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Part of taking on an organic lifestyle is opening up to the idea that we will never know it all. Each year, new plants and products sprout into the market. Deciding whether they fit into a new lifestyle regime is a process that takes education, practice, and most of all humor. Here’s a quick look at five items in the news or in your market that could be tantalizing to try. An organic, fresh lifestyle with a few new ingredients is a great start to ring in 2012.

1. Ketchup. Some families count ketchup as a vegetable in their diet. Unfortunately, those bottles of ketchup are jammed with processed tomatoes not to mention the enormous amounts of sugar. Added up, that ends up being a lot of refined, processed food, making it a far reach in resembling a vegetable. Make a fresh start and consider making ketchup. Here’s a simple recipe to try at WeWantOrganicFood.com. For a family that eats smaller amounts, I like to zip up organic tomato paste or sauce by blending in fresh, organic tomatoes, add a bit of honey (or stevia), a tsp or so of organic apple cider vinegar, salt, and whatever other spice you think your kids will eat! And if there’s no time, there are organic tomato selections on the grocery shelves.

2. Tatsoi. This dark, super green vegetable is a great addition to daring salads and morning juicing, yet t’s not as sharp as some other Chinese greens I’ve discovered at the markets. Tatsoi is super to add to the line of greens you might already like such as kale and swiss chard.