Food fun in February

February is far from fantastic. Around here, it is gray and cold most of the time.

We started out the year with the best of intentions. The talk on this page has been focused on resolutions to be "lighter on the earth." Understandably, this can be a real drag when we have at least six more weeks of winter to wade through.

Our instincts tell us to go for comfort first – drive in a pre-heated car to the fast food and head home to eat it up and fill the trash can with the remaining garbage. While easy, this will not help with February.

Hear me out - keeping those well meaning resolutions can be fun! It can even be easy, interesting, and provide you with good food and fun times with friends. Here are a few ideas:

Since we are trying to eat less meat – even just one less meal with meat a week, and drive less, walk (yes, walk) down the road to Thyme of Grace for a vegetarian soup, salad or quiche, or to the Farmer's Market Cafe. Go with a friend and have a walk and talk session before savoring some super food.

Dinner party: Invite over some friends for a meatless "not luck" meal. This is the name The Surreal Gourmet, Bob Blumer, has given to a gathering featuring delicious dinners where cooking the meal is part of the party.

Here's how it works: Assign each guest one or more specific ingredients – look up something gourmet and vegetarian (see resource box). Make sure to stick within everyone's budget. When everyone arrives – cook, eat and be merry!

Dinner and a movie party: Same start as above, but follow with a food film. Cut your carbon footprint by not going out or even having a video mailed to you. Many are available to stream from Netflix or other online video sources (memberships may be required). Some recommendations are Food, Inc., Super Size Me, The Future of Food, The Botany of Desire, and King Corn: You Are What You Eat.

Even if cooking is not your thing, and films are not possible to view beyond the three inches of your phone, remember: "Enjoying each other costs the planet much less than enjoying its resources."

Get connected. Check out your food, but not at the supermarket. Visit a farmer's market or local food coop to see the flavors and colors of winter.

You'll be surprised at all there is to see and taste, not to mention the neat people behind the plants that made all the food. Visits can be visual, they can, in fact, be a sensory sensation. See, taste, touch, smell, talk, listen…

Perhaps you will bring home something new to eat along with some new experiences to savor.

Good luck on your journey to the end of winter. Keep warm, keep connected, and keep losing those pounds (of carbon)!

Vegetarian and "Not Luck" Meal Recipes

www.theveggietable.com/recipes/gourmetrecipes.html

www.surrealgourmet.com/html/food.html

www.gourmet.org/recipes/vegetarian

www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_winter_recipes