well, maybe ONE resolution....

I'm a person totally against New Year's resolutions. I think it's silly to prolong the inevitable until a new year begins. But I can see why this happens.

Most New Year's Resolutions involve eating better, losing weight, and exercising more. December leaves little time to exercise 5 times a week. Every time you turn around there is a cookie sprinkled with cocoa or powdered sugar, or a party with a type of bubbly you never treat yourself to and before you know it, your daily caloric intake has exceeded it's rational limits. Again.

This past December, there were some weeks that had something - party, concert, birthday celebration, cookie exchange - scheduled every damn night. I stared into the printed out copy of the iCal on the fridge as if we were in a gunfight, waiting to draw.

You are so not gonna beat me.

And by some Christmas miracle, I danced around the temptations that are cream sauces and themed cocktails, but never let 'em drop me.

But there is something I need help with. I need healthier recipes. We do the no-brainers: eat fish once a week, use olive and coconut oil, take our vitamins and eat whole grains, plus plenty of fruits and veggies.

Okay. What that means is we're all bored out of our minds with roasted chicken and couscous, sick of spaghetti sauce with ground turkey. There is room for improvement in my culinary imagination, I admit.

I resolve to crack open my healthy cookbooks (and save anything prefaced with "comfort" for rainy days only) and make something new at least twice a week.

And drink more water (so I'm not chugging the last 32 ounces down at 11:00 at night).

Those are the two things I'm copping to...I make the same menu items over and over and forget about the all-important 8 glasses of water until doing the dinner dishes. Nothing else need be told about the daily things I do to make myself a better person, whatever month of the year it is. Believe me, that list is long. I've put things on myself that leave little room, time, or energy for escape.

Why else would I choose to spend so much time in the kitchen?

TURKEY BREAST MEDALLIONS WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

This recipe is from Canyon Ranch Cooks - a useful tool if your goal is feeling, and looking better.

FOR THE BLACKBERRY SAUCE

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp. diced shallots

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blackberries, strained

FOR THE MEDALLIONS

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. chili powder

3/4 tsp. ground coriander

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt (optional)

pinch black pepper

1 lb. boneless turkey breast, fat removed

4 tsp. butter

1. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups chicken stock to a boil and reduce by half. Set aside.

2. Lightly coat a medium saute pan with canola oil and saute shallots until translucent. Add white wine and cook until wine is almost evaporated.

3. Add strained blackberries and chicken stock. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Keep warm.

4. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, cumin, chili powder, coriander, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.

5. Slice turkey breasts into 2 ounce portions. Pound with meal mallet between sheets of wax paper until 1/4 inch thick.

6. Melt butter in a large pan. Dredge turkey medallions in seasoned flour and saute in butter for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Serve 2 turkey medallions with 2 tbsp. blackberry sauce.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

EACH SERVING CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY:

285 calories, 29 gm. carbs, 7 gm. fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 28 gm. protein, 406 mg sodium, 1 gm. fiber.

Cook's Note: Other fruits or even fruit juices may be used if blackberries are not available.