The start of each new year offers up a clean slate. It’s a great time to start moving toward a diet that can help you maintain healthy weight and provide the sound nutrition you need. The key is found in the New American Plate, a back-to-basics approach promoted by the American Institute for Cancer Research that focuses on proportion and portion size.

It is important that at least two-thirds of your plate contain vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. Meat and dairy products should take up one third or less. The vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals found in fruit and vegetables have been shown to help prevent cancer, heart disease, and other health problems.

Reducing meat, fish, or chicken to a three-ounce serving leads the health-conscious cook to a variety of dishes such as stews and casseroles that focus on vegetables, whole grains, and beans. A comforting bowl of hot oatmeal makes an excellent start to a cold winter day, especially when topped with a sliced banana or some grated apple. But serving oatmeal for breakfast is just the beginning of a whole list of ways to prepare this popular grain. With four grams of dietary fiber in each cup of oatmeal, it's a great way to get the fiber boost all of us need each day.

 There’s also nothing like a steaming bowl of soup at lunch or dinner to warm and nourish you. It’s also a great, easy way to get additional vegetables and grains into your diet this time of year.

Kale And White Bean Soup

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups chopped onion 1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped 2 cloves garlic 3 cups non-fat canned chicken or vegetable broth 3 cups kale, stemmed and cut crosswise into ½ inch strips 1 medium red-skinned potato, peeled and chopped 1/8  tsp red pepper flakes 1 15-oz can cannelini beans, rinsed and drained salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, parsnip and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add broth, kale, potato and pepper flakes.

Bring soup to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until kale is tender.

Add beans and simmer until they are heated through.

Makes 4 servings, each containing 311 calories and 4 grams of fat.

Oatmeal Fruit Bars

Filling: 1½ cup golden raisins 1½ cup chopped, pitted dates 3/4  cup orange juice 3/4  cup water 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

Crust: 1/2  cup soft margarine, chilled 1/2  cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2  tsp. baking soda 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Prepare filling by combining raisins, dates, juice and water in a medium-size saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Continue to boil, stirring, for 10 minutes, until mixture thickens and becomes like a paste. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in orange zest. Let cool completely.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a nonstick 9 by 13 inch baking pan with foil and spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Prepare crust by mixing margarine with sugar in bowl until well blended. Beat in flour, baking soda and oats until mixture is crumbly. Press half of oat mixture into prepared pan. Spread filling in an even layer over oats. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over filling and press down lightly.

Bake bars for 25 minutes or until top is golden. Cut into 40 bars while still warm. Cool bars completely and store them in an airtight container.

Each bar contains 95 calories and 2 grams of fat.

Texas Quick-Step Chili

2 tsp canola oil 1/2  cup chopped onion 1/2  cup chopped green bell pepper 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (or ½ tsp cayenne pepper) 1 tsp ground cumin 1 14.5-oz canned tomatoes (2 cups), diced or broken up, with liquid 1 tsp diced oregano 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro 1 15-oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups cooked beans 1 corn tortilla, torn into 1-inch pieces freshly ground pepper

In a small Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, bell pepper and garlic until onions are soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Mix in jalapeno and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, until cumin is aromatic, about 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes, oregano and cilantro, reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.

Add beans, tortilla, and pepper to taste. Simmer gently in sauce 10 minutes. Let chili sit 10 to 20 minutes before serving, or cook and refrigerate, then reheat and serve later.

Makes 2 servings, each containing 437 calories and 7 grams of fat.

Chick Pea And Vegetable Ragout

11/2  cups diced (1/2 -inch) onion 2 carrots, sliced (1/2 -inch diagonals), about 1 cup 1 rib celery, sliced (1/2 -inch), about 1 cup 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 Tbs olive oil 1 tsp curry powder 1/2  tsp ground cumin 1 can (19 oz) chick peas, rinsed and drained 1 can (15 oz) cut up tomatoes with juices 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes 1 cup frozen cut green beans 1/4  cup raisins 2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt, at room temperature 2 Tbs chopped, dry roasted peanuts (garnish, optional)

Combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 minutes; do not brown. Stir in curry and cumin; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add the chick peas, tomatoes, sweet potato, green beans, and raisins. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons water as needed to keep the mixture moist. Stir in the zucchini; cover and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat; let stand uncovered. In a medium bowl, stir the yogurt until smooth. Add a spoonful of the hot vegetable mixture and stir to blend. Transfer to the skillet and stir to blend. Sprinkle with peanuts before serving, if desired.

Each of the four servings contains 318 calories and 6 grams of fat.