Have you ever noticed that food colors mimic those of the seasons? Spring vegetables are pastel greens; summer vegetables are a vibrant palette of colors; fall vegetables are red and orange; and winter foods are well - white. Unfortunately, pale foods are generally lower in nutrients than their more colorful cousins, as well as boring to look at. Winter is a time to incorporate produce from warmer regions of the world where the color never goes away. These sultry imports are most available, and least expensive, in the winter.

Satsumas and clementines are two other delicious winter citrus fruits. They are interchangeable with blood oranges in recipes and also wonderful eaten out of hand for snacks or dessert.

Satsumas are a mild, seedless tangerine, known in their canned incarnation as a mandarin orange. They are available in markets from mid October through December, and can often be bought by the crate. They're extremely "user-friendly:" virtually seedless, with smooth, easy-to-peel skin. Their grated peel adds exotic flavor and color to sauces, cookies, and cakes. Satsumas are high in vitamin C, folate, and beta-carotene.

Clementines are one of the smallest of the citrus fruits, a cross between an orange and a tangerine. Legend holds that they are an accidental hybrid planted in Algeria by Father Clement Rodier around 1900. Clementines are exceptionally sweet, juicy, and aromatic. They are available from October through December. Like all citrus, they are a good source of vitamin C. Choose fruit that are firm and heavy for their size. Like other oranges and tangerines, they should be eaten within two weeks of purchase. (You might find cases of fruit at warehouse stores that survive intact until summer. Avoid them. Their skin is drenched with fungicides.)

Dates are a staple throughout the Middle East and North Africa, but most dates we eat in America are grown in Southern California. Dates are a fairly dense source of carbohydrate calories, making them good energy food for winter sports or shoveling snow. They provide modest amounts of calcium, and are a good source of iron, magnesium, potassium, niacin, and trace minerals. Dates are good eaten out of hand as a snack or simple dessert, but also make a good addition to main dishes, as in this North African specialty.

• 3-4 LB chicken, cut into parts
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 11/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 14.5 oz. chicken broth (I like the aseptic packages the best)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 cup pitted and quartered dates
• 1/3 cup whole blanched almonds

Coat chicken with flour. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken in a single layer (about 5 minutes each side). Remove chicken. Add onion and saute in same pan. Return chicken to skillet.

Combine spices in a small bowl; add to chicken mixture. Stir evenly to coat and sauté 1-2 minutes.

Add broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in dates and almonds and cook, covered for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer another 10 minutes or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally.

Pomegranates originated in the region ranging from Iran to the Himalayas but have been cultivated throughout the Mediterranean since ancient times. They are a round, apple-sized fruit with an interior separated by membranous walls into compartments filled with sacs of sweetly acid juicy red pulp and a seed. Pomegranates have a long storage life (up to 7 months) and a taste, which actually improves with time. Pomegranates are an excellent source of vitamin C and the phytochemical lycopene, which is thought to protect against cancer. They have beautiful scarlet color and a tangy-sweet taste that lends an exotic flavor to sauces and salads. Here's a "fusion" guacamole, combining Mediterranean and Mexican tastes.

• 2 ripe avocados, pits removed and peeled
• 1 pomegranate
• 1/2 cup peeled cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Put avocados in bowl and mash with a fork.

Add one-fourth cup pomegranate pulp and seeds and the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Place guacamole in serving bowl and sprinkle remaining pomegranate pulp and seeds on top for garnish.

Serve with multicolor tortilla chips.

Blood oranges, despite their unappetizing name, are very pretty and a special winter treat. In abundant supply December through June, they are a small, juicy, sweetly flavored orange with deep pink or red streaked flesh. Their vitamin C content is exceptionally high, even compared with other citrus fruit and, like pomegranates, they are a good source of lycopene. They taste wonderful raw but also are great when juiced or added to sauces. Choose oranges that are firm and heavy for size, without shriveled or moldy spots, and with a sweet clean fragrance. Blood oranges keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. This simple Italian salad is a lovely intermingling of flavors and textures, incorporating both pomegranates and blood oranges, as well as one of my favorite winter white veggies, fennel.

• 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced thinly (use a sharp knife or a 1mm food processor blade)
• Juice of one lemon
• 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 4 large blood oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1 cup fresh pomegranate pulp and seeds
• 6 oz. pecorino cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Place the sliced fennel in a bowl and toss with lemon and olive oil.

Add blood orange segments and pomegranate seeds and pulp. Season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to mix.

Divide onto four (approximately) plates and top with coarsely grated cheese.

Wendy Gordon is a writer and restaurant reviewer who lives in Portland, Oregon. She has a Masters Degree in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Chicago, and is on the Board of Directors of Food Front Grocery, a co-op in Portland.