Healthy Recipes for the New Year

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

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