Give Your New Year Resolution the Boost It Needs With These Light yet Tasty Meals

It can be hard when you get into the second month of trying to uphold your New Year resolution. Once January is over, New Year’s Eve seems like a distant memory and people start reaching for the chips, ice cream, and convenience meals. But, we’re here to stop you! At NetCost Market, we wanted to give you some scrumptious yet healthy meals that will encourage you to keep your healthy eating promise alive. To help you out, all of our recipes use ingredients that are currently part of our Weekly Specials, so you can save money in the process!

Bulgur wheat and smoked salmon salad

This recipe uses vitamin-rich smoked salmon, fiber-packed bulgur wheat, and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to make a quick and easy salad that’s perfect for when you find yourself thinking about ordering takeout. Right now, smoked salmon is on offer as part of our weekly specials, so it’s time for you to take advantage!

Recipe

Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat – medium grain, 1 ½ sweet apples – diced, ½ cup red onion – sliced, ½ cup chopped pecans, 4 oz. smoked salmon – sliced to 1-inch pieces, 2 celery sticks – sliced, 3 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. grated lemon zest, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, salt, pepper.

Method:

1. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Once hot, add the dry bulgur wheat and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute until all the grains are slightly oiled.
2. Add 1 cup water and put on the lid. Once the water starts to bubble, turn off the heat and set aside with the lid on. The bulgur wheat will absorb the water in about 10 minutes.
3. Once the bulgur wheat is cooked, combine it with apple, sliced onion, pecans, salmon, and celery.
4. In a separate small bowl, combine the oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.
5. Pour over the salad mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Lemon baked chicken breast with vegetables

Chicken breast is a favorite for people looking to stick to their health routine and for good reason! It’s packed with high-quality protein and is very lean when the skin is removed. This also makes it the meat of choice for people looking to add muscle mass. Right now, skinless chicken breasts are part of our amazing Weekly Specials here at NetCost Market, so it’s a good time to get your fill of this fantastically diverse meat!

Recipe

Ingredients: 3 chicken breasts, ½ lb. potatoes – diced, 1 bunch asparagus – trimmed, salt, pepper, 1 tsp. honey, ¼ cup olive oil, the zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, lemon slices (using the rest of the lemon), 2 cloves garlic – minced, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. ground cumin, fresh cilantro with stems – finely chopped.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Lightly oil a baking sheet and season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper before placing them on the pan.
2. Whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, mustard, Italian seasoning, cumin, sugar, and half of the chopped cilantro in a medium bowl. Slowly add the olive oil as you whisk until the mixture becomes thicker. Add salt and pepper.
3. Pour the half the mixture over the chicken breasts and then place the potatoes and asparagus around the chicken. Drizzle the remaining mixture over the vegetables and then top the chicken breasts with the lemon slices.
4. Place the tray in the oven and bake loosely covered with foil for 35 minutes until chicken and potatoes are cooked through. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
5. Serve immediately with the remaining cilantro.

Moroccan-spiced carrots

Carrots are extremely healthy. They’re a great source of vitamins A, B6, and beta carotene, as well as being packed full of fiber. But, so often these vitamin-packed super roots are simply boiled or added to recipes as an afterthought, but they deserve better! This recipe spices up your carrots (literally), and as we currently have yellow carrots on offer at NetCost Market, there’s no better time to do so!

Recipe

Ingredients: 12 oz carrots with tops on, 2 tsp. olive oil, ½ tsp. ground cumin, ½ tsp. paprika, ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp. salt, 3 tbsp. sour cream, 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, ¼ cup unsalted pistachios – chopped, 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro.

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 425. In a bowl, mix together the olive oil, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and olive oil and then toss the carrots in the mixture.
2. Place the carrots on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
3. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Mix together sour cream and lime juice in a small bowl.
5. When serving the carrots, drizzle over the sour cream and lime sauce and then sprinkle with chopped pistachios and chopped cilantro.

If you think your New Year resolution is under threat from microwave meals and takeouts, try some of our delicious light and healthy meals to get you over those hump days! Our Weekly Specials are happening right now, so there’s no time to lose, get yourself down to NetCost Market and see what we have to offer!