2019 is the year of the foodie! Bring on the unfamiliar ingredients, eclectic pairings, and complex spices.  We are ready to expand our palettes at restaurants and experiment in the kitchen. We can’t wait to see where our taste buds lead us!  We left boring healthy foods with the year 2018. It’s a myth that healthy = boring or lacking taste. Our goal for 2019 is to figure out ways to be healthy but also savory, rich in flavor and comforting.  We love this Buzzfeed compilation of great recipes to try and decided to narrow it down to a flavorful and delicious Top 2.

1.    Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken With Leeks, Potatoes, and Yogurt

Sheet pan dinners are a big YES for the New Year.  Despite the simplicity brought on with a sheet pan dinner, it doesn’t have to lack complexity.  The key with all sheet-pan suppers is to make sure the ingredients can all cook together on the same pan. This means cutting denser things like chicken or potatoes into smaller chunks that will cook at the same rate, and adding the more delicate ingredients like leeks toward the end so they don’t burn. Another important note: don’t crowd the pan. You need to leave space between things so ingredients can thoroughly cook.

This dinner has it all—spicy harissa-laced roasted chicken; sweet, browned leeks; crunchy potatoes; plus a cool garnish of salted yogurt and plenty of fresh herbs. It’s a little lighter than your average roasted chicken and potatoes dinner, and a lot more profoundly flavored. Indian-inspired dishes are always jam-packed with flavor due to the rich spices that are typically used, in this case, cumin. Its flavor has been described as earthy, nutty, spicy and warm.  What’s more, cumin has long been used in traditional medicine. Modern studies have confirmed some of the health benefits cumin is traditionally known for, including promoting digestion and reducing food-borne infections. New research has also revealed some new benefits, such as promoting weight loss and improving blood sugar control and cholesterol. We told you healthy doesn’t have to equal bland!

Ingredients

1 1/2    pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 1/4    pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 by 1/2-inch chunks
3    teaspoons kosher salt
3/4    teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2    tablespoons harissa
1/2    teaspoon ground cumin
4 1/2    tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2    leeks, white and light green parts, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced into half-moons
1/2    teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/3    cup plain whole milk yogurt

1    small garlic clover
1    cup mixed soft fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, mint, and/or cilantro leaves
1    splash fresh lemon juice, as needed

Directions

Combine the chicken and potatoes in a large bowl. Season them with 2½ teaspoons of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the harissa, cumin, and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pour this mixture over the chicken and potatoes, and toss to combine. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the leeks, lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil. Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the chicken and potatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. Then toss the potatoes lightly, and scatter the leeks over the baking sheet. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and everything is golden and slightly crisped, 20 to 25 minutes longer. While the chicken cooks, place the yogurt in a small bowl. Grate the garlic clove over the yogurt, and season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spoon the yogurt over the chicken and vegetables in the baking sheet (or you can transfer everything to a platter if you want to be fancy about it). Scatter the herbs over the yogurt, drizzle some olive oil and lemon juice over the top, and serve.

2.    Turkey Stuffed Poblanos with Avocado Crema

This paleo, low carb, gluten free, (can be!) vegan recipe is TDF (to die for).  With the emergence of alternatives like vegan cheese, you can easily substitute ingredients to fit your nutrition goals.  Several of the main nutrients found in poblano peppers are known for their roles in the fight against various types of cancers. For example, one poblano pepper contains about 25 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B2, or riboflavin — more than a single egg! Riboflavin has been shown to have a positive effect in preliminary tests with colorectal cancer cells. More generally, riboflavin acts as an antioxidant against cancer cells and is also necessary for the production of glutathione, which is another anticancer antioxidant. With all that healthy goodness, are you wondering why poblanos weren’t part of the dinner rotation in 2018?!  

If you want your stuffed peppers to be killer you need to make sure your filling is amazing and this filling is definitely on point.   Yummy spices give it that nice spanish flavor, fire roasted tomatoes give it tang and keep the meat moist, and the black beans offer nutrition. The flavor in the stuffed poblanos alone is great but the added sauce on top really ties this dish off. The Avocado Crema is made from greek yogurt, avocado, lime juice and a few spices.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon grape seed oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground turkey breast
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
14 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes
6 poblanos
12 tablespoons shredded mexican cheese

Avocado Crema:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1 avocado
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
garnish: fresh cilantro

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a medium skillet to medium high heat. Add grape seed oil and onions. Saute the onions until they are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Add in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Next add ground turkey breast and cook until there is no more pink. About 5-6 minutes. Add in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and black pepper. Stir to mix all the spices together.
Add black beans and fire roasted tomatoes to the ground turkey mixture. Mix everything together.
Slice about a 3-4″ slit down each poblano pepper and stuff each pepper with the turkey mixture. Place stuffed poblanos on a baking sheet, stuffed side facing up.
Cover the baking sheet with a tin foil
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle each pepper with 2 tablespoons of mexican cheese. Place poblanos back in the oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool.
In the meantime, to a small food processor add greek yogurt, avocado, fresh lime juice, cumin, red pepper flakes and salt. Blend until mixture is combined and smooth.
Drizzle each poblano with avocado crema.
Garnish with fresh cilantro

These recipes have passed our taste tests as well as our health tests.  Add them into your weekly dinner rotation in 2019 for not only a tasty year, but more importantly, a HEALTHY one!

For the perfect side dish to both of these recipes, click here and for more delicious recipes similar to these, click here.