cdkitchen > cooking experts > amy powell
Now is the time of resolutions. While most New Year’s resolutions involving food tend revolve around eating less of it, I propose this be the year not so much of eating less as eating right. Eating right can mean many things, but for me that involves making choices that are healthier, might take some planning, and will ultimately save me some time at the end of the day. Of course a resolution like this requires rules and a plan to make sure I can stick with it. With rules in place and a plan in hand, this year might end up being the right kind of year for me.
Rule #1: Eat out less: According to a segment I listened to on NPR this week regarding food trends in the US, this is the first decade in sixty years to end with American dining-out habits actually on the decline. Whether this is because of the recent economic downturn or a desire to eat healthier at home, I am apparently not alone in the realization that I have been relying too much on others to cook for me. I love fine dining at restaurants probably even more than the average Joe, but the times when I shouldn’t be eating out are those when my day has run long because of work or the gym or (fill in the blank) and it is too late or I am too lazy to cook something up for myself. It is time for me to stop making excuses for picking up Mexican take-out and keep food on hand that I can cook up even in a hurry.
Rule #2: Keep a better stocked pantry: If I kept a better stocked pantry, Rule #1 would not be so hard to achieve. Not only would Rule #1 be easier to accomplish, but in general I would not need to make so many trips to the store, ultimately saving myself a lot of time. Essential items I should always have in the pantry include the following: chicken stock, canned tomatoes (diced and whole), tuna, white beans, black beans, chickpeas, rice, quinoa, and pasta.
There are also a number of fresh items I should make sure and have on hand at all times for last minute meals: onions, garlic, lemon, lime, potatoes and/or sweet potatoes, winter squash (when in season). All of these fresh items have longer shelf lives than the average fruit and vegetable and thus can be relied on for all sorts of on-the-fly dishes.
The freezer is another place that needs to be replenished beyond the ice cube trays and half empty bottle of vodka. Fish fillets, individually frozen chicken breasts, sausage, ground turkey divided up in half pound portions--these are all great sources of protein that can be defrosted quickly to become a turkey burger for one or sausage pasta for four.
Rule #3: The freezer is my friend: While I am busy stocking the freezer with things other than vodka, I need to remember what a handy tool it can be for storing those leftovers I can’t eat in one go. If I make a pot of soup one night and don’t feel like eating the same thing for the next three days, I should freeze it as it will be a welcome homemade meal on a night I don’t have the time or energy to cook. The same goes for extra pasta sauce, stews and chili, all of which freeze well and reheat beautifully. I’ll even make extra homemade teriyaki or barbecue sauce and freeze it for a night when I want a homemade touch to dress up an otherwise boring grilled chicken breast.
As for those essential frozen items I stocked up on in Rule #2, a frozen fish fillet can be defrosted under cold running water in about 10 minutes. I can defrost that extra teriyaki glaze in the microwave and preheat the oven while I change out of my work clothes and I’ll have a completely homemade dinner practically made within minutes of walking in the door.
For me, cooking at home is almost always going to be healthier than eating out since I know exactly what I put into every dish. If I can manage my pantry and my time a bit better with some advanced planning, a homemade meal will always be at the ready. Rather than counting calories and cutting things out as part of my New Year’s Resolution, by adding things to my kitchen I will be on the right path to eating the right things and eating well, which is about as delicious a resolution as I can think of.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/1003-healthy-eating-rules/
Eating *Right* In The New Year
Now is the time of resolutions. While most New Year’s resolutions involving food tend revolve around eating less of it, I propose this be the year not so much of eating less as eating right. Eating right can mean many things, but for me that involves making choices that are healthier, might take some planning, and will ultimately save me some time at the end of the day. Of course a resolution like this requires rules and a plan to make sure I can stick with it. With rules in place and a plan in hand, this year might end up being the right kind of year for me.
Rule #1: Eat out less: According to a segment I listened to on NPR this week regarding food trends in the US, this is the first decade in sixty years to end with American dining-out habits actually on the decline. Whether this is because of the recent economic downturn or a desire to eat healthier at home, I am apparently not alone in the realization that I have been relying too much on others to cook for me. I love fine dining at restaurants probably even more than the average Joe, but the times when I shouldn’t be eating out are those when my day has run long because of work or the gym or (fill in the blank) and it is too late or I am too lazy to cook something up for myself. It is time for me to stop making excuses for picking up Mexican take-out and keep food on hand that I can cook up even in a hurry.
Rule #2: Keep a better stocked pantry: If I kept a better stocked pantry, Rule #1 would not be so hard to achieve. Not only would Rule #1 be easier to accomplish, but in general I would not need to make so many trips to the store, ultimately saving myself a lot of time. Essential items I should always have in the pantry include the following: chicken stock, canned tomatoes (diced and whole), tuna, white beans, black beans, chickpeas, rice, quinoa, and pasta.
There are also a number of fresh items I should make sure and have on hand at all times for last minute meals: onions, garlic, lemon, lime, potatoes and/or sweet potatoes, winter squash (when in season). All of these fresh items have longer shelf lives than the average fruit and vegetable and thus can be relied on for all sorts of on-the-fly dishes.
The freezer is another place that needs to be replenished beyond the ice cube trays and half empty bottle of vodka. Fish fillets, individually frozen chicken breasts, sausage, ground turkey divided up in half pound portions--these are all great sources of protein that can be defrosted quickly to become a turkey burger for one or sausage pasta for four.
Rule #3: The freezer is my friend: While I am busy stocking the freezer with things other than vodka, I need to remember what a handy tool it can be for storing those leftovers I can’t eat in one go. If I make a pot of soup one night and don’t feel like eating the same thing for the next three days, I should freeze it as it will be a welcome homemade meal on a night I don’t have the time or energy to cook. The same goes for extra pasta sauce, stews and chili, all of which freeze well and reheat beautifully. I’ll even make extra homemade teriyaki or barbecue sauce and freeze it for a night when I want a homemade touch to dress up an otherwise boring grilled chicken breast.
As for those essential frozen items I stocked up on in Rule #2, a frozen fish fillet can be defrosted under cold running water in about 10 minutes. I can defrost that extra teriyaki glaze in the microwave and preheat the oven while I change out of my work clothes and I’ll have a completely homemade dinner practically made within minutes of walking in the door.
For me, cooking at home is almost always going to be healthier than eating out since I know exactly what I put into every dish. If I can manage my pantry and my time a bit better with some advanced planning, a homemade meal will always be at the ready. Rather than counting calories and cutting things out as part of my New Year’s Resolution, by adding things to my kitchen I will be on the right path to eating the right things and eating well, which is about as delicious a resolution as I can think of.
Bacon Salmon with Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze
Made with smoked bacon, Dijon mustard, salmon fillets, salt and pepper, brown sugar, whole grain mustard
Made with smoked bacon, Dijon mustard, salmon fillets, salt and pepper, brown sugar, whole grain mustard
Serves/Makes: 4
- 4 salmon fillets, 4-5 ounce each
- salt and pepper
- 5 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
- 4 slices apple wood smoked bacon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove any pin bones from four salmon fillets. Pat fillets dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Spray a baking sheet with non stick spray and lay out salmon, skin side down.
In a small bowl mix brown sugar and mustards to form a paste. Smear paste on the top side of the salmon fillets.
Cut bacon in half crosswise. Lay bacon strips on the length of the salmon fillets over the brown sugar paste, overlapping if necessary.
Place salmon in oven and bake for about 10 minutes until salmon has cooked through and bacon is crispy. Serve immediately.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/1003-healthy-eating-rules/