New Year, New Food: Healthy Recipes to Support Your New Year’s Resolutions
Whether you’re wanting to start 2021 stronger, fitter, thinner or simply healthier, most common New Year’s resolutions involve healthy diet choices in some way. Today, we share three delicious recipes for you to try, plus a popular New Year’s resolution that aligns perfectly with each sample meal. No matter your goals for this year, support your health and your immune system with the right nutrition!
EAT MORE FRESH VEGETABLES: Broccoli Beet Smoothie
An estimated eight out of 10 adults don’t eat enough vegetables. And no matter how many supplements you pop, nothing beats the antioxidants and active compounds found in fresh produce.
If you want to commit to eating more fresh vegetables and fruits in the new year, this broccoli beet smoothie is a delicious salad in a glass. It might sound unusual, but you won’t even taste the broccoli thanks to the natural sweetness of the beets and strawberries. And while the use of avocado may seem unconventional, it helps to make this shake rich and creamy (without using any dairy!).
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 golden beet, cooked (steam for 10 minutes or until tender, then cool to room temperature)
1 frozen banana
1 cup broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
1 lime
1 scoop chocolate plant-based protein powder
1 avocado, de-pitted
4-5 ice cubes
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
FUEL YOUR ENERGY: Mediterranean-Style Baked Sweet Potatoes
If you want to fuel your body in a healthy way, and not through the use of sugar or stimulants, sweet potatoes are one of your best options.
A single 1-cup serving of sweet potatoes provides more than 20 grams of healthy, complex carbohydrates, plus more than 3 grams of fiber. This means that sweet potatoes strike the perfect glycemic balance in providing carbohydrates to boost your energy. The fiber helps to slow down the digestion of said carbohydrates so your body experiences a gradual and steady supply of energy without the dreaded “crash” that comes from simple carbohydrates.
This Mediterranean-inspired take on baked sweet potatoes is bursting with flavor and takes only 30 minutes to make. It’s the perfect meal for lunch, or as a snack before hitting the gym. If your New Year’s resolutions include cutting back on caffeine, exercising more, or eating less sugar, this is the perfect companion.
POTATOES
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or your favorite neutral oil)
1 tsp each of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and smoked paprika
GARLIC SAUCE
1/4 cup tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried dill
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
TOPPINGS
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 tbsp lemon juice
Chili powder
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven is heating up, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the potatoes in half, rub them with some olive oil, and place them on the baking sheet.
In a mixing bowl, toss the chickpeas with the spices and olive oil. Then, scatter the chickpeas around the sweet potatoes.
Place the baking sheet in your oven and roast for 45 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender (test by poking them with a fork). Remove from the oven when finished and set aside.
Make the garlic sauce by combining the sauce ingredients and whisking. Add a dash or water to adjust the consistency as desired.
To serve the sweet potatoes, place a couple sweet potato halves in a bowl with a spoonful or two of the roasted chickpeas. Garnish with cherry tomatoes, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of parsley and chili powder. Drizzle the bowl with the garlic sauce and enjoy!
LOSE WEIGHT: Veggie Frittata
Losing weight is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions, and one of the most difficult to achieve.
This frittata is delicious, rich in immunity-boosting antioxidants, and checks all the weight loss boxes to ensure your diet’s success: It’s high fiber (so it keeps you feeling full longer, thus supporting healthy appetite control), vegetarian, low in calories, low in fat, and high in protein (protein is essential for appetite control and boosting your metabolism).
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or the oil of your choice
8-oz packet of raw sweet potato noodles (buy pre-prepared, or use a spiralizer to make your own “noodles” out of a fresh, raw sweet potato)
8-oz packet of raw zucchini noodles (buy pre-prepared, or use a spiralizer to make your own “noodles” out of a fresh, raw zucchini)
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 green shallots, trimmed and diced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
8 large eggs (for maximum health benefits, your eggs should be local, organic and free ranged)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon roasted pumpkin seeds
In an oven-safe frying pan, saute the spiralized zucchini and sweet potato “noodles” until tender. Depending on the thickness of the veggies, this should take five to 10 minutes. Then, add the tomatoes, garlic, shallots and 1/2 cup of the basil leaves. Saute for another five minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with a couple tablespoons of water, the parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mix into the frying pan. Crumble the feta cheese on top, along with the pumpkin seeds. Place the hot frying pan into your oven for 20 minutes or until the eggs are cooked. Garnish with the rest of the fresh basil and enjoy.
More Ways to Support Your New Year’s Resolutions AND Your Immunity
Your diet is just one piece in your immune system’s wellness puzzle. Thymic proteins are another piece. It is the job of these thymic proteins to train the body’s immune system to effectively seek and identify diseased cells. Unfortunately, your levels of thymic proteins fall as you get older. BioPro-Plus 500 offers a full dose of thymic proteins to help restore your body’s natural levels. Maximize your health by combining the above meals with healthy supplements!
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