April recognizes Cancer Control Month and a great way to prevent serious illness is through eating a diet high in fiber and nutritious foods, such as fresh FRUITS and VEGETABLES.

An easy way to get your daily "Five A Day" – five servings of fresh PRODUCE, is to incorporate stir-fry dishes into your menus. This form of cooking uses little if no oil, plenty of PRODUCE and the speed of cooking keeps the vitamin and mineral content of the fresh ingredients at their optimum levels.

Chef Jimmy Chi is owner/manager of the popular Kung Pao China Bistro in Studio City, CA., where 120 pounds of GREEN BEANS, 40 pounds of MUSHROOMS and 200 pounds of BROCCOLI are just part of his weekly order. He suggests lightly steaming your VEGETABLES, chicken or seafood before placing them in your wok pan, and then cooking your ingredients "very quickly, no more than 30 seconds to one minute for the best flavors."

Chi also recommends that cooks "cut the VEGETABLES very small. At Kung Pao we do thin slices, chunks and 4-sided squares. And it’s important to make your sauces fresh—we use a lot of fresh GINGER, GREEN ONIONS and GARLIC as seasonings." And Chi says you don’t need sesame oil for cooking; "many of our customers want no oil, so we cook using sherry wine instead."

Among Chi’s most popular menu creations are "Milky Way EGGPLANT", chunks of skin-on EGGPLANT with GARLIC quickly fried in a light tempura batter and served with a sweet-sour sauce over crispy rice noodles; a "Legend ORANGE Peel Fish Filet", a stir-fry combination of fresh fish in batter with dried RED CHILIES and fresh ORANGE Peels; and "Twinkle WALNUT Shrimp", a combination of tempura battered shrimp and WALNUT halves stir-fried and served atop a bed of steamed BROCCOLI.

Notes Chi, " Red is considered a good luck color, and many of our customers like our ‘Seafood Combo in Red’, a stir-fry mixing shrimp, scallop and fish filet sautéed with fresh MUSHROOMS, ZUCCHINI, WATER CHESTNUT and RED PEPPERS in a spicy hot GARLIC sauce."

Stir-fry can even be incorporated into elegant dinner parties. Chi has created a popular entree that features strips of filet mignon stir-fried with BELL PEPPERS, ONIONS and MUSHROOMS in a spicy black bean sauce.

SEEDLESS RED FLAME GRAPES and RED GLOBE SEEDED GRAPES from Chile are among the best FRUIT values this week.

RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT from Texas growers is an excellent value. Combine segments with AVOCADO slices and enjoy with a creamy ranch dressing. HONEY MANDARIN TANGERINE ORANGES are also in steady supply at moderate prices. LEMONS are holding steady at moderate prices.

HASS AVOCADOS are holding steady at premium prices, with smaller sizes the most economical value.

CANTALOUPE MELON is decreasing in price as volume from Mexico improves this spring and California’s production gets underway next month. SEEDLESS WATERMELON is also a good value this week. Remember to keep any cut MELON wrapped and refrigerated to avoid spoilage, although whole, uncut MELONS can be stored in a cool, dry place for a few days.

ASIAN PEARS are in good supply from Chile. This crispy sweet treefruit makes a delicious snack when sliced into wedges and served with a sour cream or caramel dip.

MANGOS are an excellent value now from Mexico. Remove peel, slice and chill, then serve chunks in a parfait glass topped with a dollop of COCONUT CREAM garnished with a sprig of fresh MINT.

California STRAWBERRIES continue to decrease in price as volume improves and spring’s production gets into full swing. RASPBERRIES and BLACKBERRIES are other good BERRY choices this week.

New Zealand is providing steady supplies of PASSION FRUIT and KIWANO MELONS. KIWIFRUIT is also plentiful and prices are moderate.

Look in the NUTMEAT section of the produce department to find tasty ingredients to use as salad toppings, including PISTACHIO NUTS, PINE NUTS, slivered ALMONDS and WALNUTS.

BANANAS are a good baking staple to keep on hand, because even overripe FRUIT is salvageable when used in muffin or cake batters. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter before baking for an extra flavor surprise.

ARTICHOKES continue to be among the best VEGETABLE values this spring, with larger sizes in abundant supply this month.

GREEN BELL PEPPERS are plentiful and economical. RED and YELLOW BELL PEPPERS, slightly sweeter varieties, are also in good supply.

ICEBERG LETTUCE is economical, with LEAF LETTUCE prices for RED LEAF, GREEN LEAF and ROMAINE LETTUCE remaining moderate.

Fresh SPINACH is an iron-rich salad option. This VEGETABLE can be served steamed or stir-fried and is especially delicious with a hot sweet and sour bacon dressing.

Salad fixings in good supply include CUCUMBERS, RADISHES, ENOKI and WHITE BUTTON MUSHROOMS, ITALIAN PARSLEY, GREEN ONIONS and JICAMA.

BROWN and SWEET YELLOW ONIONS are both good values this week.

CARROTS are plentiful and economical and among the most versatile VEGETABLES for spring menus. Cook, puree and create soups and sauces, or steam and toss into pasta salads and stir-fry dishes.

ASPARAGUS is a spring favorite now in good supply at moderate prices. It’s best to consume ASPARAGUS as soon as possible after purchase, but you can store it refrigerated by keeping the cut end of the spears standing in water to prevent the stalks from getting woody and losing their flavor.

CELERY is an economical VEGETABLE choice this week. Dieters enjoy it as a crunchy, filling snack or to use diced into salads for added crunch.

RUSSET POTATOES and YAMS both remain at moderate price levels.

Enjoy decorating your home this now with the pastel colors of spring, using cut DAFFODILS, TULIPS, IRIS, BIRD OF PARADISE, GERBERA DAISIES and ENCHANTMENT LILIES in arrangements. Potted TULIPS and MUMS look especially pleasing when lining patios and outdoor walkways in alternating colors.