Healthy Recipes
If your resolution is to try something new for the New Year, then these nutritious recipes are a fun way to start – and they'll supercharge your diet in 2014.
By
Ashlee Davis
Your New Year's resolutions to lose weight, get fit, or simply eat healthier all involve changes that won't happen overnight. But don't be discouraged — you can still make a fresh start. Ring in 2014 with these delicious, healthy appetizers, entrees, desserts, and drinks.
Lemony Lentil Salad With Salmon
In the spirit of new beginnings, try an exciting new combination: salmon and lentils! They’re a familiar duo in French bistro cooking, but here they come together in a quick and easy salad. Salmon is one of the best natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids and is also high in vitamin D and protein. Lentils provide a serving of fiber to complete the course. For the best presentation, flake the salmon with a fork, then stir gently into the salad to keep the meat in chunks.
Tortellini and Zucchini Soup
Everyone knows you can whip up tortellini for a fast weeknight dinner, but the plump pasta also adds substance to this colorful,heart warming soup. Choose a whole-wheat variety for extra fiber — and load up on the steamed veggies! Zucchini and tomatoes both harbor cancer-fighting nutrients, and the antioxidant lycopene, found in tomatoes, is actually better absorbed when cooked.
Caramelized Onion and White Bean Flatbread
Instead of spreading typical tomato or pesto sauce on your pizza, try using mashed white beans as a base on whole wheat dough for lots more fiber and protein than your average pie. White wine vinegar, plum tomatoes, caramelized onions, and smoked Gouda are an irresistible grouping. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top for a small dose of iron and heart-healthy fats.
Roasted Portobello Caps
This recipe puts a healthy twist on the popular appetizer, usually laden with diet-damaging ingredients. Relish the tender and meaty texture of Portobello mushrooms coated with breadcrumbs and Parmesan, at around 100 calories per cap. Mushrooms are low-cal and boast cancer-fighting, cholesterol-lowering, and immune-boosting properties. Serve these alongside grilled chicken or steak.
Chicken With Black-Eyed Peas and Yellow Rice
Black-eyed peas are a New Year’s classic. Not only will they bring you prosperity, the lucky beans add fiber, potassium, protein, and iron to this soul food recipe. Olive oil, onion, garlic, and a handful of natural spices bring strong flavors to the dish without increasing its calorie and fat count.
Get the Chicken With Black-Eyed Peas and Yellow Rice recipe now!
Flank Steak Pinwheels
Topped with iron-rich spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, this seemingly decadent entrée is a nutrient powerhouse — and takes little effort to prepare. When shaping the juicy wheels of steak, you trim all excess fat off of already lean, protein-packed cuts of red meat. Spinach and sun-dried tomatoes also offer up iron, fiber, and vitamin C. For a beautiful presentation, arrange the flank steak on a platter atop a bed of spinach.
Chocolate-Banana Sipper
Who needs ice cream when you have this tasty, cocoa-laced smoothie to sip on? The delicious drink is easy to throw together at a party too. All you need are the basic ingredients and a blender. Mix low-fat milk, frozen bananas, cocoa, honey, and vanilla for a quick dessert after dinner. A surprising source of fiber and flavanoids, heart-healthy cocoa may help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol.
Pear and Ginger Cheesecake
If you yearn for a slice of lush cheesecake, have no fear. You don’t need to ban this sweet treat on your list of New Year’s resolutions. Softened dried pears give the cake much of its body, and the fruit’s sweet flavor is enhanced by crystallized ginger. Pour the pear, low-fat cottage cheese, and fat-free cream cheese mixture into the granola crust for a light treat with only 209 calories!
Apricot-Almond Sandwich Cookies
These cookies may be just what you need to satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your diet. Use blended almonds and fiber-rich whole-wheat flour to bake healthier dough, ready to be dipped in bittersweet chocolate and filled with apricot or raspberry preserves. A wonderful complement to any holiday spread, their rich flavor adds up to only 125 calories per cookie.
Golden Sparkler
Cheers to good health! Whether you’re the designated driver or saving extra calories for dessert, ring in the New Year with this light, festive thirst quencher. Liven up your sparkling water with a splash of orange juice and apricot nectar. If you’re really ready to party, freeze slices of orange, lemon, lime, or strawberry in water for fruited ice cubes.
Artichoke and Scrambled Eggs Benedict
On Jan. 1, get your morning — and the New Year — started on the right track by eating a nutritious breakfast. Roasted artichoke bottoms stand in for English muffins in this healthy yet elegant eggs benedict recipe. Eggs are low in calories and high in protein and vitamins, so they’ll make you feel full, energized, and ready to make smart diet decisions throughout the day.
Kale and Potato Hash
If you're craving a hearty brunch, especially after a long night of celebrating, this hash will add serious substance to your first meal of the day. Crisp green kale leaves pair perfectly with potatoes, while both veggies supply the side dish with phytochemicals, vitamins, and cancer-fighting plant compounds. Mix in horseradish and shallots for extra flavor.
