Resolution time

What with the 11 inches of snow that fell last week and half inch of ice that has formed on the inside of our weather-stripped, storm-proofed windows, you probably don't want to hear about virtuous New Year's resolutions. You probably would rather read Maggie's recipe for Candy Cane Cocoa that I'll get the critters to make today since it is too cold for school and I need a good bribe (ahem, "reward") for decent behavior for stir crazy kids. A mug of that delicious stuff would help you stay warm and comfort yourself from the hostility of the world.

So, sorry for the timing, but I have actually made a few modest food resolutions and dare I say, I think I might even be able to keep them.

1. My first resolution might comfort you if you are a certain type of person. I have some blood sugar and cholesterol issues so my first resolution is to eat a bowl of this every morning:
This is a bowl of virtue. Oatmeal, ground flax seeds, frozen wild blueberries, walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup. All good for both cholesterol and/or blood sugar stabilization. Add a splash of milk and it turns into gray mush, but if I don't look too closely, it's fine. I'm more of a savory breakfast type so I need the resolution to nudge me to choose to eat this every morning instead of a bagel with cream cheese, cayenne pepper and raw onion. So far so good. I'm not ravenous for my second breakfast by 9:30 am and I'll get the cholesterol tested next month and see if it makes a whit of difference. And my kids don't flinch from the smell of my breath anymore! My plan is to switch to homemade granola come summer.

2. No seconds, except for salad. This resolution just requires a little self-control. And it really only applies when I make something so tasty (which, let's face it, is not a daily occurrence) that I am tempted to keep eating it even though I'm no longer hungry.