DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’d like to get some Irish Banger sausages for St. Patrick’s Day dinner. Do you know where I can find some? — Irene, no town

ANSWER: Bangers and mash is a traditional Irish dinner. This mild sausage, made from lamb and pork, is sold at Maurice Bonneau’s Sausage Kitchen at 36 Main St. in Lisbon Falls. The sausages and many other varieties can be ordered online (thesausagekitchen.com) or call 353-5503 for store hours and availability. Some types of sausages are also found at local Hannaford locations. Just call ahead to see if they’re in stock.

As an alternative to plain mashed potatoes, you may want to try colcannon with your Irish sausages. Make mashed potatoes as you normally would, with milk and lots of butter then stir in well-steamed, tender kale or cabbage. Garnish with chopped scallions or chives and fresh parsley. Delicious!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: A while ago, you asked readers to recommend books for other folks in Sun Spots Land to enjoy. I just finished reading a very beautiful book (nonfiction) that I think everyone should read. “Learning to Fall” by Phillip Simmons. The author wrote it after he received a diagnosis of ALS and was told he had five years to live. The 12 essays in the book reminded me of Robert Frost’s and Henry David Thoreau’s writing. Reading this book brought me a lot of peace during these many months of the pandemic and I would venture to say it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. — Jon, no town

ANSWER: Thank you for this stellar recommendation! I have put it on my “to-be-read” list!

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’ve been working on making some lifestyle changes over the past few months and would like advice from fellow vegetarians and from those who have reduced their sugar intake or have been able to delete it from their diet completely. Are there support groups in the area? I have asked my primary care provider, but she doesn’t know of any. — No name, no town

ANSWER: A good start would be to contact a certified nutritionist in your area. You should be able to get recommendations through your health care provider’s office, your local hospital, or your health insurance company. The nutritionist will help you proceed on a tailored-just-for-you path toward optimal health and help you set goals for yourself.

One option is St. Mary’s Outpatient Nutrition Service where you will find clinical dieticians. (https://www.stmarysmaine.com/departments-services/st-marys-outpatient-nutrition-service). You don’t say if you have significant health issues such as diabetes or heart disease, but these providers work with patients with many different health care goals that include just doing better with general nutrition.

Two cookbooks I can recommend to give you delicious, healthy menu ideas are “The Oh She Glows Cookbook” by Angela Lidden and “The China Study Cookbook” by Leanne Campbell, PhD. Both of these  contain whole food, plant-based recipes that will keep you fortified and interested in your quest for better health.

I hope we hear back from other readers who are traveling a similar journey. Perhaps Sun Spotters will form their own support group! I salute you for taking positive control of your health!

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