I’m not usually one to gush about cookbooks. I leave that to the gourmet cooks in my house; i.e., my husband and daughter. But over the past few months it’s become apparent to me that our cookbook library contains a pathetically underused resource – the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. Keep in mind this book is not actually “new,” being published in 1998. I still remember the day we purchased ours at Costco when my husband was on a business trip in Washington state. I took it home, and over the next couple of years made about four recipes from it: Beef and Pasta, Southern Oven “Fried” Chicken, Tacos with Salsa, and Oven “Fries.” Notice how many of these recipes contain the words “fried/fries.” But we have turned over a new leaf at our house, and this time I am wearing this book out.

Novices like me can get easily discouraged with these kinds of cookbooks. They call for ingredients like capers and artichoke hearts and tonight’s featured ingredient – fennel! (I actually had to ask the produce guy to show me what it looked like. )

What I’m learning is that one can’t be intimidated by the ingredients. (Most really aren’t that unusual.) Tonight’s ingredients for Chicken and Artichoke Packets included boneless skinless chicken thighs, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, chopped fennel, shredded carrot, Parmesan cheese, minced thyme and Italian dressing. It was amazing!

If your New Year’s resolution includes eating healthier, you really ought to stir up the ambition to find one of these cookbooks. (They’re very reasonably priced on Amazon.) My red-meat addict hubby even admits to liking the Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers. Some of us think they’re better than the average beef burger. And who knows? You, too, might find a friend in fennel!