Brought to you by Ms. X, an Orange County Personal Training contributor

I was thinking the other day about ways to get some variety into my diet. I eat tons of vegetables, but I get stuck in a rut at times. Since it's summer, I have been grilling a lot of fish and chicken on the bbq outside, and I have been making skewers of red, yellow and orange peppers with Vidalia onions and pineapple to grill as a side dish. I am sort of at the point where I can hardly stand grilled peppers anymore. I have been adding zucchini and mushrooms to the skewers, and that's a nice change, but I need something completely different for a while! So, I thought of an interesting way to do things. Who knows if it will last, but it might be fun! My idea is to eat fruits and vegetables by the alphabet. In the space of one month, approximately 30 days, I want to try a different fruit for each letter of the alphabet, which is 26 letters, and gives me about 4 days off. I plan on going in order from A-Z.
So here is the list:

A - Avocado: Good source of Vitamins A, B, C, E and iron. Another name for the Avocado is the Alligator Pear, and to quicken the ripening process, you can put them in a closed plastic bag together with a banana, apple or pear. To keep the flesh of a cut avocado from turning brown you can sprinkle it with lime or lemon juice. Avocados have a positive effect on cholesterol levels, are very nurtitious for the body and skin, and are used in a lot of skincare products. I love avocados, but use them sparingly because although they are a "good fat" they're still a fat, and I use with caution.

B - Banana: Good source of fiber, Potassium and Vitamin C. Bananas however contain more starch than sugar, so they should be eaten no more than once a day if trying to lose weight. But, they do also contain all 8 amino acids that the human body cannot make itself, and are a great source of nutrition. Never store bananas in the refrigerator, and if you want to spped the ripening process, you can set them in the sunlight. I always buy bananas with the best intentions, but end up letting them get overripe. And that is why I almost always have a bag of blackened bananas in my freezer, because they can be frozen, mashed and used to make Banana Bread.

C - Cherimoya: The Cherimoya is called "the tree of ice cream" and tastes like a blend of strawberry, pineapple, mango and cream. The fruit is heart-shaped and has a green skin. These contain a lot of dextrosis. The season in California for Cherimoya's is from October to May. I am going to have to make some special trips to find some of these.

D - Dragonfruit: Pinkish-Red or Yellow in color, the Dragonfruit is harvested from a type of cactus plant. If picked before ripened, the Dargonfruit can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable, while once ripened, the fruit should be peeled and cut, and sprinked with lime juice, served as you would cut fresh fruit. High in Vitamin C and fiber.

E - Eggplant: This fruit, commonly thought to be a vegetable has many varieties, and ranges in color from purple to black, the most common types of American Eggplant, to red, yellow, green or white, much less common. Eggplant requires a long, warm growing season, and therefore is most plentiful from late summer to fall. Used in many mediterranean dishes, this fruit is composed of about 80% water and the skin provides calcium, iron, Vitamins B and C.

F - Fig: Although widely believed to be a fruit, the Fig is actually a flower picked for eating. Said to contain enough nutrients and vitamins that man could live on figs alone. A half cup of figs has as much calcuim as a half cup of milk. High in fiber and potassium, with no fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol and no sodium. Supposedly the ancient Greek government outlawed the export of figs to ensure themselves a favorable outcome in the Olympics. Figs were officially exported to Europe around 1600.

G - Grapefruit: High in Vitamin C, these citrus fruits are very tart! Pink or Ruby Red varieties are sweeter than the yellow. Grapefruits may interact with certain medications, so check with your pharmacist if you are on prescriptions.

H - Honeydew Melon: The Honeydew has as much iron as spinach. The tricks for picking out a good Honeydew Melon are to look for a waxy skin with no brown spots, a nice smell, not too firm or too soft, and when shaken, if you can hear the loose seeds inside, it is overripe.

I - A magnificent species of palm growing near the Orinoco. The natives eat its fruit and buds, drink its sap, and make thread and cord from its fiber. This is all I could find for a fruit with an "I", so it looks like I might have to skip this day.

J - Japanese Eggplant. Member of the eggplant family, the Japanese version is sweeter than it's American cousin. I actually had Japanese Eggplant for lunch today, it is used in many Thai dishes, and works well with a curry sauce, green beans or snow peas and chicken. Or anything. This one is longer and thinner than the typical eggplant, and should be used with in 3-5 days, as it becomes bitter as it ages.

K - Kiwi: The Kiwi contains a protein-splitting enzyme, making it easier to digest. If the fruit is cooked, canned or processed in any way, the enzyme is no longer active. The best way to store Kiwi is in the refrigerator. As with the avocado, if you need to speed up the ripening of the Kiwi, you can seal them in a plastic bag with a banana, apple or pear. These fruits excrete ethylene gas, which aids in the ripening.

L - Lychee: These are very good sources of Vitamin C and iron, and should be eaten fresh, not out of a can or jar. The Lychee is a small fruit with a sweet white pulp, one seed and a thin brown shell. Originally from China. I've seen these at farmer's markets, but never tried them. The shell opens up to expose the grape-like flesh of the lychee, and within that flesh is the seed. Do not confuse this seed with being an edible nut, it contains a toxin and is not to be eaten.

M - Mangoes are one of the oldest fruits known in history, and are high in Vitamins B, C, and iron. Legend says that Buddha sat under a Mango Tree when he developed awareness and became enlightened. Unpeeled Mangoes should never be stored in the refrigertator, but once peeled, they can be stored for up to 2 weeks.

N - Nectarine: These come in varieties of yellow or white, and have a soft flesh that easily bruises. Similar to a peach, the nectarine can be ripened on the countertop or in a paper bag. Ripe Nectarines can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

O - Olives and Olive Oil: High in Fat, but it's the good fat. Olives and Olive Oil have a positive effect on cholesterol and heart health, but should be used sparingly if trying to lose weight. Replace butter and margarine with olive oil, your body and skin will thank you.

P - Papaya: The papaya can be eaten whole…the seedss, skin and the flesh. Don't missout on the skin, because it packs a huge punch with Vitamin C, more than an entire orange. Lots of iron in addition to the Vitamin C. Mainly produced in India, Mexico and Brazil, these tropical fruits should not be stored in the fridge.

Q - Quince: The Quince can only be eaten when cooked. The smaller version of a pear is used mainly in making marmalade and Marmelo, the Spanish jam that our modern marmalade is based upon. The Quince is high in kalium and riboflavin, and is very good for the skin.

R - Rosehips: Rosehips are grown both domestically and in the wild, and are most commonly used in the production of beverages, such as Rosehip Tea, syrups, sauces, jellies and health products. Rosehips are very high in Vitamin C, and can also be canned, made into a paste (like a tomato), dried or stewed.

S - Starfruit: The Starfruit is high in Vitamin C, and especially Vitamin B. This berry-like fruit is found mainly in Brazil, Africa and Malaysia, and has 5 sharp ribs along its outer skin. Unripe, they are greeniish-yellow, and yellow when ripened. Ripe Starfruit can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week, unripe can be left on the counter until ripened.

T - Tangelo: This fruit is a cross between a tangerine, grapefruit and an orange. High in Citric Acid, and therfore supremely detoxifying. High in Vitamin C. Like a tangerine, but better. I have some in my fruit basket right now, and they are very juicy.

U - Ugli: The Ugli is a type of Tangelo and is very ugly. It has brown spots and is easier to peel than the Tangelo. Not a lot of information for this one, but I will see what happens.

V - Voavanga: Also known as the Spanish Tamarind, this seems to be best when used in conjunction with meats as a spce, or dried and squeexed with lime juice. Hmmm….

W - Watermelon: The Watermelon consists of 93% water, making it a great choice for losing weight. High in Vitamin A. The melon family is easily crossed and changed, making way for new breeds and hybrids all the time, such as the seedless version.

X - Xigua: This one is yet another family member to the melons.

Y - Yellow Watermelon - And another one. But Yellow.

Z - Zucchini: Gotcha! Most people think this is a vegetable, but it is a fruit! Typically harvested before they reach a foot in length, due to the fact that they lose their tenderness and flavor as the get larger, the smaller versions are the most desirable. The Zucchini can be baked, sauteed, grilled, steamed and even used in baking dishes, such as zucchini bread and muffins.

So, now that I have an alphabet going here, I should get lots of variety into my cooking. Try this yourself, substitute different fruits and vegetables for each letter and who knows, you might find your newest favorite!

Be eXcellent! Ms. X

An Orange County Personal Training contributing writer.