Food writers often want to encourage you to become a master of every seasonal ingredient under the sun or snow clouds, depending on the time of year. That makes for a fairly long shopping list and lots of energy spent on various techniques. In order to use your time wisely both in and out of the kitchen, why not instead focus inventively on just one quality seasonal ingredient at a time in order to reach both its and your potential.

For me, this season one of those is pure maple syrup. Just drizzles of the sweet, rich condiment contributes to a fall flavor fest. The most important trick: Don't use it where it's expected, like on pancakes or French toast, and do insert it in the unexpected, like the tea that follows. All ingredients are to taste.

STEEPED IN FLAVOR

A tiny note with my new teapot clued me in to something I've been doing to great effect ever since. Boil ingredients with the water, then steep the tea in it for a much richer experience than if you just stirred in condiments, like sugar or syrups, afterward. A new favorite I created: Boil together water, maple syrup, fresh tangerine juice and allspice. Steep cinnamon apple teabags in it. Carefully remove teabags before serving.

CEREAL GONE BANANAS

Melt butter in pan in low-medium heat and saute slices of banana. Turn off heat, drizzle with maple syrup and gently mix. Use as a warm topping for raisin bran and milk, soy milk or almond milk.

PUMPED UP PUMPERNICKEL

Into whipped cream cheese, gently mix maple syrup, ground cinnamon, curry powder and chopped walnuts. Spread onto pumpernickel bread and top with arugula and another piece of pumpernickel.

MORE VIBRANT VEGETABLES

Steam carrots cut into coin shapes, chopped green beans and chunks of unpeeled apple. After cooking and just before serving, carefully glaze with a mixture of maple syrup, fresh chopped rosemary and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle on dried cherries.

PEPPY POPCORN

Gently mix popped popcorn with maple syrup, unsweetened cocoa powder, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries.

AFTER-WORK GOURMET COOKBOOK SHELF

If you hadn't thought before that a delicious Coconut-Banana Soft Serve might be a way to keep your blood sugar in check, authors Jill Hillhouse and Lisa Cantkier write, "You won't be going back to commercial ice cream once you taste this!" The nutritionists, who focus on whole foods, include a slew of innovative recipes in "The Paleo Diabetes Solution," with tasty recipes an entire health-focused family might crave. Seasonal specialties, such as Balsamic Roasted Vegetables or Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Rainbow Trout, may turn into favorites without anyone realizing good nutrition was the goal.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.