Recovering from post-holiday feasts and gearing up for your healthy New Year’s resolutions means incorporating a delicious variety of satisfying meals that are also diet-friendly. Since the holidays are usually burgeoning with high-sugar, high-carb, high-calorie fare, following a lower-carb diet can help you shed those holiday pounds as well as rediscover the vitality and energy you had prior to the holiday chaos. Here are a few healthy low carb recipes to give you a jump-start on your diet-centric resolutions for the New Year.
Healthy low carb recipes
In addition to feasting guilt-free on these low carb dishes, be sure to check out my article How to lose weight after the holidays. It features expert low carb tips from Collete Hemowitz, vice president of health and nutrition at Atkins.
Prosciutto Asparagus Omelet
Serves 1 to 2
A protein-packed breakfast will keep your hunger at bay throughout a busy morning. For an added crunch, pair omelet with a piece of low carb toast. If prosciutto isn’t available at your local
grocer’s deli, simply substitute your favorite ham.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 paper-thin slice prosciutto, cut into matchsticks
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until fork tender. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until
fragrant.
2. Add eggs and use a spatula to stir and evenly distribute asparagus, prosciutto and egg. Reduce heat to medium and cover with a lid. Cook for 1 minute and then sprinkle with cheese and season with
salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook until omelet is set and cheese is melted. Fold omelet in half and slide onto a plate. Serve warm.
If you love omelets, here are a few more healthy recipes:
Turkey Cutlets with Currant Sauce
Serves 4
A quick and easy – but very flavorful – main dish that partners well with roasted vegetables or a side of low carb pasta.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 thin-cut turkey cutlets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup dry red wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons red currant jelly
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season turkey with salt and pepper and place in skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, flip, and cook for 2 minutes more or until cutlets
are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
2. Add shallot and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and vinegar, then whisk into the sauce. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in jelly and mustard. Add any accumulated
juices from the turkey. Serve turkey drizzled with sauce.
For more healthy turkey recipes, give these a taste:
- Turkey Breast Parmesan
- Tarragon Turkey Salad Cups
- Turkey Eggplant Chili
Grapefruit Brulee
Serves 4
A sweet-tart treat for dessert – or as a brunch dish. Serve with whole-milk yogurt for a creamy contrast of textures.
Ingredients:
2 ruby red grapefruit, halved
1 tablespoon brown sugar or brown sugar substitute
1 tablespoon rum
Directions:
1. Preheat broiler on high. Set grapefruit halves on a broiler pan, cut side up (you may need to cut a small slice off the rounded bottoms to keep them upright).
2. Sprinkle brown sugar and rum on the cut side of each grapefruit. Broil for 5 minutes or until tops of grapefruit are golden brown. Serve warm.
Here are a few more healthy grapefruit recipes for your tangy-sweet enjoyment:
- Skinny Cheesecake
- Heart-Smart French Toast with Grapefruit
- La Paloma Grapefruit Cocktail
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