It may be the depths of winter, but I know there will soon be spring in my mailbox.

Yes, there is always the sour feeling of discovering a package from the Internal Revenue Service in the mailbox in early January. I always hope those tax forms are sandwiched between a couple of seed catalogs.

I plant my perfect garden every January…at least in my imagination. Leafing through the pages of each catalog, I drool over photos of crisp carrots, juicy tomatoes, and leafy lettuce. I start drawing up my garden plan, with tomatoes and peppers rotated away from the little plot where they grew last season.

In some respects, seed catalogs haven’t changed much since I received my first one while in high school eons ago. But one major change has been that organic seeds and gardening products have crept into the pages. Gardeners can order organic seeds, fertilizer and even beneficial insects from those catalogs these days.

At least two companies, Seeds of Change (www.seedsofchange.com) and Botanical Interests (http://www.botanicalinterests.com) have catalogs and on-line order forms focused exclusively on organic and heirloom varieties.

This time of years reminds us that taxes are still one of the two unshakable realities of life. But it’s also the time of year for our green gardens to take root in our imagination.

According to the American Heart Association, one of every three U.S. adults today has Metabolic Syndrome! There is nothing good about having Metabolic Syndrome.  Nothing!  There are a lot of bad things …. and no good things!  Well, one good thing  … most people can prevent it and even reverse it!

So, what exactly is Metabolic Syndrome?  It is a group of metabolic risk factors that are associated with markedly increased health problems and death.

The critieria for having Metabolic Syndrome (for people over 16 years old) must include at least 3 of these 5 things:
●  central obesity (fat around the mid-section)  –  for women this is defined as a waist circumference more than 35 inches and for men it is more than 40 inches …
●  elevated blood pressure of 130/85 or taking blood pressure medicine …
●  blood triglycerides level of 150 or more (done as a fasting blood test) …
●  low HDL (good cholesterol) level, or taking medicine for low HDL  …. For women this is defined as less than 50 and for men less than 40 …
●  fasting glucose (blood sugar) of 100 or more or taking medicine for high blood sugar.

You don’t need all 5 criteria, just any 3 and you have metabolic syndrome!  Many overweight and obese people have Metabolic Syndrome, but not all.  A small amount of people who are not overweight have metabolic syndrome because they meet 3 of the other criteria.

What are some of the bad things associated with Metabolic Syndrome?  Here is a basic list:
●  increased risk of fat build-up in blood vessels
●  increased risk of heart attack
●  increased risk of stroke
●  increased risk of Type 2 Diabetes
●  increased risk of chronic low-grade inflammation
●  increased risk of abnormal fat accumulation in your liver
●  increased risk of damage to the brain from inflammation
●  increased risk of premature death

OK, so, it is clear that Metabolic Syndrome is serious stuff!  The good news is that modifiable lifestyle choices can help, even eliminate this unhealthy condition.  Here are the recommended lifestyle choices –
●  if you smoke, stop
●  if you are a heavy drinker of alcohol, decrease it
●  if you are overweight or obese, get your weight down to a healthy level
●  add regular moderate intensity aerobic activity and other activities to improve your physical fitness
●  adjust your diet to eat healthier foods and make appropriate calorie adjustments

The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is recommended by the American Heart Association and is really a smart eating plan with tons of flexibility.  It makes so much good sense for all of us!  Researchers looked at the DASH diet specifically for effects of Metabolic Syndrome.  The findings of the study  were exciting:
●  increased HDL (desired effect)
●  decreased triglycerides (desired effect)
●  decreased blood pressure (desired effect)
●  decreased blood sugar (desired effect)
●  Decreased weight (desired effect)
The study conclusion  –  “The DASH diet can likely reduce most of the metabolic risks in both men and women….”

The management of Metabolic Syndrome takes work!  Oh Darn!!  Every recommendation is good for us anyway …. and …. not addressing Metabolic Syndrome can have devastating results.

This in one more example of my familiar adage  –  be aware and use good judgement!   This one isn’t complicated  … don’t smoke or be a heavy drinker, exercise and eat better!  Any questions??

This hearty and healthy soup comes together in a flash, so you can have a dinner-winner on the table in no time.

Easy Tuscan Two Bean Soup will warm you up and keep you going through a cold, winter night.  And, it doubles easily and freezes well, so you can put a few servings up for an even easier meal in the weeks ahead.

Tuscan Two Bean Soup Recipe

1- can cannellini beans

1- can Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans

4 cups Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth

1-2 tsp. Wild Oats Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1- can Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Diced Tomatoes

1 tsp. Wild Oats Marketplace Organic Italian Seasoning

1/2 of a small onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2 cups fresh spinach, shredded

1/4 cup acini de peppe pasta (a very small, round pasta)

salt and pepper to taste

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Rinse and drain both cans of beans and set aside.  In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion, celery, carrot and garlic about 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant and veggies are crisp tender. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, beans and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover and cook about 10 minutes. Remove cover and add pasta and spinach. Cook, uncovered, another 6-8 minutes, or until pasta is cooked through. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a crusty Italian bread, if desired.

If you shop at farmer’s markets or subscribe to a CSA program, you are especially familiar with the winter doldrum’s- suddenly, your diverse selection of seasonal eats has turned into a heap of root vegetables. This recipe came into my life while evaluating a mountain of turnips and realizing that I had no idea what to do with them. Lo and behold, they have become a family favorite-requested time and again by both guests and hosts.

The original recipe came from Paul Bocuse, that legendary herald of nouvelle cuisine and proponent of fresh, high quality ingredients.  Many versions of it exist, including this one from The Food Network, and with a little experimentation it can easily be made one’s own. Below is my take on this simple classic, where I chose Grade B Maple Syrup in place of the called-for granulated sugar and black truffle salt for an added kick; I am also particularly fond of using purple carrots, both for showmanship and taste profile.  A multi-colored bunch of carrots works just as well and adds a bit of dashing to your dinner table.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups purple or multi colored carrots (roughly 2 bunches)
• 2 cups turnips (roughly 2 bunches)
• 4 tbsps. butter (I like unsalted for this)
• A drizzle (approx. 1-2 tbsps.) of Grade B Maple Syrup
• Truffle Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste (we’re talking pinches, not spoonfuls)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, lightly salted (regular salt or a sprinkle of sea salt will do the trick). Scrub, peel, or scrub and peel to your preference, your carrots and turnips. Wash them briefly in cold water. Cut them in half, then again into bite size chunks. Add to the boiling water, and let roil for 8-10 minutes before draining.

Melt butter in a frying pan with high sides (no need to scald yourself for supper!). Add the veggies and cook over low to medium heat for 15 minutes, until they are coated in the butter and have dried out from their salt-water bath. Make sure to shake the pan frequently while cooking.

Turn the heat to low, drizzle in the maple syrup, shaking the pan for even coverage. When the vegetables begin to brown, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, et voilà! Your drool-worthy and thoroughly delicious side is ready to serve.

Happy Mission Monday! With record low temps in parts of the country, this time of year conjures up comfort food cravings. What are your go to meals for cold, winter nights? Is it a hearty soup that you sip on while sitting by the fire or is it a warm bowl of something you cooked up in your crockpot all day? As long as it is warm and filling you can’t go wrong! We hope you take a moment to answer and play along on Twitter or Facebook.

This time of year conjures up comfort food cravings. What are your go to meals for cold, winter nights?

If you’re playing along on Facebook, simply comment in our Mission Monday post before 11:59 p.m. ET tonight to be entered to win!

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Good luck! Full Sweepstakes rules and details can be found here Twitter and Facebook.