Somewhat Shocking 2013 Resolutions

Instead of my annual new ingredients to try (though trust me, there are plenty of those!), I'm making a much larger effort this year at a New Year's resolution. My hope is that this drastic move will not only shed some pounds, but also challenge me to become a better cook and experiment with new flavors, ingredients and techniques. Though there will be less mac and cheese and more greens and grains, I hope you'll stick with me!


1. Ditch the dairy: that's right, this is a pretty bold move for me. Luke and I are giving it a month to see how sustainable it is for us. I've decided that this large step should help kick start greater consciousness every time I sit down to eat, not just the 75% of the time I'm usually careful countered by 25% splurges. Remember my Vegan Week? Will be channeling those efforts, but I know I've learned a lot since then too!
2. Goodbye to meat: Well, mostly. I'm not saying farewell, just bye for now. And expect seafood to keep popping up, along with my beloved eggs.

3. Eat more lentils. Tasty ideas from FitSugar along with my ever-trusty employer, Whole Foods Market should help me on this.
4. Eat even more leafy greens: Our garden has helped exponentially increase our leafy green consumption. Having fresh chard, spinach and kale at our disposal, along with those tasty beet greens before they got harvested, really helped in 2012. I let my daily green smoothie habit die when we moved to our new house, so my goal is to drink green at least 2 days a week again.
5. Make friends with tofu: I've managed to avoid it thus far, but with cutting down my meat intake, it's time to get creative and make friends with this vegetarian stand-by. Any tips are welcome :)

Here are some recipes I'm planning on trying or adapting in the coming weeks.

• "Creamy" Sundried Tomato Soup from Love and Lemons
• Tofu Scramble from Bon Appetit
•  Miso-Maple Sweet Potato Tacos from Love and Lemons (ok, I've already made these twice, but I love them!)
• Roasted Root Vegetables with Walnut Pesto from Cooking Light
• Pappardelle with Roasted Winter Squash, Arugula and Pine Nuts from Cooking Light
• Spicy Moroccan Chickpeas from Cooking Light
• Spiced Lentils with Mushrooms and Greens from Food & Wine
• Roasted Garlic, Sun-Dried Tomato and White Bean Dip from Cooking Light (brought this to a family Christmas celebration, great snack!)
• Beet Wellingtons from Cooking Light, for when I'm feeling fancy :)

What's inspiring you for the New Year? Any resolutions you care to share? Have any resources for me?