Americans tend to vilify foods and then end up loving them again. It goes full circle. A few years back, butter was considered evil. Now we know that margarine and its trans fats are the culprits. Like many foods once thought unhealthful, butter is good again.

Chefs and nutritionists are saying that a little bit of very high-quality butter is better for us because we use less.

People worried that too much sugar would make them fat. So scientists created pink, yellow and blue alternatives. But they have all come under the microscope for being potentially harmful. Most dietitians I know say it is better to have a little real sugar than any of the colored packets.

And the new nutritive sweetener of choice is agave syrup made from the same cactus used for making tequila. It is available in most supermarkets and natural food stores. But it can be hard to find because of increased demand.

We, of course, are the only country that believes carbs are evil, and it's affected the food world. Chefs are serving "sandwiches'' on lettuce leaves instead of buns. Small, family-run pasta factories have gone bankrupt because we stopped eating pasta. In the end, we have come to realize you can eat carbs if you make intelligent choices.

And think of all the health scares that have taken foods from our shelves including tomatoes, scallions, serranos chilies and, not too long ago, spinach. And who can forget the raspberry cyclosporine outbreak of two years ago?

My whole family ate tainted raspberries at a party and, needless to say, the following weeks were not pretty. But all that is now forgotten and I use those sweet seasonal fruits to top my cereal, to make desserts and even toss them into dishes such as my Spinach and Raspberry Salad With Pine Nuts.

Spinach and Raspberry Salad With Pine Nuts

Chef Steve's tips: This salad can be prepared a few hours ahead and tossed with the dressing just before serving. If I want to add protein, I toss in cubed, baked, flavored tofu. For a more exotic twist, try walnut or hazelnut oil in place of olive oil. They have incredible flavor and can be found in many supermarkets and gourmet markets.

4 cups fresh spinach or baby spinach leaves

1 pint raspberries, well washed

¾ cup crumbled queso blanco or blue cheese

¼ cup pine nuts

6 scallions, sliced paper-thin

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar

• Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

In a large salad bowl, combine all ingredients and toss well. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 219 calories, 68 percent calories from fat, 17 grams total fat, 6 grams saturated fat, 19 milligrams cholesterol, 14 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams total fiber, 1 gram total sugars, 8 grams net carbs, 8 grams protein, 395 milligrams sodium.

Readers can write to Steve Petusevsky at Vegetarian Today, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-2293. Or send an e-mail with your full name, address and telephone number to dhartz@

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