G. K. Chesterton once said, “The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.” This quote by the late English writer and philosopher is one of my favorites. 

I love the idea of a brand new soul. But given the odds of that happening, renewing for another year of life as the calendar flips to a new year is certainly a gift. 

I’m willing to wager that many of us would like that soul to be “housed” by a physical body that is perhaps just a little trimmer? 

Ah, the resolution that keeps coming back year after year: “I will shed those extra pounds that were so much fun to gain during the holidays.”

This week’s offering is some tasty, healthy treats that are sure to make both your waistline and your taste buds happy. 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2013.

Fat free vegetable dip

2/3 cup fat free mayonnaise

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes

1 tsp. dried dill weed

1/2 tsp. dried dill seed

1 tsp. seasoned salt

1 Tbsp. minced dehydrated onion

1/2 tsp. Accent

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Dash or 2 of Tabasco sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours before serving with crudites.

Creamy seafood soup

• 2 Tbsp. butter, divided use
• 1/2 lb. uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 lb. bay scallops (if using sea scallops, cut in quarters)
• 2 stalks celery, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 medium sweet red bell pepper, seeded, cored and finely chopped
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups fat free milk
• 2 cups half-and-half 
• 1/4 cup sherry 
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme (or substitute 1 tsp. dried thyme)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add shrimp and scallops and sauté 1-2 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove with slotted spoon; set aside.

In the same pan, sauté the celery, red pepper and onion in remaining 1 Tbsp. butter for 3-4 minutes or until tender but not brown. Sprinkle with flour; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk, half and half, sherry, thyme, slat, cayenne and nutmeg. Bring just to the boil and stirring constantly, cook for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low: add reserved shrimp and scallops to the pan and heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: Serving size is 1 cup, which equals 274 calories, 13 grams of fat (8 grams of saturated fat), 120mg cholesterol, 436mg sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrate, 1 gram of fiber and 19 grams of protein.

Low calorie biscuits

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup light margarine (40% fat), well chilled and cut into pieces
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tsp. mild flavored honey

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add margarine and cut in using pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Add yogurt and honey and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. 

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Roll out dough to about 1/3-inch thickness and cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 425°F oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition facts: Serving size is 1 biscuit, which equals 85.7 calories, 1.8 g fat, 0.9 g cholesterol, 214.8 g sodium, 14.1 g carbohydrates, fiber 0.4 g, protein 2.9 g

Oven-fried chicken

• 1/4 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 4 (6-oz. each) chicken breast halves, skin removed
• 1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, paprika, thyme, garlic salt and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Pour buttermilk in a second shallow dish. Dip chicken in buttermilk; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. 

Place chicken, breast sides up, on a rack coated with non-stick cooking spray set over a sheet pan. Drizzle butter over chicken pieces and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 40-45 minutes or cooked through. Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition facts: 1 serving is 1 chicken breast half with 295 calories, 9 g fat, 44.1 g protein, 6.6 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g fiber, 115 mg cholesterol, 486 g sodium

Amaretto custard berry parfait

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2-3/4 cups 2 percent milk
• 4 large egg yolks, beaten
• 2 tsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. Amaretto (or other almond flavored liqueur)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 4 whole fresh strawberries

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan and set over medium high heat. Whisk in milk until smooth. Cook stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. 

Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove pan from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks to temper and then return all to the pan, stirring constantly. 

Bring to a low boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat; stir in butter, Amaretto and vanilla. Cool to room temperature.

Transfer custard to a small bowl; press plastic wrap onto surface of custard and refrigerate until well chilled.

To serve, spoon 1/4 cup strawberries into each of 4 parfait glasses. Layer each with 1/3 cup custard, 1/4 cup raspberries and 1/3 cup custard. Top each with a whole strawberry. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition facts: Serving size is 1 parfait, which is 279 calories, 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 222 mg cholesterol, 167 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 9 g protein.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Big Pine Key, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.