A healthy start to the new year

LJWorld.com weblogs Shop Talk with Jenn and Julie

Posted by Julie Anderson January 8, 2012 at 12:03 a.m.

How many of you have included healthy eating as one of your New Year's resolutions?

My family and I have made this decision. You know it's bad when your 15 year old says, "There's nothing to eat but junk food in the house!" Boy, was that an eye opener.

It seems that we let things really go over the holidays. We turn to convenience instead of nutrition when things get busy and stressed. So, my son's proclamation the other night was just what I needed to clear out the pantry.

The ads this week in the Journal-World are full of "get healthy" items. Not only food, but exercise equipment and videos, workout clothes, supplements, etc.

My grocery list will include more fruits and veggies, chicken and fish.

So, for those of us making these healthy changes, I thought I'd share a quick recipe to get started.

I found this one in the January/February 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine.

Italian Wedding Soup (makes 4 servings@ 350 calories/serving)

1 tbls extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion finely chopped

3 carrots finely chopped

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp chopped fresh sage

3 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

1 Parmesan cheese rind*, plus 1 tbls grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

1/2 lb. ground pork

3 tbls breadcrumbs

3/4 cup orzo (rice shaped pasta)

8 oz. baby spinach

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add half the garlic and 1 tsp each Worcestershire and sage; cook 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 3 cups water, and the Parmesan rind and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the pork, breadcrumbs, 1 tbls grated Parmesan, the remaining garlic, Worcestershire and sage in a bowl. Form into 1-inch meatballs.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil. Stir in the orzo and cook 6 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook until they are firm and float to the top, about 4 more minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 more minute.

Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.

*If you don't have the parmesan rind, I think it can be easily omitted.

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Katara (anonymous) says…

"We turn to convenience instead of nutrition when things get busy and stressed. "

One way to avoid going the fast food route is to take just a couple of hours on the weekends to plan and prep up the meals for the week. This way you can just pop whatever in the oven when you get home for a nutritious meal. Also, crockpots are the greatest invention ever when it comes to nutritious meals and a busy schedule.
January 8, 2012 at 12:05 p.m.