Hopefully by now, every one who is experiencing winter is embracing the selection of the cold-weather produce. Depending on one’s personal preferences for certain fruits and vegetables that are available, eating can take some adjustment for many. However, it is better for your budget and for the environment, as you are buying what is local and in season. Of course, what is in season in February will vary with your location.

February is a great month for citrus fruits, which are the best source of vitamin C and bioflavonoids that help us strengthen the immune system and prevent seasonal ailments. To better absorb their active ingredients, citrus fruits should be eaten whole (don’t eat the peel unless it’s from certified organic farming, otherwise we’ll most probably eat pesticides).There’s nothing quite like fresh-squeezed orange juice to chase away a chilly winter afternoon and to help keep seasonal maladies at bay. Other allies against cold are dried fruits, which are nutritious and energizing as well as excellent ingredients to prepare savory and light sweets.

As for vegetables, parsnips can be a change of pace. As a root vegetable, they can be used as a substitute for potatoes, carrots and turnips in recipes that you have in your weekly menu rotation.

So at the beginning of each month, we will feature a fruit or vegetable that is season with a few recipes that may spark your interest and please your palate. We just want to help make shopping for seasonal foods a little easier in making your grocery list for the weekly trip to the store, a s well a helping out your wallet!

Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables for February: