Happy New Year everybody! I apologize that it has been so long since my last recipe post, but unfortunately we had a death in the family over the holidays which kept us very occupied over the past few weeks.
I thought that today I would post about some simple New Year’s food resolutions I would like to make:
1. Try cooking and eating more varied whole grains, like quinoa, bulgur wheat, amaranth, farro or durum wheat. I need to break free from choosing only rice, pasta or potatoes as a starchy side dish. I bought some quinoa today as a start, which surprisingly I’ve never made at home. I think I’ll start by following the package directions, but I want to try to make these Spicy Quinoa Patties with the leftovers!
2. Eat more fish. Right now, I probably eat fish (not counting other seafood like shrimp, scallops, etc) about once every 2 weeks. I want to up that to once a week at least. Individually frozen fish fillets are one of the best weeknight meal options, since they thaw so much more quickly than other proteins. I almost always have them in my freezer because they are so convenient (and pretty inexpensive when you buy in bulk or when they are on sale). I think the reason I don’t eat fish as frequently as I should is that I need more flavorful and simple ways to prepare it. In the coming weeks I’m hoping to put together a few simple and reliable ways to cook all proteins for beginners, so hopefully this will inspire some new recipes.
3. Say no to cream and sugar. For years I drank coffee black, and only recently did I start adding creamer or milk and sugar. I only drink about 1 cup a day, but I did hear on the Biggest Loser that putting 2 teaspoons of each sugar and creamer in your coffee per day can add up to 10 pounds of weight gain in a year! It’s surprising how much the little stuff adds up! I’m not that concerned about the weight gain aspect, but more on principle, I want to try going back at least sugar-free coffee, since that’s how I used to drink it.
4. Cook new things that I’ve never tried! I want to try new recipes at home, for things I didn’t think I could make at home. As long as I have a good recipe and some patience, I think I (and anyone else!) can tackle making foods at home that seem difficult, like homemade pasta, braising cuts of meat I’ve never made before, barbecue ribs, roasting a whole fish, and maybe even French macaroons. Don’t hold me to all those, but I’d love to challenge myself and push the envelope a little bit! I promise to share if I do, unless it’s a really, really big disaster ;-)
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Anyone else have food-related ones?
One of my favorite dishes using bulgar wheat is Tabbouleh. I use a recipe that came on the package but I alter it a bit (i do that with most recipes!) It is great by itself or as a topping on a salad or turkey sandwich. If you want the recipe I use, just let me know.
-Donna