Parmesan Chicken and Rice

In an effort to be healthy, I have tried as many light recipes as possible. Although this recipe is healthy, it is really delicious. I'm sure I will be making this a lot.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.

4 servings.

Source: cookinglight.com

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 395(18% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 29.9g; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 171mg; SODIUM 656mg; FIBER 2g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.4g

Whiskey Pork Chops

These are so wonderful. Plus, since the recipe came from cooking light, its also ultra-healthy.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (6-ounce) pork chops, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1/2 cup whiskey

Preheat oven to 300°. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork; sauté 5 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove pork from pan.

Add onion and mushrooms to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Carefully add whiskey to pan; cook for 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir sour cream mixture into pan.

Return pork to pan; spoon sauce over pork. Wrap handle of skillet with foil. Cover and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

4 servings.

Source: http://juliesfoodie.blogspot.com/ and cookinglight.com

Greek Chicken Pasta

I wasn't sure how this would go over, since Brent is not big on Greek food. However, two huge servings later, he announced that he loved it. Its super easy to make and tastes wonderful.

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked pasta (I used penne)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 teaspoons parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine
2 teaspoons dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste


- Place chicken breasts in oven-proof baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with your choice of herb seasoning. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes at 375 degrees, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

- Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the tomato, parsley, lemon juice (or white wine), oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice the chicken breasts into pieces and add to top of pasta; sprinkle feta cheese over the plated pasta.

2-3 servings

http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com

Taco Dip

This taco "dip" is more like a meal. I made it for dinner, and it went over really well with Brent.


Ingredients:
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 lb ground beef
taco seasoning packet
4oz tomato sauce
4 oz cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup salsa
tortilla chips

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo together until smooth. Meanwhile, cook the beef over medium heat. Drain, and stir in the taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Cook and stir about 5 minutes.

To mix: In a bowl, pour the lettuce, followed by the cream cheese mixture, then the meat mixture. Finally, top it off with the cheddar cheese and salsa. Use the chips to dip.

4 - 6 servings.

Asian Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
2 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon EVOO
1/4 teaspoon wasabi sauce
4 medium chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness

Directions:
-Combine all ingredients but chicken in large bowl and stir to combine.
-Add chicken and toss to coat and submerge.
-Place in fridge and marinate for about 30 minutes to an hour.
-Heat grill or grill pan to medium heat.
-Take chicken out of marinade and place on grill breast side down.
-Cook without moving until grill marks have formed on the breast.
-Flip chicken and brush top with more of the marinade mixture.
-Cook breast side up until grill marks have formed.
-Brush chicken one more time and flip breast side down.
-Turn grill to lower setting and continue cooking until done.
-Remove from grill and cover with foil for 10 minutes before serving.

Or instead of grilling, you can bake at 375 for 40 minutes.

4 servings.

Source: http://www.goodthingscatered.blogspot.com/

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

I still love Italian, and this is wonderful. I will make this often. Brent, who usually complains about pasta, happily ate the left-overs the next day.

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
Salt
Black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container skim-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups tomato sauce

Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool. Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Meanwhile, cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes.

2 servings.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Spicy Orange Chicken over Fried Rice

This is another healthy meal that tastes delicious. I will definitely put this into the regular meal rotation.

Spicy Orange Chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon chili
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 Tablespoon ginger
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch strips
1 onion, cut into 1 inch pieces

Mix chicken, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, and orange rind in medium bowl. Toss to coat chicken. In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook 3 minutes until done. Add ginger and cook an additional minute. Remove from heat. Add onions and bell pepper to pan. Stir fry about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, chili sauce, and garlic powder in small bowl. Mix well. Add broth mixture to pan with onions and bell pepper. Cook until broth starts to boil and thicken, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until heated through.

Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional information (per serving): 227 calories, 8 g fat, 16 g carbohydrates, 22 g protein


Fried Rice:
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 egg whites
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
salt
pepper
option: onions, carrots

In large saute pan, saute veggies. Remove from pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add eggs and scramble. Then add rice and veggies and stir fry. Add soy sauce and fry. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Weight watchers and http://good-eats-n-sweet-treats.blogspot.com

Pecan Crusted Salmon

Ingredients:

1 lb salmon cut into pieces
1 Tablespoon mustard
11/2 cup honey
1 cup crushed pecans
2 Tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400, spray baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix dry ingredients, and mix mustard and honey. Dredge the salmon in the honey mustard, coat with breading and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until flaky.

2 servings.

Source: adamswife.blogspot.com

Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
8 white button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 can (10-ounce) condensed fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup canned chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons deli-style brown mustard
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until just brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate. Add mushrooms to the same skillet and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Whisk in soup, broth, and mustards. Bring sauce to a simmer. Return chicken to skillet and submerge into sauce completely. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until soup bubbles thickly and chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plates and spoon sauce over the top. Sprinkle with tomatoes and corn.

4 servings.

Source: Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

dash crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red wine

1/4 cup water

4 oz mushrooms

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

14 oz can diced tomatoes

1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon Parsley

To cook squash: Pierce squash with a fork. To cook in oven, place on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 1 hour. To speed up cooking time, you can cook part of the time in microwave. Bake until tender. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Scrape the insides of squash with a fork to remove spaghetti like strands. Keep warm.

While squash is cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper. Saute 5 minutes. Add garlic cloves, wine, water, mushrooms, pepper, salt, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Serve over squash. Top with cheese and parsley.

3 servings.

Source: my sister, the nutrition, and cookinglight.com

Calories: 128, 4 fat, 5 protein, carbs 21

Alfredo Pasta Bake

Ingredients:

8 oz pasta, cooked and drained

2 cups broccoli florets (optional)

1 cup mushrooms

1.5 cups chicken, cooked and diced (1 large chicken breast)

1 jar Alfredo sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of the two small or one medium baking dish with a thin layer of Alfredo sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, garlic and Alfredo sauce until combined. Place mixture into baking dish and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is hot and bubbly.

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2 servings.

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Source: Amber's Delectable Delights amberskitchen.blogspot.com

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1/8 cup honey
1 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pork loin chops, boneless, trimmed of excess fat

In a shallow dish, whisk together honey, soy sauce and garlic. Coat chops in mixture. Reserve left over honey mixture for basting. Place chops on greased grill over med high heat, close lid and cook.

2 servings.

Source: cooklight.com

Nutritional info:
Fat: 6.0g
Carbohydrates: 19.3g
Calories:214.5
Protein: 20.9g

Healthy Chicken Creole

2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips*
1 can (14 oz.) tomatoes, cut up
3/4 cup low-sodium chili sauce
1 green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

brown rice

Cook rice according to package directions. Spray a deep skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat. Cook chicken in hot skillet, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reduce heat. Add tomatoes and their juice, low-sodium chili sauce, green pepper, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

2-3 servings.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 255, Fat 4.5 g, Carbs 21 g, Protein 33 g.

Source: cookinglight.com

Healthy Baked Pork Chops

2 lean butterfly cut pork chops, 1/2" thick
1/2 egg white
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1/3 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

Trim all fat from chops. Beat egg white with evaporated skim milk. Place chops in milk mixture and let stand for 5 minutes, turning chops once. Meanwhile, mix together bread crumbs, spices, and salt. Spray a 9xl3-inch baking pan with nonstick spray coating. Remove chops from milk mixture. Coat thoroughly with crumb mixture. Place chops in pan and bake in 375º F oven for 20 minutes. Turn chops and bake 15 minutes longer or till no pink remains.

2 servings.

Nutritional info: (per serving) Fat 7.3 g, Carbs 7.3 g, Calories 195, Protein 23.6 g

Source: cookinglight.com

Pork Chops in Dijon Sauce

1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 center-cut rib or loin pork chops
black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Melt the butter in the oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and brown them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly. Remove chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add wine to pan and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until chops are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Raise the temperature of the pan to boil the pan juices, reduce the juices by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and parsley. Spoon sauce over chops and serve.

2 servings.

Source: http://erinrach.blogspot.com/2008/02/pork-chops-with-dijon-sauce.html

Ultra Crunchy Pork Chops

Ingredients:
2 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
1 cup bread crumbs
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tbsp)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tablespoons thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 425. Toss bread crumbs with salt, pepper, Parmesan, thyme, and parsley. Place flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour, shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to pan. Repeat with remaining chop. Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted in center of chops registered 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

2 servings.

Source: http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html I took the short cut on a couple of steps, because DH and I were starving. They still turned out wonderful though.

Peasant Pasta

Ingredients:

1 pound extra lean ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen or can green peas

1 Tablespoon basil

1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente

Grated Italian cheese

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Cook beef in large skillet over medium high heat until cooked. Drain. Add garlic to the pan. Deglaze the pan drippings using chicken broth. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring the sauce up to a bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir cream into your sauce, this will blush the color and cut the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir peas and basil into your sauce to combine. Toss hot drained penne rigate in pan with the sauce, then transfer pasta to serving bowl. Top with cheese.

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6 Servings.

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Source: adapted from Rachel Ray

Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken

4 ultra thin boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 package cream cheese with chives

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon tarragon

3 Tablespoons of butter

1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

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Heat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Mix together the filling: goat cheese, cream cheese, chives, oregano, basil, and rosemary. On two chicken breasts place 1/2 of the mixture on each. Top with the other chicken breast. Place into a greased baking dish. Melt remaining 3 Tablespoons butter and mix in tarragon, celery salt, rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour sauce over the chicken breasts in baking dish and place in oven. Cook until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, about 25-30 minutes.

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2 servings.

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Source: http://www.chompdown.blogspot.com/

Chicken in Parsley Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Herbs de Provence. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce for 10 minutes. Add the heavy cream, salt, pepper, and Parsley. Stir to combine and simmer for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

2 servings.

Smothered Steaks with Peppers and Onions

This recipe is wonderful - delicious, yet quick and easy. I will definitely be making it again. I made it for Brent's lunch, and it was a big hit.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

4 beef cube steaks or beef patties

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons EVOO

1 green pepper, cut into strips

1 small onion, sliced

2 Tablespoons flour

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons parsley

Make rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Brown in hot oil in pan over medium-high heat. Cook until done. Remove from pan. In pan, saute onions and peppers. Sprinkle with parsley. Meanwhile, in bowl, mix flour, soy sauce, and 1 cup water. Mix well and pour over vegetables. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Spoon sauce over steaks. Serve with rice.

2-3 servings.