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<\/a><\/p>\nWho says you need to only have salads to eat healthy (and who wants to eat them when it’s cold outside?)<\/em>? I keep seeing so many salads out there for healthy recipes for the new year.<\/p>\n I love me a good salad… but I don’t exactly crave them in January. Warm, comforting dishes are much higher on my priority list.<\/p>\n On my last post<\/a>, I talked about how only 8 percent of people keep their new years resolutions- I think, partially because they often revolve around depriving oneself of delicious things.<\/p>\n I think that if you make goals to eat more<\/em> of what’s good for you, rather than less <\/em>of what’s bad for you, it’s much easier.<\/p>\n My goal for 2015? Eat more plants. (ala Michael Pollan in his book, In Defense of Food<\/a>. Which, by the way, if you’re looking to read more in 2015, you should definitely put on your list!)<\/em><\/p>\n Why more plants, you ask? Isn’t that just being vegan? Well, yes. But I love meat. And I love cheese. And I do not intend to give them up.<\/p>\n However, I also know how many nutrients are packed into plant-based meals, and that meat and cheese that’s organic and from happy animals is expensive and sometimes hard to come by.<\/p>\n And what better way to eat more plants than to cook more vegan meals?<\/p>\n I consider myself a “conscientious omnivore.” It would be very hard for me to be completely vegan, or even vegetarian. In 2014, I ate meat about 2-3 times per week.<\/p>\n That doesn’t mean when I went to the grocery store that my cart wasn’t filled with um like five blocks of cheese. In 2015, I would like to cut back on the other animal products by eating more vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.<\/p>\n One step at a time. First step: this Moroccan Butternut Squash Stew.<\/p>\n I served this stew over white basmati rice, but it would be delicious over brown rice, couscous, quinoa, or cilantro lime brown rice<\/a>.<\/p>\n Or, for a grain free option, cauliflower rice or even just by itself.<\/p>\n Sometimes when I make this, I whip up a cool cucumber yogurt sauce (not vegan, but also very healthy)<\/em> to dollop on top, which pairs so, so well with the stew’s spicy flavors. (To make the yogurt sauce, j<\/em>ust mix 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 1 cup of grated cucumber, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and salt and pepper. Easy!)<\/em><\/p>\n Want more protein in this meatless dish? Try poaching or frying an egg and serving it on top.<\/p>\n This recipe will take you 30 minutes max to make, and you can cook a large batch and freeze it for later.<\/p>\n Like this recipe? Check out this Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash with Garlic and Herbs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nOther easy chickpea recipes<\/h2>\n