Mark Bittman bits

_ 1995: Publishes Leafy Greens: An A-to-Z Guide to 30 Types of Greens Plus More Than 120 Delicious Recipes (MacMillan).

_ 1997: Debuts his New York Times column "The Minimalist," promoting simple, easy cooking with high-quality ingredients.

_ 1998: Publishes How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food (Wiley & Sons).

_ 2005: Debut of PBS series "Bittman Takes on America's Chefs."

_ 2007: Publishes How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (Wiley & Sons), which wins International Association of Culinary Professionals/Julia Child award.

_ 2009: Publishes Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes (Simon & Schuster)

_ 2010: Among his many TV cameos, Bittman appears as a guest judge on the Food Network's "Chopped."

_ 2011: Writes his last "Minimalist" column, then becomes a Times Opinion columnist. He is still lead food writer for the New York Times Magazine, and a columnist for the Times Dining section.

_ 2013: Publishes VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good (Clarkson Potter).

- Vance Lehmkuhl