30 Days, 30 Ways: Find New Flavors

All throughout January we’re bringing you 30 Days, 30 Ways to Good Health, a series of easy strategies for overall wellness (and because we love food, it’s focuses on the foods and cooking techniques to add into your life instead of what to take away.) Read on for our latest eat well strategy: find new flavors.

 

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be a chore. Perk up your palate and beat your meal routine by experimenting with international dishes featuring vibrant spices and new ingredients. A few of our favorite recipes are below.

 

Asian-Style Chicken Soup Here, chicken, vegetables and rice noodles are cooked in a clear, spice-infused broth. An abundance of bright green garnishes liven up this one-dish meal. The more green you add, the healthier and more flavorful this soup becomes.

Thai-Style Beef and Broccoli Curry In only a few minutes, tender meat is cooked in a creamy-spicy sauce. Fresh herbs and lime juice are added just before serving to bring the flavors to life. Tenderloin is as tender as the name implies, and only a small amount is used here.

Steamed Tofu with Greens and Peanut Sauce This is a virtuous vegetarian supper, with nutrients from the cabbage and spinach and protein from the tofu. The steaming technique is quick and lean, limiting the fat content to the healthy fats from coconut milk and peanut butter in the rich sauce.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Indian Curry and Cilantro Toasting curry powder and then mixing it with oil intensifies its multilayered taste. It contrasts nicely with earthy root vegetables, which are roasted in a hot oven to coax out their natural sweetness. A sprinkle of bright-tasting cilantro lends a refreshing component to the dish.

Stir-Fried Lamb with Broccoli Like other members of the crucifer family, broccoli is a nutritious powerhouse, loaded with vitamin C and vitamin A, calcium and beta-carotene. Here, it’s paired with lean lamb and immune-boosting mushrooms to create a nourishing dish for a cold night.

Quick Kabob Pita Sandwiches Food on a stick is great fun for kids, and the entire family can help prepare this simple kabob recipe. Children can skewer the meat, which cooks in minutes on an indoor grill. Then everyone assembles their own pita sandwiches, adding whatever garnishes they please.

Soy-Glazed Black Cod A mild fish, black cod lends itself well to the assertive flavors of ginger, garlic and soy sauce. It is also easy to prepare in a steam oven, gently cooking through in less than 10 minutes. Serve the fish with bok choy, crispy shiitake mushrooms and rice for a simple yet satisfying meal.

Grilled Halloumi and Little Gem Salad with Preserved Lemon Dressing Halloumi is a firm cheese that originated in Cypress but is increasingly made domestically. Its claim to fame is that it holds its shape when grilled or fried.

Vegetable Spring Rolls These refreshing rolls make perfect finger food for a spring or summer get-together; serve them with good-quality prepared chili and peanut dipping sauces (read the nutrition labels carefully before buying). Feel free to change up the filling ingredients as you please.

Braised Chickpeas and Carrots with Yogurt Topping Here, tender beans and sweet carrots are infused with enticing spices and get a dollop of an Indian-inspired yogurt topping. Serve on a bed of protein-rich quinoa to round it out.

Warm Lamb and Farro Salad with Pomegranate Tender lamb mixes with earthy farro, sweet pomegranate seeds, aromatic mint and crunchy fennel in this main-course salad, which is a wonderful dish to serve at the first sign of spring.

Squash with Chile Yogurt Cilantro Sauce This recipe is perhaps the simplest in Yotam Ottolenghi’s cookbook Plenty More, yet the combination of spicy sriracha sauce, Greek yogurt and fresh cilantro gives it a great depth of flavor.

Root-Vegetable Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Cream Root vegetables make this vegetarian main dish hearty and original. Adjust the amount of chili powder based on how much heat you want. In the summer months, substitute grilled seasonal vegetables that have marinated in the spice mixture for the root vegetables. Serve with a pot of beans on the side and ice-cold Mexican beer.