit (preferably in juice) to replace the sponge
• Make up a sugar free jelly - you could use the juice from the tinned fruit to replace some of the cold water if you wish
• Make custard using skimmed milk and sweetener
• Replace the cream with Quark (a fat free soft cheese), stirring through a couple of teaspoons of sweetener and a few drops of vanilla essence for a sweeter flavour

Brownies seem to be very popular at the moment. Why not replace the chunks of chocolate or nuts in recipes with fresh or frozen raspberries or cherries?

Fruit also makes a nice addition to ice cream sundaes. Banana Split and Knickerboker Glory wouldn't be the same without the banana or fruit cocktail would they? Make fruit the main part and try different combinations depending on which flavour ice cream you use - try teaming chocolate and pear, toffee with banana, raspberry ripple with berries, vanilla with peaches.

It's certainly the weather for warm puddings; think syrup sponge and custard. But what about making a pineapple upside down cake, a sponge packed with various dried fruits or top any stewed fruit with a layer of sponge mixture?

Fruit really can be added to any pudding, have fun experimenting!

In the spotlight - Mushrooms

If you thought mushrooms were just something you had as part of a cooked breakfast or added to a casserole once they were past their best, think again! Mushrooms can be added to so many meals and are very good at absorbing flavours, they're perfect for bulking out spiced dishes such as curries and chilli, but really can be used in anything that is served in a sauce.

Some mushroom trivia for you to chew over:

•  Unlike other veg, mushrooms have no leaves, roots or seeds and don't need light to grow. When it comes to their classification, they aren't a plant, but a fungus.
• France was the first country to cultivate mushrooms in the 17th century.
• Although we may only be used to seeing a handful of varieties in the supermarket, there are actually over 38, 000 varieties, though only 300 are edible and less than a dozen are cultivated.
• A useful source of protein - think of Quorn - fibre, B vitamins and potassium, mushrooms are rich in nutrients whilst being a very low calorie choice due to their high water content.
• Interestingly they are the only natural plant source of Vitamin D, though you'd still struggle to meet your daily requirements, as 100g serving of button mushrooms will only provide 4% of this.

Mushrooms make a nice addition to salads, stir-fries and pizzas, or why not thread them with other veg on skewers or serve a portobello mushroom as the filling for a veggie burger?

If that's not enough, why not try the following recipes:

Cajun mushrooms

• Make a marinade from 50ml Balsamic vinegar, the juice of half a lime, 1tsp Cajun seasoning, 0.5tsp ground black pepper and 1tsp oil.
• Toss 400g (16oz) mushrooms into the marinade and cook on a non-stick baking sheet under a medium grill for 3-4 minutes, turning half way through cooking.
• Serve as a starter or side dish.

Quick mushroom risotto

• Chop 200g (7oz) mushrooms and 1 small onion and add to a bowl with 2tbsp oil, stirring to coat and then microwave for 5 mins on full power.
• Add 200g (7oz) risotto rice to the bowl and cook for a further 2.5mins.
• Add 600ml veg stock and mix well before cooking for another 15mins, stirring 3 or 4 times during cooking.
• Season with black pepper and serve with a green salad.

No substitute for the real thing

Taking a vitamin and mineral supplement means I don't need to worry about eating enough fruit and veg, right? Unfortunately that's a bit of a misconception. Whilst a multivitamin and multimineral supplement might benefit people whose appetite is poor or who are unable to eat a varied diet, acting as a safety net whilst their dietary intake is sub-optimal, it's not recommended to see supplements as a long-term alternative to a balanced diet.

But why might that be, as we're told to eat fruit and veg for their vitamin and mineral content?

• Fruit and veg contain a wide range of nutrients above and beyond vitamins and minerals. Many are high in fibre, necessary for good digestive health. Pulses are an important source of plant-based protein. Fruit and veg are also packed with what we term "phytonutrients" - nutrients derived from plants which are thought to promote good health - examples of which include carotenoids (you've probably heard of lycopene, abundant in tomatoes, which is linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer), polyphenols (berries are particularly rich in these) and lignans (plant oestrogens linked with a reduced risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis). Whilst specialist supplements exist that might contain certain phytonutrients, the best way to ensure you're getting a good range of these is to eat a wide variety of different coloured fruits and veg - it is the phytonutrients that are responsible for their different shades.
• Populations who consume more fruit and veg have lower rates of heart disease and cancer. However, when studies have been carried out providing subjects with vitamin supplements, the same trend has not been seen. This is strong evidence for the benefits that fruit and veg as a whole provide and not their individual components taken in isolation. There may still be beneficial plant components yet to be discovered.
• It's hard to over-dose on vitamins by eating plenty of fruit and veg, but it's not difficult if you are taking supplements that contain mega-doses (often tens of times the body's daily requirement). Whilst Vitamin C, E and Beta-carotene had been postulated to be beneficial antioxidants at low doses, above a certain threshold they have been linked with adverse health outcomes. In any case, high doses of Vitamin C and the Bs is very literally money down the drain, as they body is unable to store these water-soluble vitamins which are merely excreted.

On a practical note bulking up dishes with fruit and veg is a good way to fill yourself up and help out your purse, as a general rule veg tends to be cheaper than the animal protein component of many meals.

So rather than popping a daily pill, get that banana chopped into your cereal, add that tomato to your sandwich, have that apple when you get home from work and pack your casseroles full of veg. It's not really that difficult, is it?

Fruit and veg boxes - what are they all about?

You might have read about them or indeed know someone who has a fruit and veg box delivered to their home; there's no doubt that they are becoming more popular. So why might you want to take part too?

• The contents are usually locally grown, so it allows you to support local farmers, helping them earn a fairer price for their produce.
• It helps you to eat seasonally (see the item from October on the benefits of eating seasonally).
• They will often be organic, but if this is something that is particularly important to you, make sure that you double check on this before you sign up to a scheme.
• It keeps things interesting, as you'll never quite know what you'll get in your box each week - though it is often possible to check in advance from a company's website if this will help you plan your meals for the week.
• You're encouraged to be creative in your cooking, as it won't be the same handful of fruit and veg each week. Some boxes are accompanied with suggested recipes for those items included, but cook books, cuttings from magazines and the millions of internet sites dedicated to cooking will prove invaluable.

But aren't fruit and veg boxes expensive? Not necessarily, as you can save money in a number of ways:

• You are cutting out the middleman if buying directly from the grower.
• If you can avoid going to the supermarket, there's a saving on fuel or transport costs and it also prevents those impulse buys that you would have likely made while there.
• Cooking from scratch, which buying fresh produce encourages you to do, is also cheaper than buying ready prepared foods.

If you're starting to consider the idea, some things that you might want to think about include:

• Which size box will suit your needs best?
• Do you want to get a weekly or fortnightly delivery?
• Are food miles and supporting local growers close to your heart? If so a local rather than a national scheme will be your best choice.
• Are there any fruit or veg you don't want to receive? If so, let them know!
• Think about where you'll be storing the produce to prevent any wastage from items that have past their best. And where can it be left if you're not home to accept a delivery?
• Finding out how to prepare and cook your veg. A step by step guide on how to tackle a butternut squash may not be provided, so do your homework!

For those of you living in the Teesside, North Yorkshire or Durham area, you might want to investigate these local box schemes:

• The Fruit Cellar - Eastbourne Road, Middlesbrough.
• http://www.fruitcellar.co.uk/
• Boxes from £7.99

•  The Organic Farm - Low Leases Farm, Low Street, Leeming Bar
• http://www.theorganicfarm.co.uk/
• Boxes from £7.50

•  New Close Farm Shop - Witton Road, Sacriston, Durham
• http://www.newclosefarmshop.co.uk/
• Boxes from £10

In the spotlight - Satsumas

With Christmas not that far away now, I thought it was time satsumas got a mention. Along with other citrus fruits, these have been associated with Christmas since they were given as a gift - fresh fruits other than those grown in the UK were once a real treat and satsumas were only available towards the end of the year. Although fruits from all over the world are now readily available, the association has stuck and citrus fruits often feature in festive recipes.

So what do satsumas have to offer?

• Packed with Vitamin C, a single satsuma can provide your daily requirement for this vitamin.
• "Mammoth" is the official term for the biggest satsumas. The larger they are, the sweeter they taste - something to particularly remember if you're offering them to your children
• Segments make a nice addition to a salad or why not add them to an orange, lemon or lime jelly?
• Combine the juice of some satsumas with a whole blended banana and a handul of strawberries and hey presto, you've got a delicious smoothie.
• If we get enough snow to build a snow man, a satsuma can rival a carrot for his nose! Just think back to Raymond Briggs' "The Snowman".

Chocolate satsuma cake

•  Put approx 400g peeled satsumas whole into a pan of boiling water and cook until soft (may take up to 2hrs). Once cool quarter and remove any pips, before blending in a food processor.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (gas mark 4) and line a 20cm circular tin.
• Add 6 eggs, 1tsp baking powder, 0.5tsp bicarbonate of soda, 200g ground almonds, 150g sugar and 50g cocoa powder to the orange mix in the food processor. Blend until it looks like cake mixture.
• Pour into the cake tin and cook for an hour or until a skewer comes out clean - in some ovens it may only take 45mins.

Veg in December

Many of the veg that were in season in October and November remain in season this month too, so there's still plenty of opportunity to get your hands on carrots, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, leeks and potatoes. Another veg that is still seasonal are Brussel sprouts. No one likes soggy sprouts, but cooked right and combined with other tasty ingredients, there's no need to just keep them just for Christmas Day; make them part of your weekly meals.

Winter mash (serves 2)
Whatever you're cooking, this side dish will compliment it nicely and provide 2 of your 5 A Day.

• Peel and chop 2 parsnips and 2 medium-sized potatoes into small chunks. Cook in boiling water for 10mins.
• Shred 2 handfuls of sprouts, add to the pan and cook for a further 3 minutes.
• Drain the veg and mash with a splash of milk and 1tbsp wholegrain mustard.