JANUARY/FEBRUARY

Black Bean ‘N’ Pumpkin Chili

Makes 10 servings

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups chicken broth

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 package (16 ounce) frozen soy crumbles

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes (undrained)

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

In a large skillet, sauté onion and yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low 4 to 5 hours or until heated through. Serve hot.

MARCH/APRIL

Shake your salt habit

This simple and filling couscous salad is adapted from a recipe that appeared in Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine. With lime juice, avocados, onions and pepper, it doesn’t need any added salt.

Couscous Salad With Black Beans, Mushrooms And Corn

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup couscous

Ground pepper to taste

1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced ½ inch thick

1 small bunch green onions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced

1 1/4 cups fresh or thawed corn kernels (from 2 ears corn)

1 can (15.5 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

In a medium saucepan, cook couscous according to package directions. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season mushrooms with pepper; transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon oil to skillet. Cook whites of green onion and the corn, stirring occasionally, until green onions are soft and corn is browned, about 5 minutes. Season with pepper and add to mushrooms.

Add couscous, black beans, lime juice, jalapeno and green onion greens to mushroom mixture and toss to combine. Divide among four bowls and top with avocado.

MAY/JUNE

Think outside the box

Although you can make potato pancakes with a boxed mix, the homemade version wins on flavor because of its fresh, wholesome ingredients. This unique recipe from “The Classic Zucchini Cookbook” (North Adams, $ 16.95) also uses carrots and zucchini.

Potato Carrot Zucchini Pancakes

Makes about 12 cakes

1 medium-sized zucchini, grated

3 eggs, lightly beaten

2 large potatoes, grated

2 large carrots, grated onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil

1/3 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Canola oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Squeeze excess water from zucchini. In a large mixing bowl, combine with the eggs, potatoes, carrot, onion, flour, salt, basil and pepper. Mix well.

In a large skillet, pour in the oil to a depth of Z, inch. Heat over medium heat. When oil is hot, drop batter into it with a large spoon to form several pancakes; slightly flatten each cake with back of spoon. Cook until brown on both sides, turning once, about 5 minutes per side.

Remove cakes from frying pan and keep warm on a towel-lined baking sheet in preheated oven. Continue to make pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve hot.

JULY/AUGUST

Eat the rainbow

This recipe is from “Today” show nutritionist Joy Bauer’s cookbook “Slim and Scrumptious” (William Morrow, $ 24.99). Each serving of this hearty casserole is less than 300 calories yet contains a big blast of nutrition.

Italian Sunday Brunch Bake

Makes 4 jumbo servings

1 medium onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces

2 teaspoons dried Italian herb blend

8 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 slices Canadian bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

4 cups baby spinach leaves

4 whole eggs

8 egg whites

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13-by-9-inch broiler-safe baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.

Liberally coat a large skillet with vegetable oil spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, adding a tablespoon of water at a time to prevent scorching, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add bell pepper and potato pieces and cook until potatoes begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and herbs, cooking until tender, about 3 minutes. Add Canadian bacon and stir.

Reduce heat to low and add spinach and stir until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites. Add milk and black pepper.

Add cooled vegetable mixture to eggs and stir well. Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes, or until eggs are set and potatoes are cooked through. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top and broil 4 to 5 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serve hot.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Seek out superfoods

Smoothies make an easy and convenient breakfast. If you love blueberry cobbler, you’ll love this drink from “Smoothies: 50 Recipes for High-Energy Refreshment” (Chronicle Books, $ 15.95).

Maple Blue Smoothie

Makes 2 servings

1 cup low-fat blueberry yogurt

3/4 cup low-fat milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups frozen blueberries

In a blender, combine the yogurt, milk, syrup and cinnamon. Add blueberries and blend until smooth.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

Know your fats

This homemade granola is chock-full of heart-healthy fats. Plus, you can customize it to suit your tastes with different nuts and dried fruits. This recipe was created by Alysha Witwicki.

Homemade Granola

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup walnuts, diced

1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons applesauce

2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix oats, flaxseed, wheat germ, nuts, coconut and brown sugar. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the honey, applesauce, oil, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix into dry ingredients.

Line a large baking sheet with foil. Coat with vegetable oil spray. Place granola on baking sheet and spread to an even layer. Bake in preheated oven 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let granola cool 2 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cool completely. Mix in cranberries. Store in an airtight container up to 3 weeks.