Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with Polenta
Broccoli rabe is a very nutritious vegetable but tends to be a little bitter. If your family doesn’t like the taste of broccoli rabe, you can substitute it with escarole or spinach instead.
Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with Polenta
Sausage and Broccoli Rabe with Polenta
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 390 Fat: 9 grams Points: 6
Ingredients:
1 cup instant polenta
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 onion – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
½ cup white wine
12 ounce package sun dried tomato chicken sausage
1 bunch broccoli rabe – stems removed and chopped*
1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Cook polenta as the labels directs. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese and cover to keep warm.
- Remove casing from chicken sausage and chop, set aside until ready to sauté.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, covered, until soft and browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and cook until liquid is absorbed.
- Add sausage and sauté for about 5 minutes until browned.
- Add broccoli rabe, cover and sauté for about 6 minutes until tender. Add tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 7 – 10 minutes.
- Spoon polenta onto a serving platter and then spoon sausage and broccoli rabe on top and serve.
*NOTE: Escarole or spinach can be substituted for broccoli rabe. If cooking with spinach, add it at the very end of the dish after simmering to prevent overcooking.
Back to School Lunch
Last year my son Nicholas asked me to buy him “Lunchables” for the days he ate lunch at pre-school. When I looked at the nutritional values, I almost fell over and told him it was out of the question.
This year, I researched their menus and decided to make our version of “Lunchalicious and Light” meals that he could have fun eating while keeping a healthy balance of calories and fat grams. I found these Ziploc containers at Target (just in case you were looking).
Here is the first of a series of our “Lunchalicious and Light”.
Breaded Chicken Breast Slider Lunch
Breaded Chicken Breast Slider Lunch
Serves 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 250 Fat:2 grams Points: 5
Ingredients:
1- 4 ounce chicken cutlet – pounded thin
¼ cup egg substitute
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
2 ounces shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
2 slider rolls
20 – 30 grapes
5 – 6 cherry tomatoes (optional)
Directions:
- Cut pounded chicken breast with a biscuit cutter so that the chicken is the same size as the slider rolls.
- Dip each breast in egg substitute then in bread crumbs.
- Heat a non-stick skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken breasts and cook for 5 – 7 minutes on each side until done.
- Place one slider roll in each lunch container and top with chicken breast.
- Place 1 ounce of cheese in another section of each container and 10 – 15 grapes in the third section of each container.
- Decorate with tomatoes.
Sunday Dinner
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Serves 4
Preheat oven 375o
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 – 45 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 490 Fat: 10 grams Points: 7
Sauce Ingredients:
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups skim milk
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 ounces thinly sliced reduced fat Swiss cheese
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Sauce Directions:
- Whisk four and milk in a saucepan on medium heat for 5 – 7 minutes until thick and bubbly.
- Remove from heat, add cheeses and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Cover and set aside.
Chicken Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets (total of 1 ½ pounds or 24 ounces)
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 cup egg substitute
8 thinly sliced reduced fat Swiss cheese (3 ounces)
8 thinly sliced deli ham slices (6 ounces)
Directions:
- Make sauce and cover to keep warm.
- Pound each chicken cutlet until it is about ¼ inch thin (thinner is easier to roll). Cut each in half for a total of 8 cutlets.
- Cut deli ham meat into 8 slices and Swiss cheese into 8 slices.
- Place a ham slice inside the chicken cutlet and then a slice of cheese. Roll up each breast tightly. Continue until all chicken cutlets are rolled with the cheese and ham inside.
- Dip each in egg then roll in bread crumbs.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Cook the rolled chicken cutlets for about 5 minutes on each side until browned.
- Pour 2/3 sauce into an oven safe baking dish. Place cutlets in a single layer on top of sauce then spoon remaining sauce on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes covered then 5 – 10 minutes uncovered until bubbly and browned.
- Serve hot.
TIPS FOR ROLLING CHICKEN CUTLETS:
- You can use plastic wrap on the outside of the chicken cutlets when rolling to get a tight roll. This will help from the chicken falling away from the ham and cheese center.
- You can secure with toothpicks and remove after cooking in the skillet.
Sausage and Seafood Paella
Sausage and Seafood Paella
Serves 8
Sausage and Seafood Paella
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 285 Fat: 5 grams Points: 6
Ingredients:
1 – 12 ounce package of hot or mild chicken sausage
1 cup onion – chopped
½ cup celery – chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
1 teaspoon saffron threads
2 cups reduced fat chicken broth
1 cup long grain rice
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen peas – defrosted
1 pound shrimp – shelled, deveined and cut into bite sized pieces
1 pound small sea scallops
Directions:
- Remove outer casing from chicken sausages and coarsely chop.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken sausage and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until browned.
- Remove sausage from skillet and set aside. Spray same skillet with cooking spray again and add onion and celery. Sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Combine saffron threads in the chicken broth and stir until saffron dissolves then add to skillet with rice. Set stovetop heat to low and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes, until liquid has dissolved. Add diced tomatoes, peas, shrimp and sea scallops. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes until fish is cooked.
- Add rice and sausage to skillet, heat and then serve.
Make Ahead Meals – Week 2
Making Southwest Chicken Skillet in advance: Cook chicken in skillet until done then remove from stovetop and place in the refrigerator. About 15 minutes before it is time to eat, reheat the chicken on the stove for about 10 minutes or until it reaches a boil on medium heat then remove chicken, add cheese, broil and serve.
Southwest Chicken Skillet
Southwest Chicken Skillet
Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 260 Fat: 6 grams Points: 6
Ingredients:
4 bone-in skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
5 scallions – white parts only chopped
1 jalapeno pepper – finely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
Directions:
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Brown for about 3 – 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add scallions and jalapeno pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until browned.
- Add tomatoes, cilantro, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder and bring to a boil. Add chicken breasts to the skillet, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes (or until chicken is cooked through.
- Preheat the broiler on high heat. Remove chicken breasts from skillet and place in an oven safe pan. Sprinkle a little cheese on each breast and broil for about 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Pour sauce into a serving platter, top with chicken breasts and serve.
Spicy Chicken Sausage with Penne
This is a great easy meal that can be made ahead of time. I cooked the sauce in the morning and heated it 10 minutes before dinner while the penne was cooking.
Spicy Chicken Sausage with Penne
Spicy Chicken Sausage with Penne
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 to 2 hours
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 400 Fat: 7 grams Points: 8
Ingredients:
1 package (12 ounces) chicken sausage with jalapenos and red peppers – coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic – minced
½ cup white wine
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons fresh basil – chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces (1/2 box) high fiber penne pasta (*)
Directions:
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, spray with cooking spray and add sausage. Sauté for 5 minutes until browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add wine, scraping any pieces from the bottom of the pan and cook until it comes to a boil.
- Add tomatoes, tomato paste and basil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- 20 minutes before serving, add oregano and continue to simmer.
- 10 minutes before serving, bring water to a boil on high heat and add penne. Cook 8 – 10 minutes or until done.
- Strain penne and pour into a serving platter. Spoon sausage sauce on top and serve.
(*) “Smart Pasta” with 7 grams of fiber per serving.
NOTE: the sausage sauce can be made in advance and reheated when ready to serve.
Fun with Figs Part 1
My friend from Virginia has had a fig tree growing in her yard for years without my knowledge until we visited this past weekend. I was floored to find that no-one in the family has ever tried them. We pay a lot of money up north to buy these little treasures from nature. So before we left, we brought back as many as we could pick. I’d like to share a couple of recipes that you could try with figs. Jenn and Eric, these are for you.
Enjoy the figs!!
Chicken Breasts with Fig Sauce
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 260 Fat: 2 grams Points: 5
Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup cream sherry
¼ cup fat free half and half
¼ cup honey
½ cup figs – stems removed and thinly sliced (about 3 figs)
2 tablespoons reduced calorie butter spread
Directions:
- Pound chicken until about ½ inch thick and season with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan on medium high heat, spray with cooking spray and add chicken breasts. Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan and cover to keep warm.
- In a saucepot, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil over high heat. Boil until the sherry has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Once reduced, whisk in the half and half, honey, and sliced figs and cook for another 1 -2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter spread.
- Arrange chicken on a warm serving platter and drizzle with the fig sauce.
Pulled BBQ Chicken
I made this for my son’s birthday party last night and did not get the chance to take a picture because we were so busy getting ready. I also did not write the exact measurements down when I was preparing hot sauce but remember the ingredients. You may want to add a little more of this or that as you make the sauce per your own individual taste and heat level.
Happy BBQ’ing!
Pulled BBQ Chicken
Serves 10
Oven or Crock Pot
Preheat oven 300o
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 3 – 4 hours
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 300 Fat: 6 grams Points: 6
Ingredients:
4 pounds chicken breast on the bone
1 pound chicken thighs on the bone
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic – minced
2 cups ketchup
1 jar (12-ounces) chili sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
2 teaspoons onion powder
3 – 4 dashes hot sauce
½ teaspoon powdered mustard
Directions:
- Remove skins from chicken pieces and arrange in a baking pan. Combine brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper and chili powder and whisk until combined. Rub on chicken pieces.
- Cover baking pan with aluminum foil and cook for 3 – 4 hours. Chicken will be ready when you can easily remove the meat from the bone with a fork.
- When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- While chicken is cooling, heat a sauce pot on medium heat, spray with cooking spray and add garlic.
- Cook garlic for 1 -2 minutes until slightly browned but not crisp. Add ketchup, chili sauce, water, brown sugar, liquid smoke, onion powder, hot sauce and mustard. Cook until heated and bubbly.
- Add hot sauce or other spices for taste.
- When chicken has cooled, shred meat off the bone by holding the chicken with a fork in one hand and scraping the meat off the chicken with a fork in the other hand. Add chicken meat to a large serving bowl, stir in hot BBQ sauce and serve.
NOTE: If you cook the pulled chicken in advance you can re-heat in the microwave, or keep it hot in a sterno or place in a slow cooker set on “warm”.
Ranch Seasoned Chicken
Ranch Seasoned Chicken Breasts
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Marinate: 1 – 4 hours
Estimated Values per Serving:
Calories: 250 Fat: 1 gram Points: 5
Ingredients:
1 ½ – 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts
2 1-ounce packets of ranch dressing mix – separated
1 cup flour
¾ cup egg substitute
1 – 2 teaspoons hot sauce (depending on taste)
¼ cup honey
Directions:
- Rinse and dry chicken with paper towels. Place chicken into a bowl and pour 1 packet of ranch dressing on top. Toss chicken breasts with dressing mix, cover and refrigerate for 1 – 4 hours.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour and 1 packet of dressing mix. In another bowl, whisk together egg substitute, hot sauce and honey.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Dip chicken breasts into the egg mixture and then dredge into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess four mixture.
- Add chicken to skillet and cook for 8 – 10 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through.
- Serve hot.
Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
Lemon-Blueberry Muffins
Serves 12
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes
Preheat oven 350o
Estimated Values per Serving
Calories: 155 Fat: 2 grams Points: 3
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lemon – zested and juiced
1 cup fat free sour cream
½ cup egg substitute
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
Directions:
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper-liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, zest, sour cream, egg substitute, canola oil, milk and extract.
- Add wet ingredients to dry and beat on medium speed until well combined.
- Fold in blueberries.
- Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until slightly browned.
- Cool at least 5 minutes and serve.
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