(Family Features) This New Year, set a realistic resolution to take time to sit down with your family and eat balanced meals together. A few simple solutions and a dash of inspiration are all you need to set the tone for a year of health and wellness.

Last year, Americans were only meeting the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate recommendations for vegetables, fruit, protein, dairy and grain consumption one week out of the entire year. While many families try to cook nutritious meals at home, a balanced plate can be hard to achieve. Educational programs, such as Nestlé’s Balance Your Plate, make it simple to create delicious and balanced meals by pairing frozen prepared meals and pizzas with made-from-scratch side dishes, which makes meeting the dietary guidelines a more attainable goal.

Frozen entrees are a convenient starting point for a well-rounded meal.

“It’s so important to me that we sit down as a family and have a nutritious meal,” said Kim Stoegbauer, creative director and founder of The TomKat Studio, who created a few easy ways to add some special touches to your next family dinner.

By pairing Stouffer’s Lasagna with Meat & Sauce, made with ingredients you would find in your own kitchen cupboard, with a homemade Panzanella Salad and Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Tomatoes and Balsamic, Stoegbauer demonstrates how easy it is to create a family-friendly meal without the hassle.

“It’s a frozen entree that you can feel good about feeding your family, especially paired with some delicious and easy-to-prepare sides,” Stoegbauer said.

Find more simple, delicious and well-balanced meal ideas to share with your family at nestleusa.com/nutrition/balance.

Panzanella Salad

Recipe courtesy of The TomKat Studio blog on behalf of Stouffer’s
Serves: 8-10

• 1          whole wheat baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4          tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2          cloves garlic, minced
• 1          tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3          tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1          cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1          hothouse cucumber, diced
• 3          assorted bell peppers, diced
• 1/2       red onion, diced
• 10        sprigs basil leaves, julienned

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. On baking sheet, spread bread in single layer and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3. In bowl, whisk together garlic, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper with remaining olive oil to make vinaigrette. 
4. In large bowl, toss ingredients together, making sure to coat all ingredients with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Tomatoes and Balsamic

Recipe courtesy of The TomKat Studio blog on behalf of Stouffer’s
Serves: 6

• 2          pounds asparagus, ends trimmed
• 1          pint cherry tomatoes 
• 4          garlic cloves, minced
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• reduced balsamic vinegar

1. Heat oven to 375° F. 
2. On baking sheet, toss together all ingredients, except balsamic vinegar. Roast 15 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. Transfer asparagus and tomatoes to platter. Drizzle with reduced balsamic vinegar to taste and serve.

Tip: Add some leftover fresh basil to the top of your lasagna for a pretty and flavorful garnish that complements your sides.

Source: Stouffer’s

(Family Features) From Easter to Passover to the Kentucky Derby and beyond, there is a lamb dish for nearly every spring occasion.

While many traditions rely on lamb as a centerpiece, it doesn’t have to be prepared like grandma’s overcooked, tough and often tasteless roast. Today’s home cooks are forgoing the jar of mint jelly and using fresh mint in pesto and salsas, while serving their lamb medium-rare to preserve its tender juiciness.

If a rack of lamb is your preferred cut for spring celebrations, the American Lamb Board offers six simple steps for the perfect entree. For those who opt for roasting a boneless leg of lamb that is tender and full of flavor, try using these step-by-step instructions for a succulent lamb roast. For a real showstopper, turn off the oven, fire up the grill, butterfly a leg of lamb, season well and grill to desired doneness.

Toss grandma’s jar of mint jelly and brighten up your feasts with fresh condiments like this Mint-Pistachio Pesto or a Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Sea Salt. For more tips and spring celebration-worthy recipes, visit americanlamb.com/spring/.

Mint-Pistachio Pesto

Recipe courtesy of the American Lamb Board

• 1 cup shelled, toasted, unsalted pistachios
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• pinch of red chili flakes

1. In food processor, pulse all ingredients until mixed but still somewhat chunky.

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Rosemary Sea Salt

Recipe courtesy of the American Lamb Board

• 1/2 cup coarse sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 1/2-3 pounds boneless leg of American lamb, trimmed and butterflied
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lemons

1. In food processor, grind salt and rosemary leaves together until mixture is texture of coarse sand.
2. Season lamb generously with rosemary salt, working it into all crevasses; it should take about 2 tablespoons. Set lamb aside at room temperature at least 30 minutes before grilling, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.
3. Heat charcoal or gas grill. Pat lamb dry, if needed, and rub lightly with olive oil to coat.
4. Grease grill grates with oil and place lamb on hottest part of grill. Cook with grill covered, turning once, until brown and crusty.
5. Move lamb to cooler part of grill and continue cooking until instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 130° F for medium-rare, 15-25 minutes total. Transfer lamb to platter, cover with foil and let rest at least 10 minutes before cutting into thick slices against the grain.
6. Halve lemons and brush cut sides lightly with oil. Place cut-side down on grill until deeply charred, 2-3 minutes.
7. Arrange lamb slices on large platter or directly over salad. Serve with charred lemon halves for squeezing and additional rosemary salt.

Source: American Lamb Board

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons snipped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds beef sirloin

Preparation

1. In small bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, rosemary, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour to blend flavors.
2. Trim meat if needed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer to large bowl.
3. Spoon half of mustard mixture over beef; toss gently to coat. Place in zipper plastic bag and marinate for least an hour in the refrigerator.
4. On 10-inch skewers, thread meat, leaving 1/4 inch between pieces.
5. Preheat grill.
6. Reduce heat to medium (on a gas grill). Place meat skewers on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill 8 to 10 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness, turning once and brushing with remaining mustard mixture halfway through grilling.

Preparation Time

30 minutes, plus marinade time

Cook Time

10 minutes

Serves

6

Notes, Tips & Suggestions

By Shana Beattie

SOURCE: United Soybean Board