7 RESOLUTIONS TO RING IN 2021 WITH HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Hello From the Kitchen and Happy New Year!

Resolutions, we all have them, but do we really ever stick to them? Where did it all start? Can I truly learn something new in this upcoming year? I am going to answer these questions and give you some tasty recipes to ring in 2021.

The ancient Babylonians were said to have started the first New Year’s resolution 4000 years ago. Now that is “trend setting” at its finest. But honestly, 80% of New Year resolutions fail by the second week of February. This number is staggering but not surprising. We all set lofty goals in the moment with open minds and a need to shrug off the prior year. But I am here to say your plan, patience and enjoyment will be the best ingredients to achieving success.

To help you achieve your goals for health and happiness in the New Year, I’ve put together a few of the things that stood out to me from an article by Good Housekeeping. Being a Chef, I look for inspiration in all things to provide the ultimate experience to my guests. Here are 7 resolutions I know you’ll love and enjoy:

1. COOK ONE NEW THING EVERY WEEK

Everyone wants to eat healthier in the new year, but you should also try to eat more diverse foods. After all, variety is the spice of life. This year, choose an easy dinner recipe you’ve never tried before at least once a week. If you don’t know how to get started, Exclusive Chefs can help you plan nutritionally-balanced weekly meals and offer personalized cooking classes tailored to your imagination to assist you with this New Year’s resolution.

2. EAT VEGGIES REGULARLY

Whether you’re slimming down or just staying healthy, vegetables are your friends, says Mehmet Oz, M.D. One woman who appeared on his show — Tiffany, who lost 31 pounds — says, “I sauté́ onions, peppers, mushrooms, corn — whatever I have in the freezer — and toss that on a bed of baby arugula and spinach.

Here is a New Year’s recipe perfect for cleaning out your freezer or pantry. You can speed up the prep time of this healthy and delicious meal if you place the potato in the microwave for 8-10 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE FREEZER/PANTRY VEGGIE STUFFED POTATO

Prep Time: 10 mins.
Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins.
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1 potato large with skin on, rinsed and scrubbed
• .25 cup preserved roasted peppers, onions and mushrooms, cooked frozen and coarsely chopped
• .25 cup Kernel corn, frozen
• .25 cup spinach, cooked frozen
• 0.25 tablespoons parmesan cheese grated
• 0.25 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for rubbing the potatoes
• 0.03 teaspoon salt
• 0.02 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Pierce the potatoes with the tip of a sharp knife then rub them with extra virgin olive oil.
3. Place them on a baking dish then bake them for 1 hour or until they are tender.
4. Being careful (they can be very hot), cut the potatoes in half lengthwise then scoop out the inner pulp.
5. Collect the potato pulp then chop them coarsely.
6. In a small bowl, mix the veggies, chopped potato pulp, Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
7. Fill the hollowed potatoes with the vegetable mixture then bake again for another 15 minutes.

3. TAKE THE STAIRS

Take 10 minutes to run up the stairs in your office or home. A published study in the journal Physiology & Behavior found that tired women who climbed stairs for 10 minutes got a bigger energy boost than those who had the caffeine equivalent of a can of soda or half a cup of coffee (and burned calories too!). I personally use the stairs wherever I go (unless it’s the Stratosphere) and park in the spot furthest away from the building.

4. KEEP CLUTTER OUT OF THE KITCHEN

If you can hardly see your counters through all the papers, Post-its, and not-yet-put-away groceries, you may pay for that chaos on the scale. In one study, researchers found that when women were surrounded by clutter, they tended to eat more cookies — especially when stressed. Removing all the unhealthy foods from your kitchen by eating them does not count as “removing the clutter”. But if you’ve really tried and are just having a difficult time, maybe it’s not you, maybe it’s your kitchen space because your living space can affect the way you think and act. Exclusive Chefs’ services include a kitchen pantry makeover complete with an organization plan and must–have kitchen equipment to turn your home kitchen into a Pro-Chef’s dream kitchen. With a chef’s take on how to deal with clutter in the kitchen, you can maintain a clean space all year round and keep both mind and body healthy.

5. LEARN A NEW SKILL

Physical exercise keeps your body healthy, and mental exercise is key to keeping your mind sharp.  something new can boost memory skills and more. Hire your own Personal Chef to instruct you in the art of cooking private cooking class. Our personalized cooking classes in Las Vegas start at $200 plus the cost of groceries. You can contact us today and set up an initial consultation so we can review your dietary needs, the region or cuisine you want to learn, and how to’s on setting up your own in-home celebration. We can even do couples cooking classes so both partners can put on a show to impress family and friends at dinner.

6. ADD MORE CITRUS TO YOUR GROCERY CART

When you see all those gorgeous in-season grapefruits, oranges, clementines, and pomelos in the produce aisle, grab an armful. Winter citrus can help keep skin looking healthy thanks to vitamin C which aids in collagen production. In fact, an American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that people who ate foods high in Vitamin C had fewer wrinkles and less age-related dry skin than those who didn’t. Cocktails are great for any occasion, especially as a New Year’s drink, so I have decided to share a traditional Whiskey sour with a twist to make use of all those collagen-rich citrus fruits. Hey, it’s about trying new things this year right?

HOW TO MAKE WINTER CITRUS BOURBON SOUR

This Winter Citrus bourbon Sour incorporates tart lemon and lime juice with a splash of sweet, freshly-squeezed orange juice. A generous swig of whiskey and a healthy dash of simple syrup, and the mixture is shaken to foamy perfection.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Servings: 1 cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

• Juice of 1/2 lemons
• 2 slices of limes
• 4 slices of orange
• 1.5 ounces bourbon
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 3 maraschino cherries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Give the mixture several vigorous shakes.
2. Divide the mixture between three rocks glasses filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.
3. Muddle 2 of the maraschino cherries and 3 orange slices with the simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add the bourbon and lemon juice. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and shake well. Strain into rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish glass with a maraschino and an orange slice.

7. CHOW DOWN ON BLUEBERRIES AND PECANS

Separately or together, these berries and nuts have health superpowers: Blueberries have been shown to help people with metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and too much belly fat), and pecans are a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which help lower blood pressure. For a quick New Year’s Day recipe, toss these berries and nuts in a salad and eat up for a healthier 2021!

HOW TO MAKE SPICED APPLE PECAN SALAD

Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 2 cups spring mix
• 1 medium apple (about 1 cup,  sliced 1/8th  pieces)
• 0.5 tbsp butter
• Splash of Cointreau liqueur
• 0.5 tbsp brown sugar
• 0.06 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 0.5 tsp cayenne
• 1-2 oz  gorgonzola
• 1 tbsp sliced pecans
• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
• Honey Dijon dressing

Instructions

1. In a sauté pan, melt butter and add apples and deglaze with liqueur. Cook 8-10 minutes. Apples should be firm but cooked.
2. In a small bowl mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne.
3. Remove apples from pan into a colander and dust with spice mixture coating all sides of apples. Set aside to cool.
4. Add the spring mix, apple slices, cheese, pecans, blueberries, and parsley to a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Serve immediately so as to not wilt the lettuce.

The ole adage, “I’m keeping my bad habits because I’m no quitter” will not apply here. You will have huge success if you set a goal and make a plan. Keep these simple and bite–sized (the only way to eat an elephant is 1 bite at a time) so that you can achieve mini goals throughout the year and celebrate them. Utilize the buddy system so you can help support one another during the hard times and keep each other honest when no one is looking. Spice things up and change up your normal routine. Finally and most importantly, just keep on it. Everyone falls, it’s in how you pick yourself up and go from there that will define you in the New Year.

Stay Calm and Chef On!

Chef Dennis Hicks