Eating healthy is nothing new as a topic -- everyone typically becomes well-acquainted with it at least once a year, after all, when it's time to make some new year's resolutions. Putting together healthy dishes has always been an off-again, on-again pursuit, but it doesn't have to be. While we can be seduced by the siren serenade of fast food, especially once all the commercials start coming on and advertising the latest delicious delight, there are plenty of recipes that have become quite popular for their excellent flavor and health benefits. Here are some you can try at home.
TURKEY CHILI WITH SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes have long been popular for being filling but not being as starchy as rice, while turkey has been a leaner health food favorite alternative to beef or pork. They also happen to go well together, with cinnamon, veggies and beans tying the flavor profile up nicely.
1. Get some ground turkey (a 93/7 mix will be a good balance of fat and meat, and quite flavorful), and brown the meat in a large pot. A potato masher will be helpful in breaking up the chunks of ground meat and getting it to a good consistency for even cooking.
2. Add in the vegetables. Simple flavors will complement the turkey perfectly, so go for onion and garlic, and some red pepper. For extra heat in the chili, you might consider a chopped jalapeño -- this is usually plenty, especially if you devein and seed it beforehand. You can add a similarly-treated poblano for extra kick and flavor.
3. Black beans or kidney beans would be good choices for this chili. The whole pot will take only 30 minutes to cook, and will keep for some time after that as it freezes rather well. If you don't find yourself eating it all right away, of course.
GREEN MANGO JUICE PANHA
The unusual combination of tart green mango and the fragrant pop of cardamom will make this a refreshing drink to remember.
1. Wash three green mangoes and put them (unpeeled) in a large pan three-quarters full of water. Bring this to a boil over medium heat and let simmer for up to 25 minutes.
2. Grind up 4 pieces of cardamom in a mortar and pestle.
3. When the mango skins go soft, turn off the heat and drain the mangoes with a colander. Let cool ten minutes, then peel the mangoes and gather the flesh in a bowl.
4. Add about 1 cup of jaggery or sugar to the pulp and mash together (a potato masher works), then stir in the cardamom, with salt and saffron if you have it.
MEXICAN SHRIMP AND CORN CHOWDER
Another dish that can come together in half an hour, this Latin-inspired dish brings the comforting and healthy benefits of corn chowder together with the fresh, flavor-absorbing meat of the popular seafood choice.
1. Start with peeled and deveined shrimp, although you can leave the tails on.
2. Prepare the flavoring elements, which bring the Mexican flavor profile to the dish -- poblano pepper and black beans. Remember to seed and devein the poblano pepper to take the sting of the heat down several notches, leaving you with its signature flavor and aroma.
3. Toss the shrimp in chili powder, oregano, and cumin, which should create a deep and rich broth that is loaded with flavor.
4. Mix broth with the cream and diced potatoes, and let this cook at a simmer until the potatoes are nice and done. Taste occasionally, so you can gauge whether the heat level is to your liking. Then toss the shrimp back in along with the beans and corn.
ALOE VERA JUICE
This skin-soothing plant is also a great and refreshing health drink that's easy to make, and enhanced with agave nectar, lemon, and cucumber.
1. Carefully cut off and peel about two tablespoons' worth of freshly-harvested aloe vera. Removing the outer layer of the leaf and the underside will leave you with the jelly, which you can rinse under water to remove any indigestible residue.
2. After rinsing, put the jelly in a blender.
3. Peel, seed, and cut up a small Persian cucumber into chunks, and add this to the blender.
4. With a garlic press, press fresh ginger juice into the blender from about half an inch of peeled fresh ginger.
5. Add about 1/4 of a cup of fresh lemon juice, three mint leaves, and some agave nectar to the blender.
6. Process for an initial 30 seconds, then add half a cup of water, and let it process some more for about 10 seconds.
7. Pour over ice to serve.
THAI MINCED CHICKEN LETTUCE CUPS
Asian cuisine is big on wrapping flavorful, savory meat in crisp, fresh greens, and this Larb gai-style dish brings lettuce and minced chicken together for a great time.
1. Start by making the lettuce cups, by chopping off the lettuce's base stem and either using the knife or tearing off the leaves by hand. It's easier to peel the leaves off without tearing them apart (which would ruin them as cups) if you soak the lettuce in water while peeling the leaves off.
2. Cook minced onions and ginger in oil until they soften. Throw in the minced garlic, and give it another minute.
3. Add in the ground chicken, breaking the mass apart with a wooden spoon to make sure it cooks evenly.
4. As the chicken cooks, you can add in the Thai flavor ingredients -- soy sauce, fish sauce, lime zest and lime juice, red pepper flakes, and brown sugar. Cook until the chicken is nice and done, and then add in the nuts, mint, and cilantro last so they flavor the dish without getting bitter.
5. The finished dish goes well with some lime wedges for extra citrus flavor, and some Sriracha sauce. Try these healthy recipes and make 2019 a healthier you!