New Year's resolution: no dieting!

Everyone says it and no one does it. The “it” in question is getting real about “dieting.” If we define a diet as a restricted eating plan, everyone knows it doesn’t work in the long run — the “long run” being several years.

After all, if you dieted, lost 50 pounds, and bought a new wardrobe… and then gained the weight back the next year, would you be a winner? Did the diet work?

Better, it seems, to slowly change eating patterns… larger portions of veggies, more veggies, less refined foods and less saturated fats… maybe even do one change for three weeks and then another.

I believe most adults know what they need to do… they may not want to do it. Nothing written here or anywhere else will change that attitude.

People who want to lose weight, gain health and fitness will do it without much fuss or feathers.

So, with all due respect to all other publications with DIET in big, bold letters on the cover and/or table of contents, we’ll not discuss dieting today. We’ll focus on good eating, reasonable portions, and variety… just as we do every week.

Fast cooking, I believe, may contribute to your good health and fitness as much as any other quality. Why? When you are hungry, it is easy to overeat. So, the faster you can get a meal together, it would seem, the less likely you may be to snack inappropriately, or even overeat.

Healthy tip: Sip a cup of warm bouillon or tomato juice as you cook. It takes away hunger and doesn’t add empty calories.

These salmon steaks are topped with sour cream and lemon and baked. As they bake there is time to cook rice and make a salad.

Speedy Salmon Steaks Elegante

2 salmon steaks

Handful of fresh parsley

4 tbsp. sour cream (regular or non-fat)

6 thin slices lemon

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Spread parsley on wire rack large enough for salmon steaks. Place salmon steaks on parsley and then onto shallow pan. Divide sour cream between the two steaks and spread evenly. Top with lemon slices. Bake in a 350-degree oven about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. 2 servings.

Asian-style food is usually fast cooking… it’s the slicing, dicing, chopping that takes time. However, for many ingredients, this prep work can be done one day for the next. Crispy noodles or cooked rice is the traditional accompaniment.

Pork Chop Suey

2 lbs. pork

2 tbsp. butter

2 cups chopped celery

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 tbsp. cooking oil (not olive

oil)

½ lb. fresh bean sprouts or 1

can bean sprouts, rinsed and

drained

1 tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup beef or chicken bouillon

1-2 tbsp. soy sauce

Few drops chili oil, optional

Crispy noodles or cooked rice

Cut meat in small pieces and pat dry with paper towel. Melt butter in a skillet and lightly brown meat, ½ pound at a time. Remove to plate as browned. Cover and keep warm.

Add celery, onion and diced peppers with oil. Stir-fry just until crisp-tender. Combine bouillon and soy sauce. Mix into cornstarch, a little at a time, until mixture is smooth. Add with bean sprouts to stir-fried vegetables. Cook until thickened. Add warm, browned pork and toss well. Season, if desired, with a few drops of chili oil. Serve with crispy noodles or cooked rice.