I’ll let you in on a little secret: I grew up hating beets. Reflecting back on it, I think I was only offered canned or pickled beets. Fast-forward to adulthood and my experiences with farming. I quickly discovered that beets are easy to grow; their greens are sweet, crisp and delicious in salads. A revelation! Raw beets are amazing – sliced matchstick style for salads, marinated, I’ve even taken to roasting them. This recipe is easy to throw together with your food processor. The nutty pumpkin seeds add a little crunch (plus iron, potassium calcium and protein), and a few microgreens add nice flavor and texture. This colorful and healthy salad even gets better and more flavorful over a couple of days in the fridge.

After such a long winter, we are all looking to enjoy spring flowers in every way possible! This includes incorporating the edible varieties into recipes to make them extra special.

If you want to celebrate some Irish heritage for St. Patrick’s Day and mix it up from the traditional corned beef meal, meatballs are a delicious and versatile dish. You can serve them as an appetizer or as a main course over mashed potatoes.

I have never been a big “Valentine’s chocolate” person. Sometimes, a little something different – like a little lemon and raspberry – can be the secret to sweet romance. And, you can never go wrong with buttercream frosting. This recipe uses a fun ingredient: freeze-dried raspberries in the frosting (you can also use fresh) to give it the pink color. If any holiday calls for a little extravagance, it’s this one!

With each New Year, I start looking for great new recipes that are tasty and nutritious. Of course, we typically gravitate toward meals that are warm and comforting, but I always feel that adding more fresh greens to my diet helps perk me up from the winter blues. And consuming the extra vitamins this time of year is always a good idea.

As the temperatures continue to drop, we are definitely developing a hankering for all the fall comfort foods. How do you keep warm during the colder months? Sit around a nice bonfire in a knitted sweater, right? Here’s the coziest way to stay warm: put a pot of delicious soup on the stove and let it simmer unattended until it’s time to eat.

Ratatouille is one of my favorite fall dishes – it’s hearty and warm and uses the late summer vegetables that are hanging on into the cooler weather. A traditional French dish, it’s pretty straightforward to make. The key is taking the time to sauté the veggies so they are almost cooked. Also, don’t skip the step of salting the eggplant – it’s the secret to removing the bitter taste and making it the star of the dish! Enjoy these simply stewed veggies over rice or quinoa for a hearty meal or as a side dish for chicken or beef.

To me, the height of summer produce is pepper season. Beautiful red horned peppers are a nice variation from bell peppers and you’ll find them to also be much sweeter. One of the best ways to enjoy them is roasted with olive oil. With many colors and old varieties of Italian sweet peppers finding their way into local farms, it’s a great time to make roasted pepper soup. Roast some extra peppers, freeze them and enjoy this soup through the winter!

Nutritious, colorful and satisfying, a grain salad is one of the easiest make-ahead summer meals. Boiling a batch of quinoa, farro or millet in the morning when the weather is cooler and then adding fresh or roasted vegetables, herbs and a salad dressing at dinner time is easy to fit into a busy schedule. Even the finished salad is versatile – it can be added to a leafy-green salad, wrapped in a tortilla or lettuce cups for a quick and delicious meal.

As summer approaches, I’m on the lookout for low-sugar, warm weather treats for my toddlers, and it just occurred to me … why not freeze a smoothie? Popsicles can be made as easily as freezing some juice in a paper cup with a fork stuck into it, or you can purchase freezer molds in a variety of shapes and sizes. People of all ages enjoy these cool and healthy treats! Here are a couple of my favorite recipes.

On those crazy mornings when my family is running behind schedule, I’m always looking for quick, healthy breakfast ideas. As this describes pretty much every morning, we make this particular recipe on a weekly basis!

Spring in Michigan provides the tastiest spinach. After making an endless variety of spinach salads, I’m always looking for a creative way to utilize fresh garden greens. A new dip recipe is always great for a summer picnic or a quick snack. Whatever you like to dip with, this is a great and yummy side dish.