New Year’s resolutions almost always include promises to get fit and eat healthy, but things can get tough when the day has been long and youÕre tired of the same meals youÕve been eating. YouÕve kicked off the new year right and weÕre here to help you stick with it. Here are 5 healthy recipes to help keep the new year fresh in your mind.
SEE ALSO: How To Have A Healthy Breakfast In Under 5 Minutes
1. Buddha Bowls
Toss together 2 cups of broccoli, cut into small florets, 1 cup of cooked and drained chickpeas, 1/4 cup of minced red onion, 1 grated carrot and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Add 1/8 cup of ground flaxseeds, 1 cup of diced avocado, 1/2 cup of oil-cured chopped olives and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix everything with 2 cups of hot, cooked brown rice and serve it with low-sodium soy sauce or sriracha hot sauce.
2. Soup for The Soul
Nothing says comfort like a bowl of hot soup. Serve this with a slice of crusty bread for a satisfying meal that will warm you up, body and soul.
Saut 2 cups of diced onions and 5 minced cloves of garlic until they begin to turn translucent. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth and 1 cup of water, along with 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, 2 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 cans of drained and rinsed Great Northern beans and a piece of Parmesan cheese rind (about 1 1/2 ounces). Simmer for 10 minutes.
While the broth and beans are simmering, chop 8 cups of escarole and 1 cup of carrots. Add them to the pot and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes. Remove the cheese rind and add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar.
Garnish the soup with a sprinkling of shaved fresh Parmesan cheese. (Save the rind for the next batch!)
3. Quesadillas With A Twist
Take your quesadillas to new heights with a surprising addition.
Saut 1 1/2 cups of sliced onions, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh), a pinch of salt and pepper and 1 seeded and diced poblano pepper. After about 5 minutes, add a drained and rinsed can of black beans and heat everything thoroughly. Remove the mix from the heat and add 1 cup of sliced mango and 1/3 cup of diced avocado.
Place four whole-wheat or fat-free tortillas on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Spoon a quarter of the mixture onto one half of each tortilla, leaving a 1/2-inch margin at the edge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese or Monterrey Jack cheese on top and fold the tortillas over the filling. Spray them lightly with cooking spray and then broil them for about 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Kick up the flavor even more with pepper jack cheese.
SEE ALSO: 3 Classic Takeout Recipes You Can Make Healthier At Home
4. Tofu Chili
Start with a cup of rice, and about 5 minutes before it’s done, add 2 cups of fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, to the cooking water.
While the rice and asparagus cooks, mix together 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of hot chili sauce.
Slice 1 pound of extra-firm tofu into nine pieces and cook them in 1 tablespoon peanut oil until both sides are golden brown. Pour the sauce over the tofu and heat everything together for about 30 seconds.
Drain the rice and asparagus and stir in 1/2 cup grated carrots and 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil. Serve the tofu over the rice.
5. Grown Up Grilled Cheese
Toss 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced with 4 large Portobello mushroom caps in a blend of 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 minced garlic clove. Place them on a grill rack you’ve coated with cooking spray and grill them about 4 minutes on each side. In a bowl, add 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the vegetables.
Spread 1/2 cup of softened goat cheese on four Kaiser rolls (about 1 ounce of cheese each). Place one Portobello on each bun and divide the peppers among the rolls. Place the sandwiches on the grill rack and weight them with a cast iron skillet and cook them for 3 minutes on each side. You can also cook them in an electric grill machine, panini press or waffle iron.
Stop by Tidal Creek for more ways to jump-start your journey to the new, healthier you.