New Year’s Recipes for Weight Loss & Healthy Living

New Year’s Eve was satisfying on so many levels. With the kids tucked safely in bed, my husband and I sat down with friends to our traditional December 31st feast. To start, these are not just any friends. These are women that I have known since I was nine years old. It is safe to say that we know most things about each other and love each other for our strengths and quirky flaws alike. Their husbands are just as incredible and the group of men have formed their own bond. The kind of bond where men feel comfortable sharing their family and personal dreams one minute, and then will playfully have each other in a headlock in the next minute. Friendship just doesn’t get any better than that. To top things off, we feasted from pots of bubbling cheese fondue, fresh greens beans, and sinfully good chocolate fondue. It was a meal made and consumed in a house filled with laughter, love, and acceptance.

At one point in the evening, the conversation turned to New Year’s resolutions and I was reminded that this is the time of year that so many of us are trying to be a little more cognizant of what we put into our bodies. Stepping onto this path in a quest for healthy living and possible weight loss, we are looking for food that nourishes our bodies, but also leaves us feeling satisfied. I have compiled a list of healthy and delicious recipes from Cookin’ Canuck, as well as some of my favorite blogs, in an effort to help you in your quest. This list is by no means exhaustive and I encourage you to search through the many food blogs that are out there for inspiration.

Appetizers
Cookin’ Canuck’s Spicy Roasted Chickpeas with Rosemary & Brown Sugar
Cookin’ Canuck’s Zucchini Latkes with Yogurt-Curry Sauce
Cookin’ Canuck’s Baked Zucchini Fries with Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Dipping Sauce
Cookin’ Canuck’s Garlic Roasted Shrimp with Jalapeno Dipping Sauce
No Recipes’ Vegetarian Gyoza Potstickers
Cooking with Amy’s Endive with White Bean Dip
Fat-Free Vegan’s Roasted Eggplant-Almond Dip

Breads
Cookin’ Canuck’s Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bran Muffins with Blueberries & Pecans
Cookin’ Canuck’s Strawberry Energy Muffins
Smitten Kitchen’s Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
Elana’s Pantry’s Gluten Free Sandwich Bread
Zesty Cook’s Easy Whole Wheat Bread with Molasses

Breakfast
Cookin’ Canuck’s Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables & Capers
Cookin’ Canuck’s Basil & Veggie Mini Quiches
Cookin’ Canuck’s Hearty (Whole Wheat) Pancakes
Kalyn’s KItchen’s Tuscan Baked Eggs with Tomatoes, Red Onion, Garlic, Parmesan & Herbs
101 Cookbooks’ Wheat Berry Breakfast Bowl
Gluten-Free Girl’s Granola Bars

Desserts
Cookin’ Canuck’s Grilled Strawberries with Gingersnap Meringue
Karina’s Kitchen’s Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-Free Girl’s Lemon Olive Oil Cookies
101 Cookbooks’ Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
Tasty Eats at Home’s Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Zucchini Cupcakes with Coconut Frosting

Entrees
Chicken
Cookin’ Canuck’s Smoked Paprika with Red-Skinned Potatoes
Cookin’ Canuck’s Grilled Chicken with Soy-Curry Sauce
Eating Out Loud’s Healthy Sesame Chicken
Guilty Kitchen’s Chicken Strips for All
Ezra Pound Cake’s Grilled Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salad
My Cooking Quest’s Healthy, Tasty & Lower Fat Chicken Enchiladas
Life’s Ambrosia’s Lemon Pepper Chicken

Beef & Pork
Cookin’ Canuck’s Ginger Crepes with Stir-Fried Hoisin Pork & Vegetables
Cookin’ Canuck’s Soy-Ginger Marinated Flank Steak
Kalyn’s Kitchen’s Greek-Seasoned Pork Chops with Lemon & Oregano
Simply Recipes’ Pork Mango Picadillo
Sunday Nite Dinner’s Chinese Beef Chow Fun with Broccoli
Bitchin’ Camero’s Espresso Pork Tenderloin

Fish & Shellfish
Cookin’ Canuck’s Seared Salmon with Baby Bok Choy & Miso Sauce
Cookin’ Canuck’s Broiled Salmon with Garlic & Mint Sauce
Citron & Vanille’s Lavender Cod with Grilled Fennel & Potato Salad
Delish’s Chinese Style Tilapia
The Kitchn’s Ginger & Cilantro Baked Tilapia
Bitten’s Shrimp in Moroccan-Style Tomato Sauce
Closet Cooking’s Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp (Tom Rim)

Vegetarian
Cookin’ Canuck’s Crockpot Gingered Chickpeas & Spicy Tomato Stew
Karina’s Kitchen’s Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Book of Yum’s Gluten-free Sweet Potato Black Bean Vegetarian Burger
Karina’s Kitchen’s Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas
Sense & Serendipity’s Forbidden Rice Risotto with Roasted Pumpkin & Chinese Broccoli

Pasta
Cookin’ Canuck’s Whole Wheat (or Soba) Noodles with Peanut Sauce, Chicken & Vegetables
Cookin’ Canuck’s Fusilli with Teriyaki Salmon & Vegetables
Cookin’ Canuck’s Mint-Basil Chicken Pasta Salad
Smitten Kitchen’s Pasta with Cauliflower, Walnuts & Feta
Yum Sugar’s Whole Grain Pasta with Chickpeas & Escarole
Iowa Girl Eat’s Whole Wheat Pasta Fresca with Chicken

Salads
Cookin’ Canuck’s Spinach Salad with Fuyu Persimmon, Jicama & Avocado with Miso Dressing
Cookin’ Canuck’s Thai Cucumber Salad
Cookin’ Canuck’s Crunchy Green Bean & Sweet Tomato Salad
Kalyn’s Kitchen’s Napa Cabbage & Red Cabbage Salad with Fresh Herbs & Peanuts
David Lebovitz’s French Green Lentil Salad
The Perfect Pantry’s Quinoa Salad with Tomato, Feta & Parsley
Gourmet Fury’s Rainbow Glass Noodle Salad
Bitten’s Cold Eggplant Salad with Sesame Dressing

Side Dishes
Cookin’ Canuck’s Ginger, Jalapeno & Coconut Brown RIce with Cauliflower
Cookin’ Canuck’s Toasted Brown Rice with Mushrooms, Spinach & Thyme
eCurry’s Peanuts & Brown RIce with Asian Dressing
White on Rice Couple’s Butternut Squash & Apple Casserole
A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa’s Judias Blancas con Espinaca (Spinach & Beans)
Fat Free Vegan Kitchen’s Lemony Quinoa with Butternut Squash

Soups
Cookin’ Canuck’s Spicy Potato, Leek & Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Red Pepper Puree
Cookin’ Canuck’s Italian Wedding Soup (with Turkey & Sausage Meatballs, & Spinach)
Cookin’ Canuck’s Crockpot Chicken, Black Bean & Chipotle Pepper Soup
Wandering Chopsticks’ Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)
Two Peas & Their Pod’s Slow Roasted Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Smitten Kitchen’s Black Bean Pumpkin Soup