Here’s the most popular ritual Americans repeat every January: the big diet. Once New Year’s Day passes, they attempt to shed the weight they’ve accumulated in the past 12 months — particularly the pounds they packed on since Thanksgiving.
While some weight comes off during crash diets, the results last for varying amounts of time, depending on individual dieters and how much temptation they face. Sadly, in many cases, initial weight loss ends in the scale tipping in the wrong direction, a discouraging situation.
This year, instead of counting calories, carbs or saturated fat, why not commit to eating healthier, and see what happens.
Selecting green leafy vegetables, fruit, oatmeal, and grilled chicken and fish is a more attainable goal and less punishing than total deprivation. Limit the processed foods you consume, such as potato chips and taco chips. Snack on clementines and sliced apples instead.
Steer away from deep-fried anything and dishes made with cream sauces or dripping with cheese. Indulge in sweets only occasionally. If nothing else, start shrinking your portion sizes. At restaurants, commit to taking part of your meal home.
By thinking light and lean, you may end up with fewer colds, more energy and lower cholesterol levels. If you adopt better eating habits most of the time, you’re bound to drop some pounds. And they are more likely to stay off. It’s a win-win situation all the way around.
Sea Bass With Lemon and Oregano | Pareve
Serves 4
Nonstick vegetable spray
2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
4 sea bass fillets, approximately
½ pound each
Kosher salt to taste
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat your oven to broil. Set up a broiler pan and coat it with nonstick vegetable spray.
Drizzle lemon juice over both sides of the fillets. Season them with salt, oregano and garlic powder.
Move the fillets to the broiler pan and place them skin side down. Broil them for 3-5 minutes, until the fillets are firm on the surface. Using a spatula, flip the fillets so they are skin side up. Broil for another 3-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and the centers are cooked through. Serve immediately.
Roasted Winter Squash | Pareve
Serves 4-6
Nonstick vegetable spray
1½-pound package of skinned and diced butternut squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, or more, if needed
Kosher salt to taste
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon cloves
Coat a 9-inch-by-13-inch ovenproof pan with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
If any of the squash pieces are larger than 1 inch, cut them into half or thirds. Try to get all pieces approximately the same size. Move the squash to the prepared pan. Drizzle it with oil and toss until the pieces are coated. Sprinkle on the salt, cinnamon and cloves and toss again until well distributed. Add more seasoning if you like zestier flavor.
Move the pan to the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is cooked through and browning at the edges. Add more olive oil at any time if the squash becomes dry during roasting.
Serve immediately.
Sautéed Baby Spinach | Pareve
Serves 4
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more,
if needed
10-ounce box baby spinach
Kosher salt to taste
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Into a large deep pot, preferably nonstick, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil and heat it over a medium flame. Using your hands, drop a couple of large bunches of spinach into the pot. Sprinkle it with a little salt and garlic powder. Stir continuously.
As the first batch wilts, add more batches, and the occasional dash of salt and garlic powder. Drizzle in more olive oil as needed. While it doesn’t look like all of this spinach will fit in one pot, it will shrink a lot during cooking. Once all the spinach is coated and wilted, serve immediately.
