Gray, scary changing

Rapidly warming climate

Darkness holds secrets.

Fortunately, the darkest days are behind us. We look forward to more light ahead.

Turkey tetrazzini (Provided photo — Yvona Fast)

As light increases and darkness fades, many reflect upon past problems, planning for a better future. Are you one of the 45% of Americans who made resolutions for 2024, attempting to move toward positive change?

U.S. clinical psychologist Joseph Luciani says about 80% of people fail to achieve their New Year’s Resolutions. Only about 8% succeed. That could be because resolutions tend to focus on past negativity — what we failed at last year and want to improve on this year.

More than one-third of all New Year’s resolutions have to do with food, fitness and health — the most popular being weight loss. Each January, diet books fly off bookstore shelves. Gyms and exercise classes experience a rise in new members. There’s a lot of talk about healthy living, fitness, and a better diet.

How can we achieve a healthier lifestyle? Many experts recommend a plant-based diet. That simply means replacing some of the meat and carbs with vegetables and fruits. The Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the MIND diet are all plant-based diets that emphasize fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. It’s all about proportion — half or more of your plate should be vegetables and fruit, with only a small space for meat and carbs.

It’s also important to stick to real foods rather than their processed counterparts. Potato chips and fries, refined grains (cereals, pasta, white rice) and sweet drinks may contain plant foods but should be avoided.

Reflect back on 2023. What positive things happened in the past year that you can build on in this one?

Create a plan for success. How will you maintain motivation? How will you handle the discomfort and stress when you fail?

Find a supportive community where you can encourage each other. Be sure to celebrate small victories.

Experts advise small steps rather than huge goals. Small successes can lead to bigger goals. Write your goals down; this helps with accountability.

Begin small by reducing your consumption of animal-based foods and replacing them with plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts. Most of your dinner plate should be vegetables, salads and fruit, leaving only a little space for the meat.

We look forward to renewal. Winter will end. Trees will leaf out. Flowers will bloom again. Move forward with optimism and hope to a healthy, productive 2024.

Here are a couple of simple revamps of recipes that focus on plant foods rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals to encourage a healthy diet.

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Turkey Tetrazzini Makeover

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Turkey tetrazini is a casserole made with pasta, turkey or chicken, bacon and a cheesy sauce, with a few mushrooms and green peas. In one recipe, for 1 1/2 pounds of pasta, there was only 1 1/2 cup of green peas. In another, there were no veggies at all. The sauce was made with butter, condensed soup (like cream of mushroom or cream of celery), sour cream, salt, pepper, and chicken broth.

To up the veggies, I added butternut squash, more mushrooms, fresh parsley and onion. To lighten the sauce, I used chicken broth, flour, and white wine. (The canned condensed soups are loaded with fat and calories).

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. pasta (I used chickpea rotini. Traditionally this is spaghetti, often broken in half, but any pasta will do.)

1 butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

A little olive oil

1 onion

8 ounces portobello mushrooms

1 clove garlic

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken or turkey

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon flour

2 cups frozen peas or green beans

1/3 cup shredded sharp cheese

1 or 2 Tablespoons bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Peel squash. Remove seeds. Dice in small cubes. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Toss with olive oil. Place in preheated oven and roast about 15 minutes, or until tender. Set aside to cool. Lower oven heat to 350 degrees F.

Heat 2 or 3 teaspoons of olive oil in skillet. Peel and dice onion; add. Sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook on low 5 – 7 minutes. Slice mushrooms and mince garlic; stir in and cook another 5 minutes.

Prepare casserole dish by coating with oil.

Combine cooked pasta, roasted squash, shredded chicken or turkey, onions, mushrooms and garlic.

Place chicken broth, wine and flour in jar. Shake well. Pour into small saucepan and cook, stirring, until thickened and buuly, then pour over contents of casserole and stir. Stir in 2 cups frozen peas. Top with shredded cheese, then sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake about 30 minutes.

Serves 2 to 4.

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Hamburger soup or stew makeover

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Ingredients:

1/2 pound pasta (I used red lentil ziti)

1 lb. ground chuck

1 whole large onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart beef broth or stock, plus more as needed

4 whole carrots, scrubbed and sliced (peeling optional)

8 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped

1/2 lb. kale, washed and chopped

1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon ground basil

1/2 teaspoon ground oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste

2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1 cup fresh minced parsley

Grated parmesan

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

In bottom of soup kettle, brown the meat with the onion, celery and garlic. Remove the pot from the heat. Drain off as much fat as you can. (Discard the fat when it cools.)

Add the broth, carrots, kale, mushrooms and peppers, and cook until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Add seasonings and tomatoes, and cook 10 minutes more.

Stir in the cooked pasta and minced parsley

If soup is too thick, add some water or more broth.

Taste to adjust seasonings.

Sprinkle each serving with grated parmesan, if desired.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Author of the award-winning cookbook “Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers Market,” Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: Writing and cooking. She can be found at www.yvonafast.com and reached at yvonawrite@yahoo.com or on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter: @yvonawrites.

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