Don't you just love this time of year of resolutions and renewal? I certainly do, and I'm not one for being fanatical about being healthy but there's something about turning my calendar and seeing the blank slate that makes me want a fresh new start at living more healthily. Or maybe it's that I've eaten everything in sight over the holidays, shhh. It could be about more exercise, which is what myriads of people do this month. It could also be as easy as not buying as many potato chips and cookies (my vices). However I really enjoy my snacks and good eating, so I'd rather not preach about cutting calories or banning certain foods from your pantry.

How about changing some of our habits by cooking well, introducing vitamins and nutritious snacks into our daily lives. Have you stopped by The Vitamin Shoppe at the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Golf Road? Many of their customers become long-time clients, or even partners-in-health, after their health practitioner recommends they visit the shop. Some people just happen to stop in, curious about what the store offers. So says the store managers, Amy Mills and Freddie Guzman, who gave me a tour of the Niles store where I learned just a fraction of what The Vitamin Shoppe is all about.

With 450 stores nationwide, The Vitamin Shoppe team has served the community for 10 years by assisting and educating customers in wellness and dietary issues. I love that their sales associates are called "Health Enthusiasts" and often have started out as loyal customers before joining The Vitamin Shoppe team. Amy was a customer for years before she was brought on as manager, and Freddie has been with The Vitamin Shoppe for six years, but recently moved to the Niles store.

A store of personal well-being, inside and out, The Vitamin Shoppe aims to have their Health Enthusiasts help customers through personal service. This can mean a tour of the store for first-timers, which can last as long as two hours! The store boasts a wide array of vitamins, herbs and natural supplements for nutritional needs that are gender specific, and for Foundational Health (multi-vitamins, daily vitamins and antioxidants), Seasonal Support and Immune Health (think cold and flu season, allergies). Garlic has been in the media as a "super food", but here I learned that mushrooms are also considered to promote good health. The store also carries Green Foods, Sports Nutrition and even Sleep Support. New to the store are beauty and bath items, like organic or natural toothpaste, shampoo, soap and lotion. This was a change made after customer recommendations and inquiries. It seems like very holistic and natural solutions to well-being, but did you know that the store also carries food items and accessories?

I was overwhelmed with all the little bottles of vitamins and herbs, and large containers of sports protein products for people who workout way more than I do, but there, in certain sections were grocery items: protein bars, trail mixes, honey, sugar substitutes such as Stevia, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, wheat germ oil, flax seed, chia seed, juice extracts, teas, Brewer's yeast. Actually, there's quite a nice selection of herbal and green teas and juice concentrates like black cherry, pomegranate and acai berry. The store also carries accessories for healthy living such as water bottles with built-in filters and lunch containers with partitions (think Bento Box). Their website carries more than their stores with over 400 brands covering 20,000 items.

The tour ended with my purchase of a few food items.

• Goji berry, a great antioxidant that looks like a red raisin,
• Cacao nibs, roasted and crushed cacao (or cocoa) beans, the basis for chocolate; they are a great source of magnesium and taste like super dark chocolate, and a little nutty, but unsweetened,
• Agave syrup, because of its low glycemic index it is a good sugar or syrup substitute for those watching their sugar intake,
• Wheat germ oil, rich in Vitamin E.

I tried adding berries and nibs to my banana yogurt smoothie which gave the drink a nice nutty flavor, but unless you are okay with crunchy drinks, it might surprise you. Here I offer my nut-free granola as a healthy snack to start the year. To your health!

Red Berry Granola

This recipe can be easily doubled, and is pretty to package and share as a gift. Valentine's Day is coming up! Store at room temperature in airtight container for up to two weeks.

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup roasted flax seeds
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup each: blanched slivered almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts (choose one) Optional for those with nut allergies
• 1/2 cup sun-dried goji berries
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup cacao nibs
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 2 tbsp. wheat germ oil

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (300 degrees F for convection oven).

Mix oats, flax seeds, coconut, sunflower seeds, cinnamon and salt in a large heat-resistant bowl. If you are including nuts, mix these in at this time. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine goji berries, cranberries and cacao nibs. Set aside.

Take oil, honey and agave syrup, mix in a small saucepan and warm over low heat, stirring, or just moving the pan in a circular motion, until blended. Pour this mixture over the oat mixture, and stir to coat evenly. Add wheat germ oil at this time. Spread the mixture out over a cookie sheet in an even layer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes (10-14 minutes in convection), until oats (and nuts) appear golden brown, toasted. Remove from oven then quickly add the berries and cacao nibs to the oat mixture. Stir well, then even out the mixture over the sheet. Let the granola cool completely storing in your airtight container.