THE NEW YEAR

Well now that the holidays are officially over, we all can get started on those New Year resolutions we've made.  How many of us have said, "After this holiday, I am going to start watching what I eat, and I am going to try and eat healthier?"  We all do it, because we all want to think we are making the right choices when it comes to food.

We are all good for the first couple of months, then the months turn into weeks, then days, and before you know it we're right back where we started from: eating the wrong foods and making excuses for doing so. How many times have we ordered takeout or brought in food for one reason or another?  We always have a good excuse for not getting in the kitchen and putting a meal together.  Putting decent, healthy food on the table is not that hard or complicated and should not cost a fortune.

I used to have to cook every night for two people: my husband and myself.  I really think food was Irwin’s middle name, even though I knew better.  I could not get away with making just a salad for dinner - well I actually could make the salad and then an hour later he would be hungry again, so I would end up making him something else to eat.  So why bother to make the salad in the first place; I always ended up cooking a full meal.

Now that I am cooking for one instead of two, I have changed my entire style.  I have had to learn to shop for one, because one person does not need the amount of food that two people needed. I have had to learn to adjust recipes from feeding four people to feeding just one.  It's not difficult to do - it's just a learning process and a period of adjustment.  Even though it was only the two of us, I always made the recipe for four people, Irwin never had a problem polishing off the leftovers either for lunch or, if I was lucky, another dinner.

For the last couple of months I have been writing about all the foods that go along with the holiday from cookies to pasta, fish dishes, special sauces and items in general that would have perked up your holiday table.   I am going to start the new year off with recipes that are going to not only be good for you and healthy but that are easy to make and budget friendly (and I am not talking about pasta every night).  The food combinations are endless if you just take a little time and plan out your menus.

I have already written about what you should have on hand for a healthy pantry in an earlier post, but I am going to post it again for those of you who have been asking for items that you should have on hand to throw a meal together and that won’t break the bank.  With groceries costing an arm and a leg, you want to be mindful of the meals you plan and what you in fact put on your table for your family, and how you're doling out your grocery budget.

I spend a lot less money on groceries these days, but my parents have my sixteen-year-old nephew living with them and what they spend on groceries adds up to telephone book numbers very quickly.  A sixteen-year-old boy can inhale groceries quicker than you can get them in the house.  Well let’s just say we know everyone personally at the local Stop & Shop.

So let’s stop thinking processed and packaged as a way to feed our families and start to think more in terms of fresh and wholesome.  It’s not that hard to do once you have a few simple techniques down.  Here’s the Healthy Pantry List once more time; remember, you don’t have to get rid of everything in your house all at once.  Start making changes gradually and eventually you will have everything on that list to put a meal together in a matter of minutes.

Just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone for the great e-mails and positive comments. Feedback is very important when writing because I never know if I am headed in the right direction.  So please keep the comments and the emails coming; I love the feedback.

The Healthy Pantry

Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

• Oils: extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil
• Trans-fat-free margarine
• Vinegars: distilled white, cider, red-wine, balsamic, rice
• Dijon mustard
• Ketchup
• Barbecue sauce
• Reduced-fat mayonnaise
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce
• Prepared pesto
• Salsa
• Hot sauce

Seasonings

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Dried herbs and spices: ground cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, crushed red pepper, rosemary, thyme leaves, oregano, Italian seasoning blend, tarragon leaves, ground cinnamon, ground ginger
• Vanilla extract

Canned Goods & Bottle Items

• Canned tomatoes, tomato paste
• Reduced-sodium broths
• Canned beans: cannellini, kidney, chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• Canned lentils
• Chunk light tuna and salmon

Grains & Legumes

• Assorted whole-wheat pasta
• Regular and instant brown rice
• Whole-wheat couscous
• Regular and quick-cooking barley
• Bulgur
• Rolled oats
• Dried lentils

Baking Products

• Whole-wheat flour and whole-wheat pastry flour. (Store in the refrigerator or freezer.)
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Unprocessed wheat bran
• Quick-rising yeast
• Cornstarch
• Brown sugar
• Granulated sugar
• Honey

Nuts, Seeds and Dried Fruit

• Walnuts, pecans, sesame seeds, almonds
• Dried apricots, dates, cranberries, raisins
• Peanut butter (natural)

Refrigerator Basics

• 1% or skim milk
• Reduced-fat sour cream
• Fruit juice
• Large eggs
• Cheese: sharp Cheddar, feta, Parmesan, mozzarella
• Nonfat or light vanilla yogurt

Freezer Basics

• Frozen fruit
• Frozen vegetables: edamame (soybeans), broccoli, corn, bell pepper-and-onion mix, peas, spinach
• Low-fat ice cream, frozen yogurt and/or sorbet
• Frozen cheese ravioli or tortellini