Cabbage Soup. Image via Smitten Kitchen.

It’s pretty much understood that eating healthier is apart of everyone’s New Year’s resolutions. But what exactly does that mean? From the strict raw vegans to Atkins to the twinkie diet, everyone has their own opinion. I seem to think the simpler the better; if I don’t understand an ingredient, I try to steer clear of it (what is soy lecithin, anyway?)!

I am, by no means, an expert when it comes to food. I like it, and I enjoy reading about it. So, to help you in whatever nutrition goals you have for the new year, I’ve put together a list of a few of my favorite food website and thrown in a delicious, easy, and nutritious recipe at the end.

First, some online resources, in no particular order:

Clean Eating – Created by the same group that houses several other fitness brands, these people are serious about clean eating. I suppose that’s why they’re all so lean.

Mark Bittman – He’s simple, straightforward, and easy to understand. And he has a whole lot more resources.

Food Inc – This movie will rock your would, or at least, it should.

The Environmental Working Group’s guide to buying organic – So we don’t all go broke buying organic, here’s a list of produce items to buy organic and those you don’t necessarily have to.

Now, for the recipe:
Cabbage Soup
(This recipe is based on one from allrecipes.com. Makes about 6-8 servings, depending on your hunger level.)

Ingredients
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 32-oz carton of chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 head of cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
2-3 cups of water (depending on thick you want the soup)
salt and pepper to taste

Optional ingredients
a pinch of red pepper flakes or 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)
chorizo or sausage (ground or sliced)
1 cup of pickle juice (adds a bit of tang)
a handful of green lentils, corn, or beans
1 potato

In a large stockpot, saute the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery (and chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes) in olive oil until the onion is translucent and the carrots and celery are soft. Meanwhile, core and chop the cabbage. Once the cabbage is chopped, place it into the pot and add the chicken stock and can of diced tomatoes. Add enough water (and pickle juice) to cover cabbage. At this point, you can add additional ingredients, like chorizo or green lentils. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is soft, roughly 10 to 30 minutes.

I’m always looking for new things to read. Let me know if you’ve tried a good recipe recently or have come across a helpful resource.