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BySuzanneSproul InlandValleyDailyBulletin Moms had it right all along: Eat those vegetables. Veggies and their fellow gar- den dwellers, herbs, can pro- vide excellent sources of vi- tamin-packed doses to ev- eryone's diets. Better yet is the fun factor in growing them at home. It's easy to turn a "victory gar- den" into a "vitamin garden" with just a little effort. Those who grew up in the World War II era are familiar with the term "victory garden" — people on the homefront were encouraged to grow some of their own food and stay healthy with good nu- trition. The slogan "Vegeta- bles, vitamins, victory!" still is apropos. More Americans are em- bracing better eating habits, but too many still fall short of the daily recommended dose of vitamins needed to main- tain optimal health. While over-the-counter supple- ments can fill in the gaps, it's still better to consume them the way Mother Nature in- tended. "We can indeed turn gar- dens into vitamin patches," said Kari Walker, a UC Da- vis-trained master gar- dener from Hermosa Beach. "It is not hard and you do not need a lot of space for a garden. "You can use a window- sill or a wall if you have one that gets all-day sun. Even a place that just gets morn- ing sun or afternoon sun will work. There is no excuse not to grow things for your table and your health." Our Mediterranean cli- mate means gardeners can grow year around. At this time of year, popular crops include tomatoes, squash, basil, carrots, radishes, mel- ons, lettuce, corn, pumpkins and beans. They all love the warm summer days and cool nights, Walker said. Becky Talyn and her family live at Rancho de los Proyectos in Colton. Theirs is a working homestead, and the family enjoys the fruits of their labors. "We aim for as much vari- ety as possible," Talyn said. "We pick veggies that should do well during that partic- ular time of the year, and then plant as many different things as we can. Then we choose varieties of those that wecangetorganicseedfrom, thathaveagood,lengthysea- son, (and) that are sound, tasty and productive." The family eats a lot of what's in their garden while therestissoldforincome.She, too, knows the health benefits of eating what one grows. "We feel good that we are providing really high-qual- ity produce to other fami- lies," she said. Her doctor suggested that she take vitamin D3 and fish oilcapsules,andshecomplied. But she relies on vitamins found naturally in produce to make up the difference. With so much bounty available, what is best? "When I consult with pa- tients or give talks, I always say go with bright colors like the rainbow: Vegetables that are very green, very orange, very red and very yellow are very good for you," said Bless Masatani, a registered di- etitian for Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. "Plant-based diets re- main the best way to main- tain health. That means a healthy plate of food should be half made up of vegeta- bles and fruits, with the rest being protein and carbohy- drates." It may sound simple, she said, because it is. "Raw vegetables and fruits are the best because they retain most of their minerals and vitamins in their skins," Masatani said. "Actually, the most ideal way to eat them is right after you've picked or harvested them because the minute that happens, they start los- ing vitamins. You can use vi- taminsupplements,butdon't go overboard with them. "Nothing beats fruits and vegetables for digestion, sources of fiber and good nu- trition. Mom is always right," she said with a chuckle. But really, nothing beats the flavor and freshness of veggies, fruits and herbs one grows at home. Homegrown vegetables that look healthy and appetizing certainly are more likely to be eaten, even by picky eaters. "Since our season here is solong,thereisalwayssome- thing that would be good to plant," Talyn said. "Right now, we are putting in the last of our tomatoes, toma- tillos, peppers, eggplant and green beans." GARDENING Grow your own vitamin garden More Americans are embracing better eating habits, but many still fall short By Candice Choi The Associated Press NEW YORK American pal- ates have changed consid- erably over the years, but is the country ready for cap- puccino-flavored Lay's? Frito-Lay, the snack di- vision of PepsiCo Inc., will announce on Wednesday the coffee-flavored chips as one of the four finalists for its second annual "Do Us a Flavor" contest in the U.S., which gives people a chance to create a new potato chip that is sold nationally and win $1 million. The other three finalists are Ched- dar Bacon Mac & Cheese, Mango Salsa and Wasabi Ginger. Frito-Lay says the four flavors are expected to start hitting shelves in late July. People will then be able to vote online for their favor- ite through Oct. 18. The promotional stunt is intended to boost cus- tomer engagement online and send fans to stores in search of the flavors. But it also reflects how Frito-Lay is trying to keep up with changing tastes, with its ever-evolving lineup of potato chips now including several Hispanic flavors. Later this month, it also plans to roll out Lay's Stax chips in a Ko- rean barbecue flavor and Lay's Stax in Thai Sweet Chili flavor. That would make them the first Asian flavors of Lay's chips sold nation- ally in the U.S., not count- ing the flavors it has intro- duced as part of the "Do Us a Flavor" contest. Last year, Cheesy Garlic Bread beat out Chicken & Waffles and Sriracha, a sauce commonly used in Thai cuisine. "I can't imagine us 10 years ago doing a wasabi ginger flavor," said Ram Krishnan, Frito-Lay's se- nior vice president of brand marketing. Despite the growing pop- ularity of ethnic flavors, the top four Lay's flavors re- main the same: Original, Barbecue, Cheddar & Sour Cream and Sour Cream & Onion. POTATO CHIPS FRITO-LAY This combination made from images provided by Frito-Lay shows the four finalists for its second annual "Do Us a Flavor" contest in the U.S., which gives people a chance to create a new potato chip that is sold nationally and win $1million. The finalists, which will be announced Wednesday, are Cappuccino, Wasabi Ginger, Bacon Mac & Cheese, and Mango Salsa. LAY'SNEWESTFLAVOR: BACON MAC AND CHEESE? Indeed, I always enjoy assessing the "new" vintage of some of my favor- ite wines, identify- ing here and there a standout. I have long touted 2009 as my most recent fa- vorite around the world and while 2010 and 2011 are just fine the 2012 bot- tlings seem a bit more in- spiring. And I am begin- ning to venture into the 2013s. One example of the lat- ter is the Tarrica Ries- ling produced by the Paso Robles winery of the same name derived from daughters Taryn and Erica. The tasty 2012 ($9.95, 12.0 percent alco- hol) was a Central Coast bottling that was recently included in my pairing column along with two yummy German Ries- lings. The Tarrica '12 earned an enthusias- tic thumbs up with spin- ach and bacon pasta, sau- téed prawns, SaveMart roast chicken, dried cran- berries, unsalted peanuts, and homemade brownies. Yup, I have long ranked this varietal as the most food pairing versatile. And then to my surprise the next shipment was the 2013 with the Mon- terey appellation and, like its predecessor, it sported a solid customer follow- ing and with good reason. The first round was a de- licious combo with salt, pepper, and olive oil sau- téed prawns and buttered sweet corn on the cob. The next night the second half of the bottle loved baked chicken thighs and wild rice. And the good news doesn't stop there as it cozied right up to corn chowder with car- rots and bacon. And yet another pairing earned a definite positive nod with breaded fried chicken breast and (wait for it) potato chips with and without ketchup. Truth be told, pretty much all wines to date have dis- played a Heinz affection. As for a roast beef sand- wich on French bread with havarti, lettuce, to- mato, mayo and mus- tard, yes! And finally, a tasty second night nibble and sip (make that quaff) with a tomato and goat cheese quiche. Oh, and along the way the pea- nuts and brownies scored with this Monterey ver- sion. Bottom line, hail Riesling! And then we have more kudos for the deli- cious Chateau Julien Roy- alty Red Merlot, Cab- ernet, and Syrah blend ($12.95). The 2010 and 2011 earned considerable pairing praise in a couple of prior columns as did the newly released 2012, the latter's extra dimen- sion of subtle richness al- ready documented as meshing beautifully with pork quesadilla and tasty with corn chips, guaca- mole and sharp white cheddar. No surprise that it was also comfy with floured chicken ten- ders the next night. Also no surprise that the '12, also 13.5 percent alco- hol, proved a richly tex- tured, slightly sweet com- panion to Charm's roast beef and veggies includ- ing carrots, mushrooms, red bell peppers, and baked potato. By the way, the 2011 and 2012 have the same 48 percent Mer- lot, 36 percent Cabernet, and 16 percent Syrah pro- portions. And I noted that my salmon and red blend stats for ten blends scored an over 90 percent success rate so salmon it is on my next Royalty Red adventure. I'll keep you in the loop. George Edwards is the owner and operator of WineMarket in Pacific Grove. Email him di- rectly at george@monte- reywinemarket.com or visit his website at www. montereywinemarket. com. ON WINE Gauging 'new' vintages of old favorite bottles George Edwards PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thankyou! MongolianBBQ Mongolian BBQ K K ahunas ahunas AmericanStyle It's all about the choices! 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