Try 3 delicious, healthy recipes to jumpstart your New Year’s Resolution; No need to sacrifice a glass wine
Happy 2020! ‘Tis the season for saying ‘out with the old and in with the new,’ especially when it comes to food. In fact, 50% of resolution-makers pledged to exercise more and 43% choose to eat better. And for many, that means extreme measures like a “Dry January” by omitting all alcohol or cutting out carbs cold turkey. But oftentimes that doesn’t lead to success. Resolutions stick when they are realistic lifestyle changes. For wine-lovers, being healthy doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself of the thing that makes you happy. Rather, it’s about enjoying those things in moderation. With our help, you can still indulge in a glass or just a splash of your favorite oaky Chardonnay or bold Cabernet and preserve the bottle for another moment of moderation!
By striking a balance between eating healthier foods and moderating alcohol intake, you’ll make small strides towards your resolution with a big impact over time. To spark inspiration, we’re sharing three nutritious, delicious recipes to help you out along the way. Read on for hassle-free, wholesome recipes that encourage you to stay on track without sacrificing quality, taste or worse–wine.
Tuscan White Bean & Kale Soup
Serves 8-10
One of the best remedies for a cold winter day is a bowl of hot soup, especially one that fits into your healthier eating goals! This minestrone-esque soup provides iron and magnesium from the white beans, and the many benefits of superfood kale – including antioxidants, vitamin K, and fiber. Serve with a side of country toast or cut the carb for a healthier meal.
Wine Pairing Suggestion: Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Carneros, California
Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped coarsely
2 celery ribs, chopped coarsely
2 large carrots, diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (28oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups chicken broth
1 fennel bulb, 2 tbsp fronds minced, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored and cut into ½ pieces
8oz kale, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
2 large egg yolks
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
Grated romano or parmesan cheese
Lemon wedges
Directions:
- Pulse onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in a food processor until very finely chopped, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer onion mixture to Dutch oven. Add tomatoes and their juice to now-empty food processor and pulse until tomatoes are finely chopped and set aside.
- Stir oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and pepper flakes into onion mixture. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until light brown fond begins to form on bottom of pot, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, increase heat to high and cook, stirring frequently until mixture is very thick and rubber spatula leaves distinct trail when dragged across bottom of pot (9-12 minutes).
- Add broth and fennel bulb to pot and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until fennel begins to soften (5-7 minutes). Stir in beans and kale and cook until fennel is fully tender (~10 minutes).
- Whisk egg yolks and reserved bean liquid together in bowl, then stir into soup. Stir in parsley, oregano, and fennel fronds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*Recipe adapted from Lan Lam of Cook’s Illustrated
Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp and Tomatoes
Serves 4 If you’re gluten-sensitive, or just looking to cut back on carbs this year, try replacing pasta with vegetables. Zucchini can be spiralized to mimic pasta and the secret is to just barely cook them — only warm them! Overcooking your zoodles can result in a soggy texture, whereas keeping them raw will leave you with a satisfying crunch. Toss them in a buttery, garlic sauce with a drizzle of lemon and you have a mouthwatering, low-carb meal.
Wine Pairing Suggestion: Cakebread Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California
Ingredients:
3-4 zucchini
4tbsp butter
1 lemon
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup mini shrimp
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Using a spiralizing machine, turn zucchini into spaghetti-like noodles and set aside.
- In a pan, melt butter and garlic together over low heat and avoid burning.
- Add shrimp and tomato halves and cook for about 3-5 minutes.
- Take off the heat and add the juice of half of a large lemon or a whole small lemon.
- Toss over the “zoodles,” add salt and pepper to taste.
*Recipe adapted from CradleKitchen.com
Salmon Poke Bowl
Serves 1 The best thing about poke bowls is that they can be individually catered as the ingredients are entirely up to your personal preferences! Since poke bowls resemble an unraveled sushi roll, we recommend using sushi rice over regular white rice for the best results. Choose your classic sushi ingredients, such as cucumber, avocado, and salmon. Add your favorite garnishes like sesame seeds, scallions, wasabi or ginger.
Wine Pairing Suggestion: Peter Lehmann Riesling, Eden Valley, Australia
Ingredients:
1 cup sushi rice
1 cup water, plus more for rinsing
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
8 oz wild-caught, sushi-grade salmon fillet
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ avocado, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sprouts
¼ teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon black sesame seeds
Garnish with green scallions as desired
Directions:
- Add the rice to a fine-mesh strainer and submerge in a bowl filled with water. Shake the rice a few times to remove excess starch.
- Transfer the rice to a medium pot and add 1 cup of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer the rice to a large bowl.
- Mix together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and pour over the rice while still hot. Gently fold the rice to incorporate. Cover and set aside until ready to assemble the bowl.
- Using a sharp knife, gently slice the salmon fillet into ½-inch cubes. It may be easier to slice if you place the salmon in the freezer for a few minutes to help it firm up.
- Just before assembly, place salmon in bowl and season with soy sauce and lemon juice.
- To assemble, place a few spoonfuls of rice into a medium bowl (use any leftover rice for another poke bowl or sushi). Top the rice with the seasoned salmon, avocado, cucumber, sprouts, toasted sesame seeds, black sesame seeds. Garnish with green scallions if desired.
*Recipe adapted from Tasty’s Joey Firoben.
Did you try one of these recipes and wine pairings? Let us know by tagging @Coravin on social media!
