Mark Bittman is one of the nation's most trusted and beloved food writers, but there was a time when he lived primarily on vanilla ice cream and McDonald's. Then he discovered cooking, and everything changed. In this story from the new digital publisher Byliner, the "New York Times" columnist and bestselling author of "How to Cook Everything" traces his journey from grilled-cheese-making neophyte to confident cook. More than that, he makes the case for why all of us should spend more time in the kitchen, regardless of how comfortable we are there. After all, even he was a beginner once.Bittman argues that a simple meal prepared at home is a powerful tool: It's one small step toward improving your health and, by extension, the health of the planet. Our reliance on prepared food-in the form of snacks, soft drinks, frozen meals, and fast food-supports a system of agriculture that is playing havoc with our bodies, our economy, and the environment. How can we break the cycle? By cooking."People who prepare meals-even infrequently-achieve outcomes that extend far beyond the morsel at the end of the fork," writes Bittman. "Cooking may not solve everything, but it solves a lot. When people make food a priority in their lives, they actively contribute to society. Cooking can change our collective lives for the better.""Cooking Solves Everything" is an engaging manifesto that inspires non-cooks to reach for a pan (Bittman's shopping list and foolproof recipes will get them started) and encourages all of us to take a closer look at how we feed ourselves and our loved ones.ABOUT THE AUTHORMark Bittman is a columnist for the "New York Times" and the author of "How to Cook Everything," "Food Matters," and several other books.