A Healthy Start...

So I'm finally back at work today... it was lovely having two weeks {plus two days!} off! But it will be nice to get in a routine of sorts. I'm now working 8:30-5:30, so I've been thinking about quick meals I can make when I get home. And slow cooker meals that can cook while I'm working ;) We're also trying to figure out a good time to hit up the gym during the week... it's SO hard when you get home after 6 and it's so cold outside! But, we're both determined to make gym time a priority. As far as meals go, I'm really trying to lighten up what we eat. The problem is, during the long winter months, especially when it's so cold, I always want to cook "comfort food". So I'm determined to make a few swaps to make our normal meals a little healthier and to add a few lighter {not so comfort} meals each week. Here are a few ideas I have collected to help us eat a little better this year...
-swap pork sausage for turkey sausage {I've been doing this for the past few months, equally as delicious in recipes!} I really like Jenni-O ground turkey sausage and Jenni-O turkey kielbasa
-add more veggies to every meal {chopped veggies in pasta sauce, peppers in chili, fresh veggies in pot pies and soups, etc.}
-use ground turkey instead of ground beef {I've found burger, meatloaf, soup, etc. recipes that sound yummy!}
-mostly whole grains {pasta, bread, rice, tortillas, etc.}
-swap plain greek yogurt for mayo or sour cream in recipes {I tried this in chicken salad, and it was delicious!! I'm not sure about other recipes, I'll let you know!}
-cook more fish!
-salads for lunch {baby spinach, with strawberries, blueberries, feta, chicken or turkey, balsamic vinaigrette... greek yogurt chicken salad with cranberries...}
 -have a fresh veggie side with every dinner... {steamed broccoli, roasted asparagus, sweet potatoes, sauteed green beans, etc}
-cut the "cream of..." soups. It's pretty easy to use fresh ingredients to substitute canned cream soups
-sweets only in moderation... swap fresh fruits for a sweet treat!
It's a running list of course ;) I'm sure there are a bazillion other ideas out there, so I'll be sure to update if I come across any! Here's to a happy, healthy 2014!