Ah, New Year’s Eve. The year ahead is full of possibility, and you can make progress on accomplishing the multitude of things at which you’ve failed to date: Prove your seventh grade boyfriend wrong (I am a cool girl, Guillermo!), do four push-ups without passing out, find everlasting love (definitely not with Guillermo, though — this ship sailed to hotter waters in ’02, babe!), learn how to cook. One of these goals is definitely worthwhile!

A few months ago — when 2014 was a younger and more naïve year — Mark Bittman came by the Grist office to chat with us about his new cookbook, How to Cook Everything Fast, which streamlined recipes from his original, anthemic tome, How to Cook Everything, for a less-patient audience. Bittman also paid a visit to The Atlantic to give Senior Health Editor James Hamblin a one-on-one lesson in spaghetti squash preparation.

We did not make a spaghetti squash with Mark Bittman.

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We’re not mad.

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We … are … not mad.

2015 is about acceptance, patience, and taking disappointments in stride.

Our priority numero uno goal for 2015 is now to have Mark Bittman teach us how to cook a seasonal winter vegetable. We’re shooting for Brussels sprouts, but would be satisfied with a rutabaga.

Watch our video to find out a bit more about why you should maybe — just maybe — consider spending a little more time in the kitchen in the coming year. Hint: It has absolutely nothing to do with proving Guillermo wrong.

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