Skinny enchiladas: great flavor with lower calories and cholesterol. Photo courtesy Denise Austin.

As we were writing this, we heard two television newscasters discussing their diet resolutions for 2015.

“I lasted five minutes into the Rose Bowl,” said one. “I made it to yesterday [January 2nd]”, said the other.

Sure, it’s tough to diet. But on a daily basis, it’s easy to downsize the calories and saturated fat. If you must have Fettuccine Alfredo or cheesecake, look for Cooking Light-style alternatives to your favorite dishes, from Fettuccine Alfredo to cheesecake.

Here are two Mexican favorites “downsized’ by health and fitness expert Denise Austin, who debuted a new online diet and fitness program this month. Try them, and if they please your palate, look for more “skinny” versions.

RECIPE: DENISE’S SKINNY ENCHILADAS

Ingredients

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with oil spray.

2. HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and very soft, about 7 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano and cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, broth, and salt and cook until hot, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. RESERVE 3/4 cup of the sauce. Add the chicken and spinach to the remaining sauce and cook until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. WRAP the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds to heat through.

5. DIVIDE the chicken filling evenly between the 8 tortillas. Roll the tortillas and arrange them seam sides down in the baking dish. Spread the reserved 3/4 cup sauce evenly over the tortillas and top with the cheese. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and broil the top for 3 to 5 minutes to brown the cheese.

6. TOP each serving (2 enchiladas) with 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt and scallions.

Calories per serving: 510.

RECIPE: DENISE’S SKINNY NACHOS WITH VEGETARIAN CHILI

Ingredients

 
For The Vegetarian Chili

Skinny nachos amp up the flavor with spices. Photo courtesy Denise Austin.

Preparation: Nachos

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

2. ARRANGE the tortilla chips in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is just melted.

3. SPRINKLE the tomato, olives, and scallion evenly over the nachos. Divide into 2 equal portions and serve each portion with 2 cups Vegetarian Chili topped with 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt.

Preparation: Chili

1. HEAT the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.

2. ADD the onions, carrot, cilantro, tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. ADD the tomato juice and beans. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Calories per serving: 430.

As someone who is overly fond of bagels and breakfast pastries—not a whole lot of nutrition in exchange for all of those calories—we’re glad we discovered New York Style Bagel Crisps. They come in regular and mini sizes

The light and crispy chips are made from bagel-type dough, but cut into small, thin, crisp slices that can be enjoyed at breakfast or for snacking (they have half the fat and fewer calories than regular potato chips).

The flavors are everything you’d expect in a bagel:

 
Bagel Crisps are great on their own or paired with toppings, dips and spreads—a delectable snack in a New York minute.

But the company doesn’t rest on its bagel laurels. There are also:

New York Style Pita Chips

These baked pita chips have real pita pockets, all the better for dipping. They’re available in:

 
Enjoy them plain or with dips like hummus and guacamole. We like dipping them in plain Greek yogurt.
 
Panetini

We’d have called these crostini; but by any name, they’re crunchy, tasty and great with dips,spreads, soups and salads. Try them in:

Instead of a cookie, have a Cinnabon Swirl Crisp or a Chocolate Swirl Crisp. It satisfies that sweet craving with a cup of coffee or tea; and we turned them into little crispy ice cream/frozen yogurt sandwiches.

Discover more at NewYorkStyle.com.
  

Kale sprouts: a new hybrid. Photo courtesy Melissas.com.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get trendier, there’s a new kale in town: kale sprouts, grown in California and available year-round.

A hybrid cross of Russian red kale and Brussels sprouts, kale sprouts look like a very tiny head of kale, much smaller than baby kale.

Kale sprouts—also known as lollipop sprouts or lollipop kale—are harvested when the first leaves of the plant have developed around a tiny, compact central head. This small, leafy delicacy has the same striking coloring as Red Russian Kale; silvery-green to blue-gray leaves with pronounced crimson veins.

Kale sprouts have a sweet peppery flavor and crispy fresh texture. Use them as a tasty garnish for meat entrées, mixed with spring greens in a salad, or sautéd lightly with mushrooms and garlic.

Send them as a gift to your favorite kale lover. You can buy three packages for $22.95 at Melissas.com.