Recipes from Distinctive Inns to ring in a healthy new year

As we turn the corner on a new year, resolutions always abound. And each resolutions revolving around food top the list for number one, two or three. Whether it be to eat more of it, eat less of it, or to keep it healthy, the 12 Distinctive Inns of New England are here to offer some recipe ideas for hearty yet healthy dishes for your new year. Of course, a culinary vacation to one of the Distinctive Inns of New England is always a way to gain inspiration for good eating, but when that’s not possible, here are a few recipes that might inspire your new year’s resolution.

Beet & Spinach Salad from Deerfield Inn

Ingredients

  • Beet salad from Deerfield Inn1/3 cup candied pecans, chopped
  • 2 bunches small colored beets (8 to 16 beets)
  • Handful washed chilled baby spinach leaves
  • 3 tablespoons orange poppy seed vinaigrette
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 ounces feta cheese, cubed
  • orange supreme sections to taste (the central sweet spot w/o pith)

Ingredients & Directions for candied pecans

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees
  • Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
  • Whisk egg white and water together in a separate bowl until frothy. Toss pecans in the egg white mixture. …
  • Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, until pecans are evenly browned, 1 hour.

Ingredients & Directions for vinaigrette

  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 6 tablespoons cold water
  • 1-1/3 cups orange juice
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons honey Dijon mustard
  • 4 teaspoons honey
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir in the orange juice, vinegar, mustard and honey. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in poppy seeds and salt. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Directions for Salad

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Trim greens and long roots from beets. Spritz with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and wrap in 2 to 3 aluminum-foil packets, dividing beets according to size. Place in oven, and roast until tender, 35 to 45 minutes, depending on size of beets. Wipe the skins from the beets. Cut into slices and squares, and transfer to a serving bowl.
  3. Drizzle vinaigrette over beets; toss to coat. When ready to serve, lay on chilled baby spinach leaves, add feta, pecans, orange supremes. Garnish with nasturtium flower, if still out in the herb garden.

This is enough for an entrée sized salad for two.

Ratatouille from Chesterfield Inn (serves 6 to 8 people)

Ingredients

Ratatoille recipe from Chesterfield Inn1 lb. Eggplant

1 lb. Zucchini

1 tsp salt

4 Tbs. Olive Oil (more if needed)

½ lb. (about 1 ½ cups) thinly sliced yellow onions

2 (about 1 cup) sliced green (or yellow) bell peppers

2 to 3 TBS Olive Oil if necessary

2 cloves mashed garlic

Salt & pepper to taste

1 lb. firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and juiced (1 ½ C pulp)

Salt and pepper

Method

  • In a 3-quart mixing bowl, peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8-inch-thick, about 3 inches long, and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends, and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.
  • In a 10 to 12-inch enameled skillet, one layer at a time, sauté the eggplant, and then the zucchini in hot olive oil for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.
  • In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste.
  • Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8 inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.
  • In a 2-½ quart fireproof casserole, place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini, and finish with remaining tomatoes and parsley.
  • Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole.

And for dessert…with oats to add fiber and ginger to add a little zing, here’s a perfect ending to a healthy meal.

Gingered Pear Crisp from Captain’s House Inn (Yield: 6 servings, serving size is about 1 cup)

Gingered pear crisp from Captain's House InnIngredients

¼ Cup Golden Raisins

¼ Cup Granulated Sugar

1 teaspoon Grated orange rind

1 tablespoon Fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon Chopped peeled fresh ginger

½ teaspoon Vanilla extract

4 cups  Chopped peeled Bartlett pears (about 4 pears)

¼ Cup All-purpose flour

½ Cup Regular oats

¼ Cup Packed brown sugar

¼ Teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Salt

3 tablespoons Chilled butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons Chopped pecans

Method

  • Preheat oven to 375F.
  • Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine. Add pears, toss gently to coat. Spoon pear mixture into a shallow 2-quart baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray.
  • Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until resembles coarse meal, and stir in nuts. Sprinkle flour mixture over pear mixture.
  • Bake at 375F for 35 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Visit each of the Distinctive Inns of New England by clicking below on links that will take you directly to each of their websites.  Better yet, visit them in person for your next romantic winter getaway in DINE country.

In Maine:  Captain Jefferds Inn in Kennebunkport & Camden Maine Stay Inn in Camden

In New Hampshire:  Manor on Golden Pond in Holderness & Chesterfield Inn in West Chesterfield

In Massachusetts:  Harbor Light Inn in Marblehead, Gateways Inn & Restaurant in Lenox, Deerfield Inn in Historic Deerfield and Captain’s House Inn in Chatham on Cape Cod.

In Rhode Island: Cliffside Inn in Newport

In Connecticut: Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic.

In Vermont:  Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford & Grafton Inn in Grafton