Happy New Year and Less Is More

Happy New Year everyone.

I have never been one to make New Year Resolutions. If something needs fixing, I fix it. No sense waiting around for some number on the calendar.

But this year is different. It's the second decade of a new century. Seems like a good time for change, no?

So without further ado, here is my New Year's Resolution:

In 2010 I will do less.

Less:

Spending, eating, drinking, criticizing, judging, sleeping, cleaning, (oops, how did that get in there, oh bother, I'll just keep it there).

Less worrying, driving, talking, yelling and TV watching.

With all this less, I will have more time to:

Listen, love, laugh, walk, exercise, recycle, garden, do yoga and read.

What will you do less of? And how will that give you more?

I am bloated and full and listless from all the holiday eating and drinking. On top of that I have spent 22 hours in the car in the past 5 days. Blah.

This anti-bloat drink is from Rodale's Flat Belly Diet. I find it refreshing, light, tasty and a natural cleanse for the body.

Sassy Water: (makes one day's worth of fluid intake for one person - 8.5 cups)

8.5 cups of water (2 liters)

1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly

1 lemon, sliced thinly

12 mint leaves

1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated

Mix it all up in big pitcher and refrigerate over night to meld flavors. Drink for 4 days, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and carbonated beverages.

A Cook's Notes: The hardest thing in the world for a cook to do is diet. So I'm not going to diet even though the scale mandates it. I will make changes to my eating lifestyle (doesn't that sound better than deprivation through dieting?)

Look for lower calorie, more healthful recipes in the coming year from this Good Cook. To our health!