This month's shopping: cooking with Nina in February.

Among the inevitable questions that a vegetarian regularly receives, there’s always the one: “Yes, that's fine, but basically what do you eat?”. One of the few vegan certainties I have in life. By now my answers alternate. When I feel resolute, I simply exclaim: “What I don’t eat, you mean!”. When I’m in the mood for chatting, I eagerly alert the interlocutor: “Mmh, how much time do you have?”.

Yes, because the list of delicacies that are part of a vegetarian diet is long: I roll out the scroll that, among healthy foods and some treats, reveals the mystery. So, what does a vegetarian eat? To give you an idea, here’s my rich shopping for February: comforts for winter and seasonal products.

A LOAD OF SEASONAL VEGETABLES

Contrary to popular belief, vegetarians do not survive on just sad, naked salads. Instead, we love to warm the coldest months with vegetables to cook, stew, boil, sauté, and occasionally batter. The delica pumpkin is among my favorites: aromatic, sweet, perfect for soups or simply roasted in the oven. Another specialty is the trumpet zucchini from Albenga, which comes from the Valle Varaita to my steamer. Often, it only needs a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to warm and flavor an evening. More rustic and hearty, the pink radicchio from Verona, which after being sautéed, accompanies a dish of Senatore Cappelli pasta along with walnuts and a good blue cheese. This month, for example, I chose Gialloblu, soft and spicy.

VITAMIN C AND FRESHNESS

The organic oranges from Sicily are my lifesaver. I am a juice-dependent person, I love fresh fruit and, above all, I tend to want to safeguard myself from seasonal illnesses. And what could be better than a load of vitamin C? Freshly picked oranges are truly a gift I give to my mornings, to start each day with more energy.

AND WHEN I DON'T HAVE TIME...

When I don’t have time to cook, as often happens, ready-made soups come to my rescue: acquacotta, black cabbage, beans. I choose a different one each time to vary. At the end of the day, the pleasure of a hot dish is unmissable for someone like me, who is a good eater but wants to eat genuinely. Moreover, they are rich in legumes, a source of plant proteins, and contain little fat. In a word: they are perfect. Often I add a bit of fresh whole grain bread: homemade or from potatoes and durum wheat, it is a staple in my pantry, especially when I don’t have time to prepare it at home.

THE EVERGREENS: GRAINS AND QUINOA

Grains accompany me in all their forms, both in summer and winter. For my shopping in February, I chose Venere rice, unique, black, and aromatic, an excellent accompaniment for pumpkin and legumes, both in terms of taste and nutritional values. A must for vegetarians is quinoa: this time I chose the whole variety, for vegetable and herb-based soups.

ALL THE WELLNESS OF TEA

As a good tea and herbal tea enthusiast, I love everything that requires infusion: loose tea, tea leaves, or tea bags, and aromas to let loose in the water. I love green tea in the morning, great for metabolism and for a natural wake-up. This month I chose a novelty: Darjeeling green tea. For the evening, however, I prefer berry infusion, with an appealing taste, ideal for circulation and also for those who work, as it comes from Altromercato.