What I like most about strawberries – aside from their terrific taste, high nutrient content, and culinary versatility – is their year-round availability. You can always find strawberries, either fresh in the produce section or frozen, whole or sliced, in the frozen foods aisle.

An interesting trend reported on strawberrynutritionnews.com is that the fresh fruit is now the top snack consumed by boys and girls ages two through 12. A study by a New York-based marketing organization called the NDP Group found that “cookies are crumbling out of favor as the top snack for children” and that fresh strawberries are among the most kid-friendly fruits.

May is International Mediterranean Diet Month. In recognition of this little known event, I’d like you to answer these questions about your usual food choices:

• Do you use olive oil as your main culinary oil?
• Do you consume two to four cups of non-starchy vegetables per day, such as bell peppers, cabbage, celery, eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, or onions?
• Do you eat at least two servings of fruit per day, such as apples, dates, grapes, or berries?
• Do you have a serving of beans or legumes two to four times per week, such as lentils or chickpeas?
• Do you include one to two ounces of nuts per day, such as walnuts, almonds, or pistachios?
• Do you enjoy two or more fish meals per week that feature salmon, tuna, or sardines?
• Do you eat breakfast every morning?
• Do you have one to two daily servings of yogurt or cheese, such as feta or mozzarella?
• Do you have a serving of whole grains at most meals, such as oatmeal, whole grain bread, or quinoa?

Someone stopped me at the Goldberger wedding – which was very beautiful by the way – and asked me about a tofu recipe. So, I thought, why not include in my next column a few dishes using this versatile high-protein food that can be meat, dairy, or pareve, depending on the other ingredients you use. Many of the following recipes are quite appropriate for Shavuos, which is rapidly approaching. Good Yom Tov and good eating!