Vegetables

The root vegetable maca (Lepidium meyenii) has been cultivated in the high plateaus of the Peruvian Andes for centuries. The crop is a main part of the traditional diet of the region, where it's processed into maca wine, juice, tea, spread, milk, yogurt and a variety of baked products. Maca -- a member of the mustard family that grows exclusively at 13,123 feet and higher -- is rich in iron, iodine and magnesium.

Contrary to some earlier reports, eating fruits and vegetables probably won't help women reduce their chances of getting breast cancer--although it does protect against colon cancer. That conclusion is based on an analysis of eight studies involving 351,825 women, said epidemiologist Stephanie Smith-Warner of the Harvard School of Public Health in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Assn.

It wouldn't work without the bees. Swarming through a field in Irvine, they carry pollen from the flowers of ordinary watermelon plants to alternating rows of hybrid plants incapable of producing fruit by themselves. The cross-pollination creates distinctive round, pale green "mule" watermelons interspersed among the traditional oblong, dark green picnic melons. Although the bees don't know the difference, the seedless mules have become a popular attraction in supermarket produce departments.

Lumpy sauces have been the bane of cooks for centuries. Now they're bedeviling bureaucrats as well. Make that Euro-crats. As reported in the Times of London, there is a heated debate going on in Brussels over just how lumpy a sauce can be before it must be classified as a vegetable. The idea of European Union functionaries sitting around arguing about this may seem like something out of "Yes, Minister," but for food manufacturers, the potential consequences are enormous.

If fruit and vegetables are so great, everyone must be eating tons! Well, they aren't. The latest survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, published in March using data collected from 1998 to 2002, found that just 28% of American adults get their basic two servings of fruit, and 32% get their three vegetables. And today, those recommendations are even higher.

Wilbur R. Johnson settled between his van's tailgate and a mound of beets and greeted the passing hordes at the weekly farmers' market at Villa Parke in Pasadena. Many passers-by stopped and kissed him. Others hugged or patted him, called out his name, asked for advice on gardening and cooking or simply stared at all the action. Johnson, 64, former pastor of Scott United Methodist Church in Pasadena, was once again happily reigning over what he calls his "vegetable kingdom."

Vegetables earning a coveted All-America Selections status for 1988 are an interesting lot, ranging from sweet to hot. At the sweet end is a corn aptly named Honey 'n Pearl, that just might tempt me into growing my own corn again, even though it takes up half of the vegetable plot. Honey 'n Pearl refers to the bicolored kernels, some white, some yellow, a characteristic found in other extra-sweet corn varieties.

Don Smith used to be all wrapped up in quantum electronics. He earned a masters degree from UC Berkeley in the field that studies the production of light and its interaction with matter. Then, one day, said Smith, a former electrical engineer, he looked up, took note of the blazing Southern California sun and decided gardening was the thing to do. So he made a proposal that council members couldn't refuse--turn a portion of a vacant lot in back of his home into a blooming garden.

The vegan lifestyle and the lifestyle of professional athletes aren't often associated with each other. But John Salley, a former NBA star who's played with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers, swears by the strictly animal- and animal-product-free diet he's taken up since retiring from the game. Here, he talks about maintaining his energy and ability, the benefits of going vegan and misconceptions. Why did you decide to become vegan? Five years ago, I was doing a [public service announcement]

"This is a recipe I developed for my husband who from time to time has digestion problems," Suzanne Carr writes. "It is very low in fat, easy on the digestion and smells heavenly while simmering in wine and juices. The dish is excellent with boiled parsley potatoes and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. All together, this makes a very colorful meal with lots of eye appeal, which is so important when you are working with lower calories."