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The Maine Ingredient: Five'll get you 10 servings of fruits and vegetables at my table

By Anne Mahle

"Did you have your five today, Mama?"

Five what, you might ask. Nope, not pills. Not vitamins. It's five fruits and vegetables to which my daughter referred.

Like many other families, with the tornado of the holidays settled and behind us, our household has had a little more time to focus on fitness and healthy eating. Not that this isn't habit for us already, but one or two more days at the gym or outside for a run, and one or two more meals with an extra vegetable.

It's not uncommon for us to have two vegetables as part of our dinner meal, but over the holidays, that seemed to wane, and we've had to make a conscious effort to come back to it.

The five fruits and vegetables come from the Healthy Eating Pyramid, or the Healthy Eating Plate, the newest graphic created to encourage healthy eating. The suggested servings of vegetables and fruits are nine half-cup servings. So when I say five, that's me doubling up on portions. This focus on what I and my family should eat feels much better to me that flat-out ultimatums such as, "That's it! I'm off sugar for a month. Period. Fat, too."

Yes, it's important to have a limited intake of sugar and fat, but I'd much rather focus on the "good" food that supports health and let the rest sort itself out. By the time I've gotten 4½ cups of vegetables and fruit in me per day, I'm too full for that candy bar or bag of chips.

What I'm finding is that it's not the abandoning of the habit that throws me off track, it's the not coming back to it when things settle. Ebb and flow of intensity and busy-ness is a normal part of the tides and seasons that make up life, and it's our work to bring ourselves back to the habits that will keep us feeling good and healthy.

This lamb stew could of course be served over a bed of couscous or rice, but I chose, given the veggie conversation, to serve it over kale. That should count for at least two servings, don't you think?

FIVE SPICE LAMB STEW

Servings: Four to six

2 tablespoon peanut or canola oil

4 pounds lamb stew meat

2 tablespoon cumin

2 tablespoons five-spice mix (see below)

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups diced onion, about 1 medium onion

2 cups diced carrots, about 1 large or 2 small carrots

3 tablespoons flour

½ cup red wine

2 cups chicken stock

Add 1 can of drained garbanzo beans and 1 12-ounce package of green beans or small fresh green beans

Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. Carefully add the stew meat in batches so that it only covers the bottom of the pan. Sear until the exterior of the meat has browned and any liquid has evaporated. Remove the batches to a bowl or platter, and repeat with as many batches as needed.

Return all of the meat to the pan and add the spices, salt, onions and carrots. Cook until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed to avoid scorching. Add the flour and stir to incorporate fully. Add the red wine and stock, and stir well.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours. Watch the liquid level, and stir occasionally, again to avoid scorching. When the stew meat is tender when pierced with a fork, add the green beans and garbanzo beans, and serve over a bed of spicy lemon kale.

FIVE-SPICE MIX:

This mix comes from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, author of "The Meat Book," and is a classic Asian combination. Makes three tablespoons.

2 star anise pods

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

½ cinnamon stick

4 cloves

1 teaspoon black pepper

Place all of the spices in a spice or very clean coffee grinder and blend until very finely ground. Store the extra in a glass jar out of the sunlight.

SPICY LEMON KALE

Servings: Four to six

1 bunch kale

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

Remove stems from kale and either cut or rip into 2-inch pieces. Wash in a large bowl of cold water and transfer to a strainer. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and then the garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds.

Be prepared to quickly remove the pan from the heat, add the kale to stop the garlic from burning, and then return the pan to heat. The water from the kale hitting the oil in the pan will cause it to splatter; the more quickly you add the kale, the less it will splatter.

Saute for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the kale is tender but still bright green, turning with tongs regularly. Add the lemon juice and soy, and turn to combine. Adjust for taste, and serve immediately.

Anne Mahle of Rockland is the author of "At Home, At Sea." She can be reached at: chefannie@mainewindjammer.com