Fennel, asparagus, beets and radish. Photo: simonsmith001, Flickr

As summer comes to a close and autumn starts heading your way, why not add some fennel to your diet? It's at its best this time of year, it's readily available and it's delicious. Best of all, this crunchy and slightly-sweet veggie is packed with nutrition, says holistic nutritionist and trained chef Doug DiPasquale of That's Fit.ca.

A few fennel facts: Fennel is stocked with vitamin C, folate, potassium and fiber. It can help lower cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and strengthen the immune system. It boasts an impressive phytonutrient profile, giving it strong antioxidant activity. And if you're concerned with trimming down, it never hurts to add another veggie to the mix.

Get started fitting fennel into your diet with DiPasquale's recipe for fish with fennel in foil.

Then up the nutritional kick you get from your every-day meals by trying these simple recipe swaps.

I'm not personally a fan of canned soups -- too much sodium for me -- but RealAge says there's a way to make these soups healthier, once you find a low-sodium variety, that is. The secret? Throw some veggies in the mix. The specific veggie RealAge recommends: Fennel.

Fennel, a spice, herb, and veggie all rolled into one, works well in all kinds of soups -- chicken noodle and tomato are two. Loaded with anitoxidants, fennel can also help knock out foodbourne bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella.

Next time you're pressed for time and find yourself grabbing for the can, make sure you have some fennel on hand. Find it in your produce section -- looks like celery stalks -- or grab some spicy fennel from the spice aisle.

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Crisp, sweet, refreshing... that's how I describe raw fennel bulbs. I love using raw fennel in salads, and paired with red pepper, the crunchy veggie feast is delectable.

What's so healthy about a Red Pepper and Fennel Bulb Salad? First off, it is rich in vitamin C and minerals. Add low calorie, high fiber, and B vitamins to the mix and you're on your way to a Super Food lunch.

This particular recipe also has loads of calcium, from the fennel and sesame seeds. The only dressing is a little soy sauce and vegetable oil (I'd choose extra virgin olive oil, maybe even some flax oil, with a titch of sesame oil for flavor), so you've got no empty calories coming from the dressing.

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Are you looking for ways to get more fruit and vegetables in your diet? Take a minute to check out the CDC's Fruit and Vegetable of the Month. Each month one new fruit and one new vegetable is featured and included nutritional information as well as helpful recipes. For August, the CDC recommended celery, fennel, and cactus, and in September they'll celebrate chili peppers and figs.

Though the CDC appears to have paid some attention to seasonal harvests -- green onions in March and root vegetables in December, for instance -- not much priority seems to have been placed fresh, local fare. If you decide to use CDC as your guide, feel free to substitute with fresh goodies from your local farm market.

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