With a new year comes the opportunity for a bright beginning, a fresh start and a clear perspective. By clicking on this blog to learn some fresh new ways to make your New Year’s resolutions a reality, you’ve made an important step toward mastering your new goal: taking action! The five recipes below will offer you convenience, ease and confidence in the kitchen. Each recipe provides outstanding nutrition with a punch of flavor. Whether your plan is to cook more, eat cleaner or simply try new things, here’s to a deliciously healthful New Year!

Seared Scallops & Purple Potato Mash

Scallops are a quick-cooking, lean protein that work well for any weeknight meal. They are a great source of Vitamin B12 to support a healthy nervous system. Pairing scallops with vibrant purple potatoes is beautiful as well as delicious. As an added bonus for busy folks, the recipe below can be made in 25 minutes. Culinary Tip: Pat the scallops dry and make sure the oil is hot before you place them in the pan. This helps you achieve a nice, crisp sear on the outside.

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Total: 25 minutes | Serves 2

Ingredients:

6 scallops

2 Tbsp. canola oil

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground pepper

8 oz. Private Selection™ Petite Purple Potatoes

½ bag Kroger Brand Frozen Peas and Carrots

2 Tbsp. Kroger Brand Plain Greek Yogurt

1 lemon, sliced in half

Directions:

1. In large pot, add water and large pinch of salt, heat to boiling. Once the water is boiling, add potatoes and cover with lid. Boil for around 10-12 minutes or until you can easily poke knife through potatoes. Drain and place in separate bowl. Mash potatoes with 2 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt.
2. Heat frozen peas and carrots according to instructions on bag. Mix in with potatoes.
3. Heat large pan on medium heat. Once heated, add oil. Add pinch of salt and pepper to scallops and place in pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. Serve purple mash topped with scallops. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to your scallops for more flavor.

Orange Citrus Brussels Sprouts

Orange adds a bright and zesty flavor to pan-roasted Brussels sprouts. They make the perfect accompaniment to any protein and can win over even the biggest vegetable skeptics.

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Total: 20 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cups Brussels sprouts, halved

1 orange

2 Tbsp. canola oil

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground pepper

Directions:

1. Heat large pan to medium-high heat. Add oil.
2. Add halved Brussels sprouts to pan. Allow time for them to brown on one side before sautéing.
3. Zest orange and place to the side. Squeeze juice from the orange over the Brussels and add pinch of salt and pepper. Continue to sauté.
4. Remove from pan. Add orange zest to serve.

Culinary Tip: After squeezing the juice from the orange in the pan and allowing it to mostly absorb, use half of the orange to soak up those crunchy bites at the bottom of the pan. Squeeze this charred orange over chicken, fish or tofu and you’ll see how it adds flavor and perfectly pairs with this meal.

Spicy Tomato & Lentil Soup

You’d think the best soup of all time couldn’t get any better, but it just did. This spicy tomato and lentil soup adds protein, complex carbohydrates and a punch of heat to make this recipe a home run. The superstar of this one is the lentils; they score a perfect 100 on OptUp, our proprietary nutrition rating system. (You can thank lentils in advance for boosting your future OptUp score!)

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Total: 20 minutes | Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 can Simple Truth™ Tomato Sauce, no salt added

1 can Simple Truth™ Diced Tomatoes, no salt added

1 Tbsp. canola oil

½ tsp. oregano

½ tsp. paprika

½ cup lentils

½ - 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, depending on preferred spice level

Salt, to taste

Ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In saucepot, add 1 tablespoon canola oil. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce spices, and salt/pepper. Heat to medium heat.
2. Stir occasionally and taste to determine spice level. After 5-6 minutes, stir in ½ cup of water with ½ cup of lentils. Cover the saucepot with lid and slightly lift.
3. After 10-12 minutes, check lentils to ensure they are soft. Serve with grilled cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread or a Caprese salad.

Pear Pistachio Salad with Ricotta Cheese

Pears are a great source of vitamin C, as well as soluble fiber, which plays a role in lowering blood cholesterol levels. They pair well with savory foods and always do a great job at amping up the flavor. Culinary Tip: Adding ricotta cheese to a salad adds creaminess and sour notes, making your salad more balanced and giving it well-rounded texture and flavor.

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 0 minutes | Total: 10 minutes | Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Bosc pears, chopped

½ cup pistachios, chopped

¾ cup Bulgar, fully cooked

4 cups fresh spinach

½ cup low fat ricotta cheese

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground pepper

½ cup balsamic vinaigrette

Directions:

1. Prepare Bulgar according to package instructions.

2. In large bowl, add spinach and use ricotta cheese to coat greens.

3. Next, add Bulgar, pistachios, pears, salt and pepper.

4. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and serve.

Chicken Sweet Potato Skillet with Pomegranate Arils

Everyone needs an easy chicken-and-potatoes recipe on standby. This one has everything you need from top to bottom. Pomegranate is the star ingredient, providing anti-inflammatory properties thanks to vitamin C. These little bursts of tartness score a 90 on OptUp, making them a food you should incorporate into your diet more often. Culinary Tip: Butterfly your chicken breast to reduce the cooking time. To do this, make a lateral cut along the chicken breast, stopping before you reach the other side. This forms a “butterfly” shape that you can cook more easily in a nonstick pan.

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Total: 25 minutes | Serves 3

Ingredients:

3 4-oz. cuts chicken breast

2 medium size sweet potatoes, diced

2 cups kale, chopped

½ cup almonds, diced

¼ cup pomegranate arils

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 garlic clove

Pinch of salt

Pinch of ground pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet on medium heat, toss almonds until toasted. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, heat canola oil, briefly sauté garlic, then add in potatoes and kale and sauté for 4-5 minutes.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper and sauté in medium size pan until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached throughout. Remove and dice the chicken.

4. Add diced chicken to the skillet with vegetables. Top with almonds and pomegranate arils and serve.

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