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We're a couple weeks into the New Year now, and I’ve been a bit slow to get started on my set of resolutions. Each year, come January, I make up my mind to try to eat healthier, and this year, I have a few modest goals in mind to that end. To eat more vegetarian-based meals and drink more water. Pretty simple and easy to implement stuff.
Studies show that it takes approximately four weeks for a lifestyle change to stick, so I’m going to try my healthier eating lifestyle with at least one meat-free dinner for at least a month to see if my family can be gently coaxed to make it a long term commitment.
Do you have any dietary resolutions this New Year? Maybe there is a new eating lifestyle you want to try, or perhaps you’d like to increase your consumption of vegetables, or prepare more meals in advance. Whatever your goal, I’ve got a recipe that will fit the bill for lots of healthy eating requirements.
My kick-off-the-New-Year-right meal this year was a Butternut Squash and Red Lentil stew. This is nothing like your grandmother’s lentil soup. It’s a North African influenced vegetarian meal full of good for you veggies like squash, carrots, and onions, high protein chickpeas and lentils, and fragrant with cumin, garlic and ginger. Stir in some peanuts or plain yogurt for garnish, or just serve it as is with a side of cooked basmati rice and you’ve got dinner.
This is not rabbit food. It’s a deeply satisfying and hearty stew with an intriguing combination of textures and flavors. It tastes even better the next day. I made a big batch and thought about freezing individual portions for quick lunches, but we ate it all before there was time to do that!
Plus you can throw it all in the slow cooker first thing and come home to a healthy and warming dinner, making it ideal for a meatless Monday. It’s economical too, checking off another common resolution: to save money. It’s vegan along with being gluten free, so it can easily cover a lot of very specific dietary requirements or just fit in with a more healthy eating approach like the goal for which I am shooting.
Along with eating healthier, my more specific goal is to drink more water. Late last year I discovered that I had become dehydrated. I used to have no problem guzzling quarts of water a day but more recently it feels like more of a chore to drink tons of plain water. I’m going to try to make it fun by adding some flavorful additions like lemon, mint, or ginger and try some new reusable water bottles for on the go.
Rather than making up a set of concrete resolutions that will inevitably go out the window by mid spring, the best plan is to aim for overall health. So with a few good-for-you meals like this up your sleeve, you can be prepared to make a fresh, clean eating start and face any challenge the New Year brings!
©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/pamela-chester/1328-food-resolutions/
Out With The Old And In With The New
We're a couple weeks into the New Year now, and I’ve been a bit slow to get started on my set of resolutions. Each year, come January, I make up my mind to try to eat healthier, and this year, I have a few modest goals in mind to that end. To eat more vegetarian-based meals and drink more water. Pretty simple and easy to implement stuff.
Studies show that it takes approximately four weeks for a lifestyle change to stick, so I’m going to try my healthier eating lifestyle with at least one meat-free dinner for at least a month to see if my family can be gently coaxed to make it a long term commitment.
Do you have any dietary resolutions this New Year? Maybe there is a new eating lifestyle you want to try, or perhaps you’d like to increase your consumption of vegetables, or prepare more meals in advance. Whatever your goal, I’ve got a recipe that will fit the bill for lots of healthy eating requirements.
My kick-off-the-New-Year-right meal this year was a Butternut Squash and Red Lentil stew. This is nothing like your grandmother’s lentil soup. It’s a North African influenced vegetarian meal full of good for you veggies like squash, carrots, and onions, high protein chickpeas and lentils, and fragrant with cumin, garlic and ginger. Stir in some peanuts or plain yogurt for garnish, or just serve it as is with a side of cooked basmati rice and you’ve got dinner.
This is not rabbit food. It’s a deeply satisfying and hearty stew with an intriguing combination of textures and flavors. It tastes even better the next day. I made a big batch and thought about freezing individual portions for quick lunches, but we ate it all before there was time to do that!
Plus you can throw it all in the slow cooker first thing and come home to a healthy and warming dinner, making it ideal for a meatless Monday. It’s economical too, checking off another common resolution: to save money. It’s vegan along with being gluten free, so it can easily cover a lot of very specific dietary requirements or just fit in with a more healthy eating approach like the goal for which I am shooting.
Along with eating healthier, my more specific goal is to drink more water. Late last year I discovered that I had become dehydrated. I used to have no problem guzzling quarts of water a day but more recently it feels like more of a chore to drink tons of plain water. I’m going to try to make it fun by adding some flavorful additions like lemon, mint, or ginger and try some new reusable water bottles for on the go.
Rather than making up a set of concrete resolutions that will inevitably go out the window by mid spring, the best plan is to aim for overall health. So with a few good-for-you meals like this up your sleeve, you can be prepared to make a fresh, clean eating start and face any challenge the New Year brings!
Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Stew
Made with fresh ginger, carrot, butternut squash, dried chickpeas, vegetable stock, red lentils, salt, lime, fresh cilantro
Made with fresh ginger, carrot, butternut squash, dried chickpeas, vegetable stock, red lentils, salt, lime, fresh cilantro
Serves/Makes: 6
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and rinsed
- 1 cup red lentils, picked
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
***To serve***
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, Stir in tomato paste, cumin, and ginger and cook for one minute.
Stir in remaining ingredients and bring just to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chickpeas and lentils are tender.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve in bowls with optional garnishes of lime wedges, peanuts and cilantro.
* Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker, Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours until chickpeas are tender.
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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/pamela-chester/1328-food-resolutions/