Everywhere you turn, there seems to be baby news. From the cover of People magazine to the pages of major dailies, babies (and their expectant mothers) are making headlines. That’s because babies are big business.

The maternity-clothes industry rakes in nearly $200,000,000 annually; layettes, cribs, baby carriages, baths, feeding accessories and toiletries gross half a billion dollars a year, and diaper services do an annual business of $30,000,000.

Clearly, when a baby is on the way, there’s a lot at stake financially, not to mention emotionally and physically, so it’s understandable you want to do everything possible to ensure your new arrival will be healthy and happy.

That process begins long before the baby arrives though, and it begins with a diet rich in folic acid. Why? Well, women who plan on becoming pregnant can reduce their chances of having a baby with birth defects if they consume the recommended 600 micrograms folic acid up to one year before conceiving.

Folic acid, a member of the B-vitamin family, is responsible for making cells and, specifically, protecting against spina bifida, a neural tube defect. In recent years, scientists have suggested that folic acid might also lower the risk of developing Alzheimer?s and heart disease.

To get your daily dose of folic acid, try to include a serving of any of the following foods in your diet:

Peanuts
Orange juice
Fortified breakfast cereal
Snow peas
Broccoli

Asparagus
Lentils
Spinach

Black beans
Papaya

Making informed food choices in advance of becoming pregnant is one of the most simple and powerful things you can do to help ensure the health of your newborn. Why not start today?

Sometimes, I get so caught up in work, that I lose sight of what’s really important.  It’s only when I get away from everything and sometimes everyone that I’m reminded of my priorities and that life can be richly rewarding without having access to my e-mail, voice mail, text messages, instant messages, e-vites, HGTV, iPod and PDA.

As much as I love technology, I can’t stand it and the over-stimulation it brings. (I think I can aptly call my relationship with technology love-hate.)  But I owe my wonderful respite to technology, since it was such that pushed me out the door, into a car and off to a restorative vacation.

As my loyal blog readers have noticed, I’ve been missing since June 26th, yet, while I was away on a computer-free journey, I was reminded constantly of my blog, since there were so many things I saw, read or did that gave me inspiration for future entries.

Now, I’m back to business and in front of my Dell Inspiron.  But my mind is refreshed and my travel journal is chock full of good reads, interesting tid-bits and news you can use.  So, I’m going to share them with you, and I’m going to start with the Persimmon.

One stop along my sojourn found me in North Alabama. There, I learned about growing cotton, corn, peanuts and soybeans; raising poultry and livestock, and I received a tutorial about hydroelectric power, an industry within the state.

But what got me most excited were the Persimmon trees that dotted the hills with their sturdy trunks and branches laden with fruit. (Photo shows me holding a small, unripe Persimmon.)

While Persimmons are native to China, they arrived in California in the 1800s and slowly crossed the U.S. with the settlers. Today, the North American Persimmon can be classified as bearing astringent or non-astringent fruit; astringent varieties need to be jelly-soft to be enjoyed, and non-astringent varieties are crisp when ripe and can be eaten like an apple.

Hungry and feeling creative, I began to play with some Persimmons I purchased at a local market and, using some favorite ingredients from my native Italia, I came up with this healthy, delicious and quick appetizer that will impress any guest during a late summer party al fresco.

Persimmons & Figs Italian Style
Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:
8 medium-size ripe Persimmons, cut lengthwise in half
16 soft, fresh figs, cut lengthwise in half
8 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
8 lemons, cut into wedges
Freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
On a large, decorative serving platter, arrange the Persimmon and fig halves. Evenly divide the prosciutto and drape over the fruit. Grind black pepper to taste over prosciutto. Arrange lemon wedges creatively around platter. Serve with aged Parmesan or bleu cheese and a full-bodied red wine.