It’s THAT time of year again!

It is time for folks to start making resolutions to start their new year off on the “right foot.” Do you make New Year resolutions? I used to be someone who did until I realized they didn’t work for me. I would make stringent demands of myself, what I thought I needed to do to be happier and healthier, then get overwhelmed with so many changes that I would soon give up. It was a yearly cycle that I finally gave up when I focused on making small changes rather than big ones.

Do you know what the top two new year’s resolutions are? To exercise more and lose weight. I like to focus more on being healthier. The easiest way I know how to do that is by making smart, small swaps in my foods. I take stock of the things that need improvement (lowering my cholesterol and building my bone density) and find the foods that help me do just that. I will share a few things I’ve learned to hopefully help you!

A few items are powerhouses for nutrition that you probably already eat – eggs, beans, and lean proteins.

• Aside from eggs having many benefits and nutrients, they are inexpensive and highly versatile. Eggs for breakfast are obvious; we like two ingredient pancakes, but they’re great as an on-the-go snack (boiled eggs anyone?), added to salads, as frittatas or quiches for dinner.

• Beans have so many benefits we don’t realize. Aside from being a great source of protein, which makes them an ideal meat replacement, they also have fiber that helps us feel satiated and folate, antioxidants, and iron. “Refried” beans are great on breakfast tacos, added to a burrito bowl, or eaten as vegetarian chili. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even make brownies with them!

• Sources of lean protein are chicken breast, seafood, and turkey. I’ve found that if we grill a whole pack of chicken breasts over the weekend, I can use them during the week for lunches and quick dinners. My kids aren’t huge fans of seafood, but they like shrimp, so I aim to eat it at least once a week. Turkey was something we didn’t eat a lot of, so it took time for my family to get “adjusted” to it. We now eat red beans and rice with turkey andouille, biscuits and (turkey) sausage gravy, and pasta bakes with Italian turkey sausage. 

Dairy is one of those things that falls into the “too much of a good thing” category. It’s perfect for adding calcium to your diet but bad if you have high cholesterol. Decreasing the amount of fat in dairy is more effective at reducing cholesterol than reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed from your daily food intake. So rather than be super restrictive with what you eat, find smarter ways to enjoy the foods you love.

3 Food Swaps to Try

• I’d suggest is buying cheese made from 2% milk. It tastes exactly the same and has fewer calories/cholesterol.

• You can also switch from cows’ milk to unsweetened almond milk. It’s very high in calcium and low in fat.

• Also, instead of buying regular yogurt (high in sugar), switch to nonfat Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has half the carbs and sugar of regular yogurt but has twice as much protein. Plain Greek yogurt can be too tangy, so I typically flavor it with sugar-free syrups. We even use it in place of sour cream – and no one in my house complains anymore! You can also make the magical two ingredient dough from Greek yogurt, which you can then use to make pizza dough, turnovers, soft pretzels, bagels, even garlic bread. Some recipe measurements vary, but they’re all generally the same. 

Foods to Add:

Lastly, there are two foods that you can add to your diet that can instantly improve your health – fruits, and vegetables!

• Make a fruit salad to eat after dinner.

• Instead of popcorn, grab a big bowl of grapes for eating while watching movies.

• Try a new fruit once a week to introduce variety into your diet.

On the other hand, vegetables definitely don’t get the love that fruit does. But I have a fool-proof way to cook almost any vegetable – roasting!

• Potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, red peppers, brussel sprouts, red onions, mushrooms, even garlic are delicious when roasted. If you have any leftovers the following day, adding them to an omelet makes a tasty breakfast.

Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and collard greens are great to get your calcium fix.

• You can chop it and add it to soups and stews or a smoothie for the most health benefit. I’ve also begun to “sneak” veggies into our dinners.

• Zucchini is also a great way to add veggies to your proteins for tacos and enchiladas. I cut it very small and add it near the end of cooking to keep it firm. But if you like it softer, you can add it at the beginning.

• I’ve also made the switch to cauliflower rice. Sometimes I’ll add it to regular white rice, and my family is none the wiser. 

None of these changes happen overnight. Focus on trying to change one of the foods you eat every month. If you don’t like it, try something else. Learning to like new foods also takes some time. It can take up to 10 times trying new food to decide you like it!

Does making healthy swaps mean you can’t enjoy margaritas or ice cream? No! It’s all about variety. Besides, time spent with friends and a margarita is the happiness I’ll never pass up. 

RECIPES TO TRY:

Refried Beans: in our house are just pinto beans, with most of the liquid drained, and mashed with a potato masher. Once mashed, season with garlic, salt, and pepper. 

Two Ingredient Pancakes:

1 banana

2 eggs

Optional:  1/8 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp vanilla, a dash of cinnamon

• Mash banana and whisk with all ingredients.

• Spray non-stick pan with butter spray and pour 2 tblsp of batter for each pancake. (Pancakes are very liquidy and delicate, so they need to be small. Carefully flip when the edges are done, middle is jiggly, and the bottom is golden brown.)

Two Ingredient Dough:

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt

• Mix flour and yogurt. Wrap in plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes. 
• Roll out dough into 2 discs. For pizza, add toppings to dough and cook for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Roasted Vegetables:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Cut vegetables into uniform pieces.
• Generously season with salt and any other seasonings you prefer. 
• Add ¼ cup olive oil and stir over vegetables to coat. 
• Bake for *30 minutes, stirring at the 15 minute mark.

*Softer vegetables cook in a shorter amount of time. 

Cauliflower Rice:

• Saute aromatics (onion and/or garlic).
• Add frozen cauliflower rice and 1/8 cup of broth. 
• Add seasonings and cook until water is evaporated.