Before the first of the year I had never heard of Mark Bittman. Now, not only am I am Bittman-phile, but I joined a cooking group where we all cook - and blog about - one of his recipes (from the Food Matters Cookbook) each week. You can follow that venture here: http://thefoodmattersproject.com/

What I like about Bittman is his inclusive attitude. It's not about what you shouldn't eat; it's about eating what's in season and what's local. And if you can't find xyz, it's okay to substitute.

His recipes are more about the process than a hard and fast recipe. You gotta love that.

When I hosted the group in April, we all made fish braised in rhubarb sauce. What a great way to highlight a Spring crop that is typically relegated to a pie. Recently we made savory tomato crisps. One of my favorites was a fig-olive bruschetta.

If you want some pointers about eating to make a difference, this book, and its accompanying cookbook, is a must.