Welcome back IU students! The New Year is here and with it comes the inevitable New Year's resolutions. The popular resolution seems to be one that combines healthy eating and exercise. So instead of jumping on the fad diet bandwagon for fast weight loss, try changing your eating habits. My sister, a registered dietician, preaches to her patients that the key to weight loss is changing daily eating habits. This doesn't mean having McDonald's for only one meal a day! Combining healthy diet and exercise is a foolproof way to ensure a healthy body in the future. The following are some easy recipes to keep a healthy lifestyle resolution on track.
Romaine Salad with Garlic Balsamic Vinaigrette\nCombine 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional), 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper and 1 minced garlic clove, stirring well with a whisk. Drizzle vinaigrette over 6 cups of torn romaine lettuce, toss gently to coat. \nThis is a great beginning to a meal. Romaine lettuce is packed with vitamins and minerals and is said to have cancer-preventing properties. What a great addition to a meal!
Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomato-Mushroom Sauce\n4 teaspoons olive oil, divided\n4 (4 ounce) chicken boneless chicken breasts\n1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)\n1/4 teaspoon black pepper\n2 cups pre-sliced mushrooms\n1/3 finely chopped shallots or onions\n3/4 cup fat free, low sodium chicken broth\n1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped\n1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley\nHeat 2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm on a plate covered with paper towels. Reduce heat of skillet to medium. Add 2 teaspoons oil, mushrooms and shallots; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and sun-dried tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken; garnish with parsley. \nThe chicken is juicy and full of flavor. This is a dish that will be made over and over again. It is sure to be a pleaser!
With healthy eating, it is not necessary to cut out all the delicious treats that are available. However, it is important to remember that the simple treats we love, like chocolate, shouldn't be consumed in excess. The following cookie recipe is one that only has 78 calories per cookie and less \nthan 3 grams of fat. Trust me, you don't even want to know what are in those infamous Nestle Tollhouse cookies!
Cocoa Fudge Cookies\n1 cup all-purpose flour\n1/4 teaspoon baking soda\n1/8 teaspoon salt\n5 tablespoons butter (light butter is available and can be substituted)\n7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa\n2/3 cup sugar\n1/3 cup packed (pressed firmly in the cup) brown sugar\n1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt\n1 teaspoon vanilla extract\nCooking Spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, soda and salt; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in cocoa and sugars -- if it looks kind of like sand, its OK! Stir in yogurt and vanilla. Add flour mixture, stirring until moist. Drop by spoonfuls two inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for eight to ten minutes. Cool on pans for two to three minutes of until firm. Remove cookies from pans, and cool on wire racks.
Making the decision to eat healthy, regardless if it's a New Year's resolution or not, is one that can be beneficial to one's personal well being. Stick with the choice to eat healthy -- the rewards are endless!
