[1] Mashed leafy greens is a variation of Irish colcannon, without all the butter (photo Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).

[2] Baked zucchini chips served with Thai Coconut Curry Hummus from Hope Foods.

[3] You can add anything to a shaved Brussels sprouts or slaw mix. Try this recipe from The Beach House Kitchen.

We’ve gotten through two whole days of our healthy new year diet. It may not seem like much of an achievement, but more years than not we don’t get this far!

Our strategy is to bulk up breakfast, lunch and dinner with lots of veggies. To help us stick to the plan, we’re doing something we’ve never done before, buying “convenience veggies.”

These are the raw vegetables that are pre-trimmed and sliced so that all we have to do is open the bag and toss the contents in a pot or microwave-friendly bowl.

Here are five ideas to add to your veggie repertoire, courtesy of Fruits & Veggies More Matters:
 
 
1. MASHED LEAFY GREENS

This is the potato analog to a spaghetti/zoodle fusion, where you blend 1/2 or 1/3 of pasta with 1/2 or 2/3 of zucchini noodles.

It’s also a “reduced” version of the famous Irish dish, colcannon—minus all the butter and cream (photo #1).

Here, the base is mashed potatoes. Simply julienne raw spinach, kale, Swiss chard or a blend and fold them into steamy hot boiled (or microwaved) potatoes right before mashing.

The leaves will wilt with the heat of the potatoes. A hack: frozen/defrosted chopped spinach, broccoli, kale.

Add seasonings of choice, from salt and pepper to fresh herbs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, etc.

If you feel like you need butter, substitute a couple of tablespoons of milk, olive oil or yogurt.
 
 
2. MUSHROOM MAGIC

If you enjoy mushrooms on a pizza or in a meatloaf, in soups or in salads: Why not everywhere else? Mushrooms add flavorful, low-calorie volume, texture and nutrition to everything from omelets to salads and sautés.

Use any type of mushroom as a bulking agent in meatballs, pasta sauce, stuffing or grain dishes.

Depending on the dish, use anything from chunky slices and dices to food processor-ground mushrooms.
 
 
3. PICKLED GREEN BEANS, CARROTS, RADISHES, ETC.

You can pickle any firm vegetable: Here’s how easy it is to pickle.

Crunchy, tangy and, if you like, spicy, simply combine green beans with onion, garlic, vinegar, mustard seed and spices. Refrigerate them overnight and they’re ready to eat. (They’re actually ready to nibble in an hour or two, but the flavor gets more pronounced overnight.)

Serve them with appetizers, cheese plates, as a side instead of/in addition to cucumber pickles (with burgers and sandwiches, e.g.), in salads, or as a low-calorie snack.
 
 
4. VEGETABLE CHIPS: BAKED OR MICROWAVED

If chip sales are any indication, the desire for a crunchy snack is a powerful one. It’s expensive to buy root vegetable chips, but easy to make them (photo #2).

Or you can roast them. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Thinly slice the vegetables with a sharp knife or a mandoline. Toss lightly in olive oil and spices (chile powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, other favorites).

Place on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes or until crispy. Toss the chips halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Here are two recipes to start you off. Substitute your favorite vegetable in either recipe.

 
 
5. SHREDDED BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD

Many people rely on pre-washed salad mixes to get a quick salad on the table.

Don’t overlook shredded Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli slaw mixes. Your market may also have diced vegetables that can be made into a crunchy salad or tossed into soup.

Transform them into a side salad, adding cherry tomatoes and other easy mix-ins; or a main salad topped with broiled chicken cuts (photo #3).

Garnish at will: dried cranberries, nuts, shredded cheese, etc. for a quick, healthy dish.
 
 
BONUS #1: EASY DIET SOUP

A reader sent us this tip:

Take the greens you have in your fridge, including lettuce and herbs, and toss them into the blender with some broth. Heat it up for a quick, nutritious soup, and season it as you wish.

 
 
BONUS #2: CRUSTLESS PIZZA

Let us refer you back to yesterday’s tip, Larry Goldberg’s SMOG pizza.

Take a pie plate piled high with your favorite raw veggies, topped with pizza sauce and a bit of mozzarella. Bake like a pizza, at 375°F for approximately 20 minutes, until the cheese melts.

Our weekly selection of product picks, in alphabetical order:

KELLOGG’S: VARIATIONS ON CLASSIC CEREALS

Three variations of beloved Kellogg’s cereals debut nationwide this month.

The Frosted Flakes line has two new siblings:

 
Rice Krispies joins in with its first new flavor in more than 10 years:

 
All three flavors are fun food, even for adults. We snack from the box, add them to snack mixes and use them as an ice cream garnish. Use them to make ice cream sandwiches.

For more information visit Kelloggs.com.
 
 
MUSTARD: DIFFERENT STYLES

Mustard isn’t just a sandwich spread, or a condiment to serve with meats and cheeses.

Take a way at the dozens of uses for mustard). Low in calories, with spices that entice, we’re mustard lovers.

There are shelves and shelves of mustard brands out there, waiting for you to discover them—especially regional mustards.

Zatarain’s Creole Mustard is one of the original products introduced by Emile Zatarain in the late 1800s, and it’s been a New Orleans favorite ever since (it’s a must on a good po’ boy). It has its own “secret blend” of spices, for a vibrant mustard profile (we think we detect cayenne and horseradish).

Since the brand was acquired by McCormick a few years ago, it has found national distribution. Look for it at your local market, and also browse the shelf for other brands to try this year. Discover more at McCormick.com.

Another brand that caught our fancy is Vermont Maple Mustard from Fox Hollow Farm. (Other Vermont producers also make maple mustard.)

A coarse mustard, this one adds subtle notes of maple sugar and lemon. We’ll pick any brand off the shelf to check it out.

We have so much find trying new brands, especially small, artisan ones.

[1] Snap, Crackle and Pop go for the berries (photo courtesy Kelloggs\).

[2] Zatarain’s Creole Mustard, a New Orleans favorite now available nationally (photo courtesy Chinese Grandma).

[3] Pick up small regional brands wherever you find them. We give them as souvenirs (photo courtesy Woogie Foods).

One fun way to try the different mustards is to offer four or six of them the next time you have guests for burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, even pretzels.

Don’t include the usual suspects (French’s, Gulden’s, Grey Poupon), but treat your guests to new mustard sensations.

Take a look at the many different styles of mustard. Preferences differ by region and country.
 

[1] Baked bell peppers with pizza stuffing (photo courtesy The Pampered Chef).

[2] Another way to enjoy pizza toppings: zucchini-based pizza boats (photo courtesy Lucero Olive Oil).

[3] For a crust-free experience, use this as inspiration: pile up the vegetables and use less cheese. This re-creation of Goldberg Pizzeria’s SMOG is lovingly re-created by Grand Voyage Italy. Here’s the recipe.

If your hope is to cut back on pizza carbs this year, here are three ways to enjoy pizza flavors without the crust.

The first is the recipe below, a fusion of stuffed peppers and pizza toppings (photo #1). The recipe was adapted from The Pampered Chef.

Next, here’s a crustless pizza variation we published several years ago with a zucchini base (photo #2).

Finally, the easiest crust-free pizza from the legendary Larry Goldberg of Goldberg Pizzeria in New York City (closed in 2002).

Larry had lost 150-plus pounds while surrounded by all that pizza. One of his pizza-eating tricks was the SMOG: sausage, mushrooms, onions and green (bell) peppers (photo #3).

He heaped up the veggies in a pie plate, covered them with crushed tomato sauce and topped them with a small amount of mozzarella. It was such a great idea; why hasn’t it been knocked off by pizzerias everywhere?
 
 
RECIPE: PIZZA STUFFED PEPPERS

Here’s the recipe for photo #1, stuffed peppers “pizza.”

Ingredients For 2 Servings

________________

*If desired, use 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese.
 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the turkey, pizza sauce and rice in a small baking dish. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

2. CUT the tops off of the bell peppers; remove the seeds and veins. Slice the tops into small pieces to yield ½ cup (125 mL) to add to the stuffing. Cut the pepperoni slices into quarters.

3. CAREFULLY REMOVE the baking dish from the microwave and place on a heatproof trivet. Add the cheese, pepperoni, bell pepper pieces, and any optional vegetables, and stir to combine.

5. CAREFULLY REMOVE the baking dish from the microwave; it will be very hot. Remove the peppers and top them with the parmesan cheese and fresh basil before serving.

At the end of each year, our tradition is to highlight our Top 10 Top Picks Of The Year.

While we highly endorse all of our top picks, these are products that have become part of our everyday life.

We know there’s a preponderance of sweets here. You can guess that we have a sweet tooth; but also, that these items stood out as truly different in comparison to all the chicken and sausage products we tried.

In alphabetical order, we present:
 
 
1. CHOC ZERO: SUGAR-FREE CHOCOLATE BARS & SYRUPS

How can you get a great chocolate fix with no sugar? ChocZero is sweetened with a relatively new noncaloric sweetener, monk fruit, and it tastes like a premium-quality chocolate bar.

ChocZero bars and syrups were created for people who follow a ketogenic “keto” diet; but anyone who wants to eliminate sugar can jump in.

Here’s our review.
 
 
2. THE COCONUT COLLABORATIVE: YOGURT & DESSERT POTS

Pure pleasure: That’s what we think about the delectable yogurts and dessert pots from The Coconut Collaborative.

The #1 brand of coconut milk-based yogurt brand in Europe, The Coconut Collaborate has come to the U.S., bringing their very impressive dairy-free products.

Whether you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, want to eat more sustainably and/or eat more plant-based foods, The Coconut Collaborative yogurts must be tried.

Don’t miss the dessert pots, pots de creme with a very high satisfaction factor.

Check out our review.
 
 
3. COOKIES: GOOEY ON THE INSIDE

For picky palates, the moment of joy occurs when your first taste informs you that you have an outstanding bite of food. It’s when you know that it doesn’t get better than this.

This was our reaction to Gooey On The Inside cookies (photo #1), a brand of handcrafted, baked-to-order cookies that was born when a career public servant decided to embark on her second career.

Her “perfect” cookie recipe—crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside—is just great.

Read our review.
 
 
4. GOLDEN CANNOLI: THE ORIGINAL CANNOLI CHIPS

These sweet chips that seem to be made from pieces of cannoli shells (photo #2) provide the cannoli experience without having to go out for cannoli, one of our favorite pastries.

At home, we dip them into some sweetened ricotta cheese (we use Splenda), to enjoy “deconstructed” cannoli. Add some mini chocolate chips for fun.

Read our review.
 
 
5. LANTANA: NEW-STYLE HUMMUS

Lantana, a new brand of hummus made with white beans, black beans or yellow lentils instead of chickpeas, is shaking up the hummus category.

Standing out in a sea of beige hummus, Lantana’s hummus is green (edamame), orange (carrots, chile peppers), purple (beets—photo #3), tan (black beans), yellow (yellow lentils) and other hues. The flavors deliver color to the plate and excitement to the palate. We’re hooked.

Read our review.
 
 
6. MADDY & MAIZE: ARTISAN FLAVORED POPCORN

Could these be the best flavored popcorns anywhere? Each flavor is standout:

 
The Bourbon & Barbecue is the best BBQ popcorn we’ve ever had.

Read our review.
 
 
7. MILKBOY SWISS CHOCOLATE

We have reviewed dozens of the world’s best chocolate brands. The first to turn our head in a while is MilkBoy Swiss Chocolate (photo #5).

The company, based in Brooklyn, New York, produces its chocolate bars in Zurich, Switzerland. The milk, dark and white bars, plain or flavored, are equally splendid.

Two must-tries: Alpine Milk Chocolate With Refreshing Lemon And Ginger and White Chocolate With Blue Potato Chips and Sea Salt.

Read our review.
 
 
8. POT LICKER KITCHEN: BEER JELLIES

We’re enchanted by this line of artisan jellies from Potlicker Kitchen in Stowe, Vermont (photo #6). There’s real beer flavor in each spoonful, from Vermont craft breweries.

What does beer jelly taste like? It tastes like the beer it’s made with, which is why you need to use great beers.

Read our review.
 
 
9. SMASHMALLOW: FLAVORED MARSHMALLOWS

The flavors and colors of Smashmallow (photo #7) are delectable, in Cinnamon Churro, Coconut Pineapple, Cookie Dough, Hot Cocoa, Mint Chocolate Chip, Root Beer Float and others.

If your idea of marshmallows is “plain vanilla,” you’re missing out.

Read our review.
 
 
10. ZUCCHI: EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

There’s a lot of good olive oil around. Our kitchen has everything from good supermarket oil for sautes, and the top, pricey oils as “anointing oils,” to drizzle over foods as a garnish.

A large producer with state-of-the-art technology, Zucchi produces oils that taste as good as some that are produced in small, artisan facilities.

A 17.6-ounce bottle, less than $12, is worth your attention.

Read our review.
 
 
We look forward to sharing more favorite discoveries with you in 2019.

[1] The chocolate chip cookie from Gooey On The Inside.

[2] No cannoli tubes to fill here! You can dip these chips into sweetened ricotta for the cannoli experience (photo courtesy The Original Cannoli Chips).

[3] Flavors like Beet, Black Bean and Carrot make this line stand out (photo courtesy Lantana Foods).

[4] Raspberry Lemonade is one of a line of standout flavored popcorns (photo courtesy Maddy & Maize).

[5] MilkBoy is a new favorite, in dark, milk and white chocolate (photo courtesy MilkBoy).

[6] Small-batch beer jellies made with craft beers (photo courtesy Potlicker Kitchen).

[7] These flavored marshmallows are Wow! (photo courtesy Smashmallow).

[1] Feeding America provides bags of nutritious groceries to hungry families (photo courtesy Feeding America).

[2] Food Forward distributes produce that would be left on the ground to rot, to needy communities (photo FoodForward.org).

Before the year ends, you can share the spirit of the holidays by helping the hungry. Make a donation to a charity that feeds them.

You don’t have to make a big donation: Just $10 makes a difference.

We recently wrote about Heifer International and World Vision, which provide livestock, wells and other life-saving items to impoverished Third World peoples.

We donate livestock as holiday gifts to friends and family who don’t need anything for themselves. The gift to them, in turn gives needy families food and other items (eggs, milk, wool) to the families and provides extra to sell for income.
 
 
TOP U.S. FOOD CHARITIES

In the U.S., many organizations fight to feed the hungry. Forty million Americans struggle with hunger, including more than 12 million children. Here are a few nationally recognized organizations that work to minimize hunger.

FEEDING AMERICA. Feeding America (photo #1) provides bags of groceries to the hungry. It’s the nation’s leading domestic hunger relief charity. It operates through a nationwide network of member food banks in needy communities. FeedingAmerica.org.

FOOD FORWARD. Food Forward (photo #2) fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce that we would consider “ugly,” too small, misshapen and otherwise unsaleable, connecting this perfectly good food with people in need. Each year, some six billion pounds of produce that go largely unharvested to rot in the fields. Retailers won’t accept “scarred” fruits and vegetables because consumers won’t buy them [source]. FoodForward.org

NO KID HUNGRY. No Kid Hungry helps provide in-school meals and has programs that teach families to shop smarter and cook healthier. NoKidHungry.org

On a local level, contribute to your local food kitchen or food bank. Just check on line for the organizations near you.

In New York City, for example, Citymeals-On-Wheels brings meals to homebound elderly.
 
 
JOIN THE CROWD

By the way, December 31st is the biggest “giving” day of the year for Americans, because it’s the last day to make a tax-deductible charitable contribution.

According to The New York Times, charities raised 22.5 times more money on December 31st than any other average day last year. The entire last week of the year is a great week for giving, with the average gift size being 57% larger than the weekly average during the prior 51 weeks.*

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*New York Times, December 17, 2009. Here are 2018 charitable giving statistics.