Lighter new year options

By Susan McClanahan

Happy New Year! The holiday season seemed to fly by and now we embrace a new year. Most parties are over and we return to a somewhat normal schedule.

For many of us, we have eaten rich foods for weeks now and as the new year comes in, we will be looking to enjoy some leaner meals. I found these recipes that just might get us off on the right foot this new year.

As this new year arrives, I pray that it will greet you and your loved ones with much health and happiness.

Garlic Parmesan- Crusted Salmon and Asparagus

• 3 or 4 salmon fillets
• 1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, or more
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat dry salmon. Brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil from all sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place the salmon, skin side down, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Coat asparagus with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place around salmon on baking sheet.

Spread minced garlic on top of the salmon and the asparagus. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and top with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Apricot Cranberry Chicken

This recipe is easy to prepare, but is still full of flavor for everyone to enjoy.

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Sprinkle chicken with salt. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat and brown half of the chicken on both sides. Remove from pan; repeat with remaining oil and chicken. Add onion to same pan; cook and stir over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth, cranberries, preserves and vinegar; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly reduced. Return chicken to pan; cook, uncovered, 4 to 6 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink, turning chicken halfway. Yield: 4 servings.

Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti Squash

• 1 pound shrimp, raw
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, full fat
• 1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Optional garnish: parsley

For the spaghetti squash:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully slice spaghetti squash down the middle and remove seeds with a spoon. Coat both halves of spaghetti squash with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until fully cooked. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Shred with two forks to make "spaghetti."

Spray a medium-size pot with cooking spray and saute garlic until slightly brown on medium heat. Add almond milk and Greek yogurt to the pot and gently whisk to combine. Once sauce begins to boil slightly, add Parmesan cheese and reduce heat to low. Mix periodically until cheese has fully melted, then remove pot from heat. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray and add shrimp. Season with garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper and lemon juice and cook for approximately 5 minutes on both sides until shrimp is pink. Add Greek yogurt Alfredo and spaghetti squash to saucepan and toss to combine.

Pan-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

This one-dish meal tastes like it needs hours of hands-on time to put together, but it's just minutes to prep the simple ingredients.

• 2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2-1/4 pounds), skin removed
• 6 cups fresh baby spinach (about 6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, onion, oil, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat. Transfer to a 15x10x1-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, mix paprika and the remaining salt, rosemary and pepper. Sprinkle chicken with paprika mixture; arrange over vegetables. Roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170 to 175 degrees and vegetables are just tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Top vegetables with spinach. Roast until vegetables are tender and spinach is wilted, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Stir vegetables to combine; serve with chicken. Yield: 6 servings.

Shrimp and Nectarine Salad

• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon

For the salad:

• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 2 medium nectarines, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

In a small bowl, whisk orange juice, vinegar, mustard and honey until blended. Stir in tarragon.

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add corn; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from pan. Sprinkle shrimp with lemon pepper and salt. In same skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Stir in corn.

In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Drizzle with 1/3 cup dressing and toss to coat. Divide mixture among four plates. Top with shrimp mixture; drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Hearty Chipotle Chicken Soup

Sweet corn and cool sour cream help tame the smoky-hot flavors of chipotle pepper in this well-balanced soup that's perfect for chilly nights.

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups frozen corn
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

In a Dutch oven, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken; heat through. Garnish with sour cream; sprinkle with cilantro. Yield: 8 servings.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.