I am making a resolution to commit to the gym again. I took some time off in December with the holidays, but I need to get back to my normal routine.

I have several. First, I plan to lose the 40 pounds I gained over the last year and a half. Second, I want to PLAN meals more, be more organized, bring my lunch to work, make more at home... these are all sort of related. It means taking time to create and implement a plan for the week and stop being lazy. I also would like to set up a budget and stick to it. So I have my work cut out for me!

I want to eat cleaner, healthier food. I love cooking and eating, so I just want to make sure that I am making better choices when I hit the grocery store.

I want to be more intentional in planning our menus to be healthier and more balanced. I spend too much time figuring out the main dish and neglect to plan enough veggie/fruit servings for the day.

My main resolution is to start taking care of myself: weight loss; better management of diabetes; clutter control and a general decrease in my possessions. Also to track down a Desperation Dinner recipe that I saw in the paper that I can't find on the website: Beefy Tortilla Soup.

Trying to cook new things.. once a month we are going to try a new and different item we've never made.

My New Year's Resolution is to eat healthier this year by eating more fruits and veggies and drinking more water. joosbornenc at yahoo dot com

Hi Glorimarie, here's the recipe, but it's a bit long because you have to make the Ropa Vieja before you can make the soup....hope this helps! Beefy Tortilla Soup Start to finish: 12 minutes Cook’s note: Any type of seasoned, diced tomatoes that contains garlic can be used. 5 cups La Nueva Ropa Vieja (3 cups broth and 2 cups meat/vegetable mixture), defrosted if frozen, recipe follows 2 cups water 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes seasoned with onions and garlic, (see Cook’s note) 1 can (15 ounces) black beans 1 1/2 cups frozen yellow corn kernels Juice from 1/2 lime 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 6 tablespoons crushed baked tortilla chips, or more to taste Optional toppings: shredded Mexican-blend cheese or cheddar, reduced-fat sour cream, avocado chunks 1. Bring the broth, water, shredded beef with its vegetables, the tomatoes with their juices and the beans with juices to a boil over medium-high heat in a 4 1/2-quart Dutch oven or soup pot. Stir frequently. 2. Add the corn (no need to thaw but rinse away any ice crystals), lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, onion and garlic powders, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer at a slow boil, stirring frequently, until the soup has heated through and the flavors blend, about 7 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare any optional toppings. 3. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the chips and any other desired toppings and serve at once. Serves 6 Approximate Values Per Serving: 272 calories (23% from fat), 7 g fat (2 g saturated), 26 mg cholesterol, 20 g protein, 35 g carbohydrates, 8 g dietary fiber, 989 mg sodium La Nueva Ropa Vieja Start to finish: 10 minutes preparation; 8 to 10 hours in slow cooker; 3 minutes to shred beef Cook’s notes: Sirloin steak or chuck roast can also be used. The exact seasoning for the diced tomatoes does not matter so long as you choose a type that includes garlic. “Petite” diced tomatoes and no-salt-added varieties also work. 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce 1/2 cup water 3 bay leaves 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper, or to taste 1 large onion (for about 1 cup slices) 2 pounds skirt or flank steak, (see Cook’s notes) 1 red bell pepper (for about 1 cup pieces) 1 green bell pepper (for about 1 cup pieces) 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes seasoned with garlic and olive oil, (see Cook’s notes) 2 cups cooked rice, for serving 1. Put the tomato sauce, water, bay leaves, vinegar, garlic, cumin and black pepper into the slow cooker pot. Stir to combine. Peel the onion, and cut it into quarters. Thinly slice the onion quarters, and add them to the pot. Place the beef over the onions, and spoon some of the liquid over the meat. (If you are using skirt steak or flank steak, there will be several thin pieces, and they will overlap in the pot.) 2. Rinse the bell peppers, and discard the seeds and membranes. Cut the peppers into quarters, thinly slice them, and add the pieces to the pot. Pour the diced tomatoes with their juice evenly on top. Cover the pot and cook on low until the meat is so tender that it practically falls apart, about 8 hours if using skirt or flank steak or 10 hours if using sirloin or chuck. 3. About 20 minutes before serving, cook the rice. 4. Before serving, remove the beef and vegetables from the slow cooker to a large serving bowl. Use 2 forks to pull the beef apart into shreds. There should be some cooking juices in the bowl, but if not, add about 1/2 cup juices. Stir to mix the beef and vegetables. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve all but 2 cups of the beef/vegetable mixture over a bed of hot rice. Serves 4 generously, with about 5 cups (total) leftover beef mixture and broth. To store the leftovers: Refrigerate the remaining 2 cups of the beef mixture in a large covered storage container. Pour all of the cooking juices (just over 3 cups) into a separate container and refrigerate overnight to let any fat rise to the top. Discard the fat from the broth, and then add the remaining broth to the beef/vegetable mixture. Freeze for up to 1 month, (or the mixture may be refrigerated for up to 3 days). Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, or use the microwave according to the manufacturer’s defrosting instructions. Approximate Values Per Serving: 343 calories (30% from fat), 11 g fat (5 g saturated), 56 mg cholesterol, 26 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 2 g dietary fiber, 631 mg sodium

Thank you

Already rejoined Weight Watchers to learn the new Points Plus program, headed for lifetime membership within the next few months. Also signed up for yoga classes at Prana Yoga, close to my office.