Christmas is over and now comes resolution time.

For those of us who want to eat healthier, what advice can you give?

It's all about portion control. If you deprive yourself of something you want, it's only going to make you want it more. The French eat what they want, but only in small sizes. Our portions in the US have gotten crazy. A small-size french fry at McDonalds today was actually a large-size in the 1970's. The fast food industry doesn't seem to care what we ingest. Knowing that, we have to be extra cautious of how much we eat.

In addition to being portion-conscious, obviously we need a well-balanced diet. So many times it's easier to pick up ready-to-go processed foods out of convenience. But these foods are the ones that are high in sodium, high in calories and high in carbs. I'm guilty of taking the easy way out too, but we have to do better! By shopping the perimeter of the store, we can guarantee that we will be eating healthier. All of the freshest products like fruits, vegetables and meats are on the perimeter, so that is where we need to be spending our money. It may be tough to get motivated to use these products before they go bad, but by using a slow-cooker you can easily prepare a great meal with not alot of prep, and freeze it afterwards.

For those of us who are resolving to cook better,

how can we get started?

Come to my cooking classes, of course!

Keep it simple. There are many pre-packaged items (marinades, rubs, sauces, etc.) you can pair with fresh ones to make your life easier and still have a delicious-tasting meal. Or, you can make your own sauces and marinades and freeze them for when you need them. When it comes to preparation for a big meal, do a mis en place (pronounced mees on plause). This is French for "to put in place," and it means just that. For every recipe you make, take time to pre-measure and cut all ingredients and get them together. Then when it's time to cook, you will be ready to just cook. By having all your veggies chopped and your ingredients measured, you don't have to worry that you've forgotten something. Preparing a mis en place will take the stress out of your kitchen and let you enjoy the time you have. If you want, you can even get the kids involved with measuring things!

The biggest thing that people want to improve when it comes to cooking is usually their knife skills. While you can take a knife skills course (There's one January 15th!), you have to practice to gain speed and accuracy. When I was in culinary school, we would cut pounds and pounds of potatoes. Working with food all the time forces you to practice your cuts, but if you don't practice, you won't get faster and better. The same goes with any skill, and while it is a lot of work, it's worth it!

Any ideas for spicing up healthy food to give it a new spin?

Experiment with new ingredients. If you're sick of salad, try some new lettuce. There is actually a great kind of green in our stores right now called Mache. It looks like little flowers, and it has a very unique taste. Try new spices and seasonings, too. You can still have great tasting vegetables without butter or cheese being added on top. Try some extra virgin olive oil and italian spices on your vegetables and you will be surprised how simply delicious it can be. With meats, why not use the grill year-round? Invest in a stove-top grill and I promise, you'll use it. Grilling is such a delicious way to cook, and everyone loves the taste.

People never know if they should use margarine or butter.

Which is better?

Right now a huge trend is purchasing food that is locally grown. Local foods from small farms usually undergo minimal processing, are produced in relatively small quantities, and are distributed with in a few miles of where they originate. While it might not make a difference with frozen foods, buying local meat and produce is better for the environment because it doesn't have to travel as far to reach your refrigerator. Doing this can be a challenge, as you have to like what's in season. Not everyone likes having squash all winter long! If you are serious about this trend, you can always can and freeze products. Or, if you're adventurous, why not include the kids in growing your own vegetable Martin's does carry many locally-grown foods, but this is not the best part of the country to find fresh produce all year long. With that in mind, do the best you can. The extra effort will really make the difference in your efforts to "go green."

I know all about picky-eating adults, and it can be a huge challenge to cook for them. A close friend of mine's favorite food is cheese pizza. That is all she eats. Cheese pizza, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese...that's it! It's like I'm friends with an eight year-old! I have found that the best thing I can do is just slowly get her to try new things. Most of the time, we'll get things she likes, but everyone once in awhile, I'll have her try something new. We were at a restaurant recently and there was no "kid food" on the menu. She was shell-shocked, so I suggested Fettuccine Alfredo. While this is glorified mac 'n cheese, it was new to my friend. She loved it! Since then, I've slowly worked in other entrees that are on the safe side of what she might like. The other night I made Italian Chicken with Mushrooms in the slow cooker, and she didn't even notice there were mushrooms in it until the end! My best advice is just to be patient. It may take some time, but you can find foods that will make everyone happy and still provide nutrients.

This is always a tricky one. Logically, we would think farm-raised would be better for our environment and therefore better for us. However, fish that are farm- raised are raised in pens and usually don't have much swimming room, are prone to disease (and therefore fed antibiotics) and are higher in mercury.

Salmon is a great example of of the difference in these two. Salmon are naturally high in Omega 3s. When they are raised in pens, they are fed pellets instead of catching the food they would normally eat. That food is what is absorbed and turned in to Omega 3s. Therefore, farm-raised salmon do not have the high nutritional value that wild salmon do. The food they naturally eat also gives them their bright color and great taste. Eating pellets just cannot compare to "real" food.

Another reason why farm-raised is not as preferable again has to do with the close quarters fish are in. Not only do they eat in close quarters, but they excrete in close quarters as well. This is a huge reason why they are so prone to disease. They are swimming in waste. Not a pleasant thought, I know. While the pens they live in are filtered, conditions cannot compare to open water. When you add up these factors, the answer is pretty clear that wild-caught fish is the way to go. The cost is much higher, but if you are willing to pay that price, go for it. For the rest of us, the differences in taste and quality are probably not enough to make a huge difference.