Even though the chilly winds are still blowing all over the state, it is almost March and our stores will begin to fill with a fabulous array of colorful spring produce. Robin Asbell, private chef, author of well-received cookbooks, and culinary instructor will be in our Cooking Schools the first week of March with delicious recipes for building meals that feature fresh fruits, vegetables and grains. Enjoy learning a little about her before she joins us.

1. What sparked your interest in a career in the world of food?
My mother is a great cook. She cooked every day and was more adventurous than the other Moms, branching out into International recipes and exposing us to radical things like curry. She also served salads and veggies at every dinner. I was drawn to baking early on, and from my earliest years I made deserts and breads. By high school I was really into making whole wheat bread, and even sold some to the local health food store for a while.

2. What is the most fulfilling part of writing cookbooks and/or teaching culinary classes?
If I can get just one person to eat better, feel better, and get something out of it that is positive, it is worth doing all the work. I'm passionate about real, delicious food that just happens to be exactly what your body needs, and I can't say enough about it. And I emphasize taste-because I could talk all day about what you Should Eat, but if it is not delicious, you won't eat it.

3. If you could only have 2 kitchen tools with you on a dessert island, which two would you choose?
Well, first and foremost, knives and cutting board. An 8 inch chefs knife and 3 1/2 inch paring are the basics that will see you through most things. If those are all there, I'm a big food processor user, it saves time. I suppose on the Desert island I have lots of time, so I have time to mince.

4. Do you cook at home? How often? And what types of dishes?
I cook all the time, and most of the time it is developing recipes for publication. I'm working on a third book, and in between I work on magazines and classes, so in that way, I have a pretty planned cooking life. When I get some days to just chill, I like to hit the farmers market and get some foods that are in season and eat them really simply, like when the good asparagus comes, just roast or grill it and have it with good bread and cheese. I do bake bread on the weekends, so we always have good bread.

5. It is late February and still unusually cold in Texas (It snowed in Austin yesterday!), but nothing like a winter in your native Minneapolis. Can you mention two hearty, comfort dishes that you make at home that help take the chill off?
I'm a big roaster of veggies, and maker of soups and stews. There is an African Peanut Stew in New Vegetarian that comes together fast and will fill you up for pennies, and the Mac and Cheese with Hidden Veggies is pure comfort food- good old baked noodles in cheesy sauce that conceals pureed cauliflower and carrots. In The New Whole Grains Cookbook, Pecan and Wild Rice Stuffed Squashes or the Fast Creamy Chicken Stew with Parslied Dumplings always go over well when the subzero winds blow!

6. How have your travels influenced the dishes that you make and feature in your cookbooks?
Everywhere I go I am a culinary traveler, so I take trips with food in mind. When we went to Jamaica a couple of years ago, I offered our driver $100 for a cooking class, and we ended up having a great time, going to the market and making fresh coconut milk, and cooking real, homestyle food.

7. With government agencies and wellness experts encouraging all of us to include more vegetables on our plates, have you seen an increased interest in the use vegetables in new and exciting ways?
Yes, and I think that chefs are catching on that doing something creative with veggies is a way to strut your stuff, a way to show that you have some creativity and skills. The more interesting plant foods you put on the plate, the more of them you will eat. We are moving beyond just steaming some broccoli spears and into roasting, grilling, and processes that can show off the many flavors and textures you can bring out in simple vegetables.