Making Healthy Resolutions
Recipes and tips to start your new year off right!
The most popular New Year’s resolution is to live healthier. Below are some healthy recipes and tried and true tips that may help you start eating and drinking better for good health throughout the year. Each recipe serves 4.
Basic Light Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
2 Tbsp. onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup vinegar or lemon juice (or a mixture)
½ cup oil
1 tsp. mustard
½ tsp. each salt and pepper
½ tsp. sugar or equivalent sweeteners
Add all ingredients to a jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Seal the jar and shake vigorously. Toss salad with 1-2 tablespoons of dressing per person, just enough to coat the veggies. Delicious on any salad with half the oil of most dressings. We just love these healthy recipes.
Thai Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce Wrap Filling:
1 Tbsp. oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, chopped
1½ cups mushrooms, chopped
1 lb. ground meat or poultry (or chopped seafood, steak, pork, lamb, chicken)
1 Tbsp. Sriracha or hot sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
In a skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion, garlic, scallions, and mushrooms. Cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add ground or chopped protein and sauté 4 to 5 minutes more. Add Sriracha or soy sauce and rice vinegar and simmer 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat place in a bowl.
Pickled Cucumbers:
1 cucumber, diced
4 scallions, chopped
¼ cup rice vinegar
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. each chopped mint, cilantro, and basil leaves
Mix all ingredients and set aside to marinate.
Dipping Sauce:
½ cup bottled Thai peanut sauce
or
Thai Peanut Sauce:
½ cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey or other sweetener
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. water to thin out sauce
Mix all sauce ingredients well.
To Serve Lettuce Wraps:
2 heads iceberg or romaine lettuce, whole leaves separated
¼ cup each chopped scallions, mint, cilantro, and basil
1 hot pepper, sliced thin
1 lime, quartered
½ cup nuts, chopped
To serve this healthy recipes, place lettuce leaves on a platter surrounded by bowls of filling, veggies, herbs, limes, nuts, and sauce. Let guests make their own wraps.
Infused Water or Seltzer
6 cups water
½ cup each of 2 sliced fruits
4-5 herb leaves or flavoring
Place the fruit and herbs in water for 1 hour.
Delicious Infused Water Ideas: Strawberry, Lemon, Basil, Melon, Cucumber, Mint
Orange, Blackberry, Sliced Ginger, Berry, Lemon, and Rosemary, Pineapple, Lime, Mint
Light Fruit Crisp
Filling:
2½ cups fruit cut into bite-size pieces
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. lemon zest
1 tsp. cornstarch or flour
2 Tbsp. sugar or sweetener
Topping:
½ cup quick oats
1½ Tbsp. brown sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
1½ Tbsp. butter, melted
Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine filling ingredients and place in an ungreased pie plate. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over fruit. Bake 40 minutes or until topping is browned.
We hope you enjoy these other healthy recipes.
-by Lori Ross
