To tell the truth, I don't really like cooking all that much, but I love to eat. So I take the time to make good food. I tend to stay away from preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and trans fats. I try to cook with canola oil or olive oil whenever I can, since those are good for you. I often use organic vegetables, milk, eggs, etc. I have 2 young children and am always on the lookout for recipes the whole family will like. We tend to eat Vegetarian, but usually have chicken a couple of times a week. I've read that people in the US tend to get too much protein, so I don't worry about that. I think it's important to eat lots of fruits and veggies and am always trying to up our intake, because it always seems we revert to eating less. We live in Austin, but lived in Seattle for 7 years before living here. A big thank you to all of you who share your healthy recipes here! It's so hard to find good cookbooks.