Going into a new year, you can always use some new recipes that are veggie-forward, feature whole grains and lean proteins, and will make you feel good. Westport Lifestyle asked two top local dietitians to share healthy recipes they swear by this time of year to help you get inspired in your own kitchen. Adriana Gatti Liberatore shares a warming, hearty turkey, cannellini bean, and spinach soup, and Alyssa Lavy offers a chilled quinoa salad that, as she explains, "combines the hearty and cozy feel of quinoa with the lightness you may be craving after the holiday season. And it’s so simple to prepare that it will have you meeting your meal prep goals through January and beyond!"
Chilled Quinoa Salad by Alyssa Lavy, MS, RD, CDN, CPT
Ingredients:
Quinoa:
1 c. quinoa, dry
2 c. water
15 oz. garbanzo beans, canned, unsalted or rinsed
1 cucumber
1 bell pepper
¾ c. pumpkin seeds, hulled
¾ c. feta cheese, crumbled or chopped
Dressing:
1/3 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. lemon juice (juice from approximately 1 medium lemon)
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
Directions:
- Rinse quinoa and add to a medium saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover with lid and reduce to low heat. Allow quinoa to simmer for about 15 minutes, until water is absorbed and a thin, translucent ring forms. If package of quinoa has different cooking instructions, you can follow the instructions for the specific brand. Continue with next step while quinoa is cooking and transfer quinoa to a large mixing bowl once cooked.
- Wash cucumber and bell pepper and pat dry. Dice cucumber and thoroughly dry with paper towel (it can be helpful to scoop sections of the cucumber and bell pepper with paper towel and squeeze tightly to ensure they are as dry as possible). Add diced cucumber and bell pepper to cooked quinoa in large mixing bowl.
- Open can of garbanzo beans and pour contents into a strainer over the sink so the liquid drains. Pat dry with paper towel and add to large bowl with quinoa and vegetables. Add pumpkin seeds and feta cheese and use a large spoon to mix ingredients.
- Drizzle olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice over quinoa. Add salt and ground black pepper. Use large spoon again to mix ingredients until dressing is well distributed.
- Cover with lid or plastic wrap and store in fridge for at least 1 hour, until chilled and ready to serve. This dish can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container. Leftovers can be enjoyed for up to 3-4 days. Enjoy! Serves 6-8.
Turkey, Cannelini Bean, and Spinach Zuppa
"As a dietitian, I often encourage clients to start the new year with nourishing, sustainable choices, and soups are one of my favorite ways to do that," Adriana Liberatore, MS, RDN, explains. "They offer warmth, comfort, and steady energy. This recipe is my take on the classic Italian soups my nonna used to make: simple, wholesome, and deeply satisfying. It brings together bone broth for protein, minerals, and gut-supportive collagen; spinach for chlorophyll, which helps support natural detoxification and cellular health; cannellini beans for fiber and resistant starch to steady blood sugar and aid digestion; and high-quality lean turkey, rich in tryptophan to support mood and provide the amino acids needed for hormone production in both men and women."
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 c. diced yellow onion
1 1/2 c. carrot, large, diced
5 c. chicken bone broth
Salt/pepper (to taste)
1 lb. ground turkey
1 lemon, juiced, with grated zest
1 1/2 tbsp. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. oregano
3 c. fresh spinach
1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (to garnish)
1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tbsp. basil leaves, chopped (add at end)
Directions:
1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Season the raw turkey with desired amounts of salt and pepper. Drop them into the broth in bite-sized pieces. You can roll them neatly or just drop in pieces. 4. Add in the lemon juice and thyme, and let the soup bubble gently for about 15 minutes
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Just before you’re ready to serve, add the spinach and cannellini beans and simmer until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
6. Top each bowl with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Buon Appetito! Serves 6.
ALYSSA LAVY, MS, RD, CDN, CPT | Registered dietitian and personal trainer
Alyssa is a registered dietitian, personal trainer, and the owner of Alyssa Lavy Nutrition & Wellness, a wellness brand offering nutrition communications, program development, and consulting services for individuals and corporations. For more, visit alyssalavy.com or follow @alyssalavyrd
ADRIANA LIBERATORE, MS, RDN | Registered dietitian
Adriana is a registered dietitian and the owner of TrulyWell, her practice offering one-on-one counseling and consulting for health and nutrition. To learn more visit trulywellrd.com. Follow @trulywell.rd (and TrulyWell's social media manager Julia Bath @jgQueenbee) to watch Adriana make this soup and so much more.