Among the smartest resolutions you can make about your diet in the New Year is to incorporate more healthful Mediterranean dishes into your menus. Mediterranean cooking is one of the most delicious – and healthful- ethnic cuisines because of its liberal use of fresh HERBS, GARLIC, OLIVES, fiber-rich BEANS, VEGETABLES and FRUITS ranging from CITRUS FRUITS and TOMATOES to FIGS and succulent DATES.

Start any meal with a platter of toast points, crackers, CELERY, CUCUMBERS and OLIVES, and a bowl of "Taramasalata", a Grecian dip combining carp roe with grated ONION, LEMON juice, olive oil and PARSLEY.

For the soup course, serve a Spanish GAZPACHO filled with plenty of chopped GARLIC, ground ALMONDS, olive oil, red wine vinegar, pureed and served cold garnished with SEEDLESS GREEN GRAPES. The traditional French GARLIC soup, "Crème a l’ail", is a tempting blend of chopped GARLIC, egg yolks, olive oil, chicken stock and chopped PARSLEY, perfect for a chilly winter’s eve.

A Moroccan-inspired salad provides a tasty entrée. Combine NAVEL ORANGE segments, chopped DATES and toasted ALMONDS. Arrange on a bed of ROMAINE LETTUCE covered in a dressing of ORANGE and LEMON juices, sugar and cinnamon. EGGPLANT makes an easy salad. Cut into strips, dust with egg and flour and fry lightly in olive oil with GARLIC. Serve drizzled with LEMON juice and paprika or minced GARLIC and olive oil.

Many main courses revolve around VEGETABLES in Mediterranean kitchens. Stuff GREEN PEPPERS Turkish style with a mixture of rice, PINE NUTS, TOMATO, pasta, pepper, LEMON juice, GARLIC and PARSLEY and bake until tender. Or stuff TOMATOES with a similar mixture of olive oil, ONIONS, rice, PINE NUTS, RAISINS, PARSLEY, DILL and OREGANO and bake.

Satisfying your sweet tooth won’t add inches to your waistline when you take a tip from the Mediterranean culture and serve desserts that focus on FRUITS. Create an Italian granita by freezing a mixture of BLOOD ORANGE juice, sugar, water, LEMON juice and ORANGE peel and serving it in ORANGE shells. Enjoy FIGS marinated in rum accompanied by port wine and WALNUTS. Or stuff MEDJOOL DATES with goat cheese and serve with a nice glass of sherry and fine chocolates.

AVOCADOS are among the best FRUIT values, with both HASS and thin-skinned BACON varieties in steady supply at moderate prices.

California grown FUJI APPLES, characterized by a sweet-tart taste, are an excellent value, along with large sizes of Washington-state grown RED DELICIOUS APPLES.

Look for volume and variety to improve on Chilean STONEFRUIT, with CHERRIES now available. Prices for CHERRIES are at premium levels, with prices decreasing on APRICOTS and NECTARINES as the season progresses.

BANANAS have decreased slightly in price. Sauté them in butter and use as a side dish to French Toast. Or slice onto vanilla pudding garnished with toasted COCONUT.

PLANTAIN, a member of the BANANA family, makes a great starch alternative as a side dish. Bake and serve with APRICOT sauce or an HERB-seasoned butter.

California-grown NAVEL ORANGES continue to be an excellent value, with TANGERINES and LEMONS also very reasonably priced. RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT from Texas continue plentiful at economical prices.

MANGOS are decreasing in price and make a sweet addition to FRUIT cocktail. Pierce the end with a Popsicle stick, peel and enjoy as a FRUIT-sicle.

Hawaii is supplying steady volume on both PINEAPPLE and PAPAYA.

This month is peak season for BOSC PEARS, also known as WINTER PEARS. Slice thinly and add to cottage cheese or dice and add to gelatin salads. D’ANJOU and BARTLETT varieties round out the PEAR tree.

TOMATOES are steady at moderate prices.

Tapioca and rice puddings are winter favorites. Fortify your favorite recipe with diced DATES, RAISINS, DRIED CRANBERRIES or COCONUT.

Quality is excellent on RASPBERRIES and BLACKBERRIES, although a lighter volume this time of year means premium prices.

HONEYDEW MELON prices are decreasing as volume improves. Combine with STRAWBERRIES, PAPAYA and PINEAPPLE for a colorful salad offering.

GREEN CABBAGE is among the best VEGETABLE values. A great source of fiber, CABBAGE can be sliced into wedges and steamed to serve with roast meats or poultry.

ITALIAN RED ONIONS are an excellent value. Use them raw in salads or dice and add to casseroles and soups.

RUSSET POTATOES continue to be an economical value, especially when purchased by the prepackaged bag.

LEAF LETTUCES are moderately priced, as is ICEBERG LETTUCE. Salad toppings in good supply include JICAMA, MUSHROOMS, GREEN ONIONS, SPROUTS, CUCUMBERS, CARROTS and CELERY. Spice up your winter salads by adding ESCAROLE, RADICCHIO, KALE, CHARD BELGIAN ENDIVE, MUSTARD GREENS and WATERCRESS.

The season’s first ARTICHOKES are now available. Try them steamed with a LEMON mayonnaise dipping sauce.

Soft-shell ZUCCHINI and CHAYOTE SQUASH are both good values.

CHILI PEPPERS are in plentiful supply from Mexico and perfect for adding zest to fresh salsa preparations.

GREEN BELL PEPPERS continue to be economically priced.

GREEN BEANS are an excellent value. Pair them with PEARL ONIONS or slivered ALMONDS as a side dish or steam and serve chilled with RASPBERRY vinaigrette dressing.

Good values for side dishes this week include SPINACH, PEAS, TURNIPS, PARSNIPS, HARD SHELL SQUASH and SWEET POTATOES.

GARLIC is economically priced. Roast and blend into mayonnaise, mashed POTATOES and gravy sauces.

To chase away the January blahs, invest in some CARNATIONS, ROSES or DAISIES, some of the best cut FLORAL values this week. Put a pot of MINIATURE ROSES, blooming CACTUS or fragrant HEATHER on your office desk.

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