Start The New Year Off Right!

Happy new year, hope your holiday season was good to you and yours.  Now it’s time to get back into it, start fresh, get those resolutions and goals in order, right?

Well, one would think that this would be one of those beginning of the new year posts resolving to lose weight, eat better and smarter, be kinder, show more compassion, and vow to help those less fortunate than oneself throughout the coming year.  And while I feel all of the above are worthy notions that we all need to strive toward (me included!!), this post is about food.   Good, hearty, healthy food to start the new year off right.

But let me touch back on those resolutions and goals for a second.  I have lots, including all of the aforementioned ones I touched on previously.  I am very close to re-launching my video site, along with publishing my latest music video.  I am putting the finishing touches on my self-help book that I am going to package with a CD and DVD for distribution in the first quarter of this new year.  I also have lots of other personal and professional goals that I am constantly challenging myself with, but for now, let’s eat.

As a vegetarian and vegan-wannabe, I am always looking for tasty protein choices and this three bean chili with red quinoa is perfect - it is loaded with fiber and protein, while tasting amazing.  The quinoa not  only adds delicious flavor and texture, but important amino acids missing in most vegetarian proteins.  Enough talk, watch:

It’s easy to make, here’s how:

Sauté six chopped cloves of garlic and one chopped onion in olive oil
Mix two parts water to one part red quinoa and boil
Open and drain one 16 oz. can of low sodium organic black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans
Add 32 ounces of no sodium organic diced tomatoes to onions and garlic

Add spices:

1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
Salt and pepper

Add the beans, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes
When all the water is removed from the quinoa, add that to the mix, simmer another 15 minutes.

Some of you may be asking, What is quinoa?  It is a seed, loaded with fiber and protein, but a more complete protein than other veggie proteins.  Watch this  for more about quinoa:

And quinoa is simple to make:

Setting goals and resolving to be a better person are good things, but don’t just focus on the start or end of each year, do it throughout the year.  Just like this delicious veggie chili; it is just the ticket to get you through a cold winter’s day, but also great to eat throughout the year.

Here’s to an incredible 2011.  May all your resolutions and dreams come true.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike