There are approximately 17 weeks from the start of the year until the official beginning of the growing season in Colorado. Asparagus debuts in April; peaches peak in July. And lettuce is at its finest in September. That’s a long darn time to wait for a few leafy greens.

During this time, we can mourn the demise of zucchini, and count the days until tomato season. We can buy blueberries from Argentina, and disregard the massive ecological footprint. Or we can celebrate the abundant selection of produce that’s readily available in this hemisphere, a few hundred miles from home, even in January.

You can find Colorado-grown apples, onions, potatoes, butternut squash and acorn squash during the early winter months; depending on a particular winter, you may also find pears very early in January. You’ll see a variety of greenhouse herbs throughout the season. Arugula, endive and frisée are also available from northern New Mexico; beets, carrots and sweet potatoes from Texas; and Asian pears and bok choy from North California. Plenty to create a satisfying spread.

Here’s another thought: personally, I’ve never found myself hankering for a bowl of baby greens or cubes of cantaloupe when it’s 20 degrees outside. Mostly, I’m lusting after baked squash, roasted root vegetables, cooked grains and other such heartier fare. Macrobiotics and other systems of eating say there’s a reason for that: our bodies were designed before jet planes, so they’re best suited to using foods that are easily obtainable.

Revel in the roots, celebrate the squash and rejoice in the apple, with warming fare that makes the most of cold-weather fruits and vegetables. Try these recipes to get you started.

RECIPES
Roasted Butternut Squash, Wild Rice and Hazelnuts, with Fried Sage
Makes 6 servings
3/4 cup wild rice
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 medium yellow onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup whole sage leaves, chopped
Rinse rice in cold water and drain. In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add rice; bring to a boil again then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until rice begins to split and is tender, but still slightly chewy, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, drain well and return to pan. Stir in hazelnuts, and keep warm. While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 400°F. Peel* and seed squash, and cut into chunks. Toss with onions and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on a large roasting pan; roast for 25 to 35 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from oven, and stir into rice. Season with salt and pepper. While squash is cooking, heat butter in a small skillet to medium-high; add sage leaves until bright-green, crispy and fragrant. Arrange on top of rice mixture, and serve.

* Use a U-shaped vegetable peeler with a horizontal blade, available at grocery stores, for the easiest peeling.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Rosemary, Garlic and Caramelized Pearl Onions
Serves 6
2 pounds small fingerling potatoes, unpeeled and halved lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
12 whole cloves garlic, lightly crushed
1 cup peeled pearl onions*
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and rosemary. Mix with hands to coat potatoes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, and sprinkle garlic around. Roast until potatoes are brown and crisp, and lightly cooked through, about 35 minutes.

While potatoes are about 10 minutes from being done, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté onions until golden and just starting to caramelize, about 7 minutes. Add vinegar to pan, stirring bottom of pan to scrape up any solids. Turn onions out of pan into a small bowl.

Remove roasted potatoes from oven and arrange on a serving platter. Scatter onions atop and serve immediately.

* To peel onions, bring a small pot of water to a boil; add fresh pearl onions, blanch for 30 seconds, drain and immediately immerse into a bowl of ice water. Cut off stem ends, peel onions and pat dry. Set aside. (Pearl onions are hard to peel; if you don’t want to undergo the task, use frozen onions, defrosted about halfway through, for close results.)

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Brandied Apples, Walnuts and Figs
Makes 6 servings
3 small acorn squash
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
2/3 cup dried chopped figs
1/4 cup armagnac or other brandy (or use apple juice or water)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds. Brush cut sides with oil. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet, cut side down, and bake for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

While squash is baking, in a medium saucepan combine apples, figs, brandy and vanilla. Add vanilla to cooking water; simmer, uncovered, until apples are just tender but still firm, about 5 minutes, adding small amounts of brandy or water as needed. Stir in just enough maple syrup to lightly coat, stir and remove from heat. Stir in walnuts.

Remove squash from oven and let cool enough to handle. Fill center of each with apple mixture, arrange on a serving dish, and serve.