New Year’s Resolutions for a Healthier You

Happy New Year! Wow, what a chilly start to 2011. All the more reason to keep warm in the kitchen I say 🙂 I know many of you are determined to eat healthier, try new foods and shed a few pounds this year – a great, but challenging resolution. So where do you start?

Follow these five simple guidelines to get going:

1. When you get the munchies, grab a healthy snack, like fresh vegetable sticks, nuts or dried fruit.
2. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fresh fruit rather than candies or pastries.
3. Try a new, healthy recipe at least once a week. Avoid fried foods.
4. Visit your local farmers market to find the freshest seasonal produce and support your local economy.
5. Buy in bulk to preserve seasonally limited fruits and vegetables for year-round availability.

Recipe: Hoppin’ John (Hoppin’ John recipe card)

One of your January meals could be “Hoppin’ John,” a traditional New Year’s dish in the South. This recipe made up of Southern peas and greens is said to bring wealth and luck in the coming year. The peas represent pennies or coins while the leafy greens, which are the color of money, represent cash. Given the nutritional value of these revered Southern vegetables, no matter your financial future, you’ll start the year with a dish that’s healthy and delicious.

The recipe is featured in the January 2011 newsletter.

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For month-by-month tips for healthier eating and N.C. food resources, check out this Charlotte Observer article from Kathleen Purvis: A year of eating livelier: 12 simple ways to add some adventure and variety to your cooking.