Cheezy Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini “Pasta”

From Cook Yourself Thin

I realized tonight that we either make Mexican food or Italian food… I promise from here on out that we’ll try to mix it up a little! Anyway, this recipe was delish. The zucchini makes a nice pasta substitute, packing our side dish full of vitamins and flavor. We had a hard time cutting the zucchini as thin as the recipe calls for but we made it happen. It didn’t look as pretty as the picture of course but it would good, none-the-less. My dream kitchen will have all of the kitchen gadgets I’ve ever wanted… One day! Beware that the breadcrumbs cook quicker than the chicken so make sure the heat is on low so as not to burn them (like I did!). This would be a great addition to any Italian-themed dinner. Filling AND healthy!

Serves 4
350 calories per serving

What You Need:

For tomato sauce and zucchini pappardelle
2 tblsp olive oil, divided
1/4 red onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
salt & pepper
1 28 oz. can peeled tomatoes in juice, mashed
1 sprig fresh basil
1/4 c fresh parsley leaves, chopped
4 zucchini (about 1 1/2 lbs) trimmed at both ends

For chicken
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tblsp extra for serving
1/4 c dried whole wheat or white breadcrumbs
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with a fork
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, split in half to make 6 to 8 large, thin cutlets
pepper
4 tblsp olive oil
1/4 c part-skim ricotta cheese (optional)

What To Do:

1. Heat 1 tblsp of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, for one minute. Cover and reduce heat the very low and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, basil and another 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes and season with 1/8 tsp pepper.2. Using a mandolin or vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick long pappardelle-like strips, turning the zucchini and slicing on 4 sides only until you see the center seeds. Discard the centers.

3. Remove the tomato sauce to a bowl with a rubber spatula, no need to clean the skillet. Heat the remaining 1 tblsp of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and cook until wilted, tossing often with tongs for even cooking – 8 to 10 minutes. Return the tomato sauce to the pan, add 1 tblsp of the parsley and season with 1/8 tsp pepper, cover and set aside.

4. On a plate, combine the breadcrumbs, 1/4 c Parmesan cheese and the remaining parsley. Place the egg white in a bowl. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Dip the chicken into the egg whites and then into the breadcrumbs mix to coat completely, set aside on a large plate or platter.

5. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken and cook until lightly browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until chicken is firm, and lightly browned on the other side, 1 to 3 minutes.

6. Arrange on a plate and serve!
(If you chose the serve ricotta cheese, put a spoon full on a plate and lay chicken Parmesan on top.)

Chicken Quesadilla

By Ashley

Ashley worked at this fabulous little restaurant called Chino Bandido when we were in high school. If you’ve never been, you should go! It is a Chinese/Mexican food fusion. This recipe is very similar to the chicken and vegetable quesadilla they serve. It’s packed with veggies and very filling! It would be a great appetizer or meal, but after one slice you’ll want more! It’s also one of the simplest and easiest recipes. I am a huge fan of cheese crisps. I could eat them day and night. This recipe would also make a very yummy thin crisp pizza if you prefer it that way. Just keep it open-faced instead of folding it over.

What You Need:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
4-6 large whole wheat tortillas
Shredded cheese of choice (we used cheddar)
2 cups chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped red onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes
Salsa

What To Do:

1. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper (optional: add different seasonings) and bake in a glass or metal pan at 400 degrees until no longer pink in the middle (about 20 minutes). Coat bottom of pan with water to keep chicken moist. Cut into strips.

2. Chop and combine tomatoes, broccoli and onions in a large bowl. Season if desired.

3. Sprinkle the tortillas with cheese and place chicken on half of the tortilla. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes or until browned and cheese is melted. Be sure to check frequently to prevent burning.

4. Place a spoonful of vegetables on top of the chicken and top with salsa (or fat free sour cream – yum!).

5. Fold the tortilla and press to secure the filling. If you prefer a crisper quesadilla, place back in oven for desired crispness. Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins

From Cook Yourself Thin by Candice Kumai, Harry Eastwood & Allison Fishman

This is the first recipe I’ve made from Cook Yourself Thin and I loved it. The original recipe is for regular size muffins but I prefer mini, so I changed it. I also did not add walnuts because I am not a fan. They are 200 calories a muffin so that’s not too shabby paired with a piece of fruit in the morning. I made them mini so they are easy to throw in a snack bag and eat on my way to class (or in class). I’ll show the whole recipe and strike through what I did not use or what I changed. Whole batches are good for a household but if you are by yourself, I’d just make 1/2 batch. You won’t eat them in time before the muffins start to taste aged.

What You Need:

1 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c rolled oats
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c light brown sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large organic eggs
1 1/4 c reduced-fat buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp chocolate chips (I used mini)

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 12-muffin tray with paper liners Coat 2 mini muffin trays with non-stick spray. Combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mashed banana and blend on low speed for 2 minutes.
3. Add walnuts, brown sugar, eggs, oil and buttermilk and blend for 2 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
4. Using an ice cream scoop Using a measuring cup or spoon, portion the batter evenly into the muffin tin.
5. Top each muffin with 3 to 4 about 8 to 10 mini chocolate chips.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, checking frequently and enjoy!

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Taco Salad

By Briana & Ashley

Low and behold - another easy, healthy and yummy recipe. Briana made some substitutions to make a normally fat-filled taco salad recipe quite good! Instead of using a deep fried taco shell, we used a box of taco shells and crunched them up to toss into the salad. We lowered the amount of meat and beans and upped the vegetables. Also, instead of using sour cream, we used a simple guacamole recipe to add flavor and subtract calories and fat! You could also use salsa as a salad dressing. This was a satisfying light dinner.

 

What You Need (Briana):

For Taco Salad
1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 can of vegetarian refried beans
1 box of taco shells
1 head of Romaine lettuce
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cup shredded cheese

For guacamole (Ashley):
2 avocados
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 T lemon juice, or half a lemon to squeeze
1 minced garlic clove
salt and pepper

What To Do:

1. Scoop 2 avacados, chopped small tomato, 1/2 chopped red onion, minced garlic clove and dash of salt and pepper into a food processor and blend. Cover and put in fridge until ready to eat.

2. Brown the ground beef and drain. Warm up the refried beans in the microwave or over the stove. Stir in 1/2 cup of milk for creamier beans.

3. Set your oven to 350 degrees and toast the taco shells for about 5 minutes. We used 3 taco shells per person.

Don’t burn them!

4. While toasting shells, chop all of your veggies. Make a bed of lettuce on a plate, drop desired amount of ground beef and beans in spoonfuls over the lettuce, sprinkle with vegetables and cheese and top with crumbled taco shells. Polish it off with a dollop of guacamole and voila!

Mediterranean Capellini

From The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook

This is a great spicy pasta. It’s really easy to make and great leftover! I made a  substitution in the original recipe. I used whole wheat capellini. This recipe makes 4-6 servings, with only about 300 calories per serving!

What you need:

• 1 (12 oz) package whole wheat capellini (angel hair) pasta
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 (14 1/2 oz) can chopped tomatoes w/ their juices
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 t drained capers
• 2 t dried basil leaves
• 1 t dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese

What to do:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package.
2. Drain pasta and run cool water over it to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
3. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and saute onions, red peppers and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in tomatoes with their juice, tomatoes and green chilies, capers, basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Toss together pasta, sauce and Parmesan cheese.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry

By Ashley

This is a yummy (healthy) stir fry concocted by Ashley. Super easy and super quick. You could do any variation of ingredients depending on which meat you prefer (although chicken and turkey would be the healthiest) and which veggies you prefer. Ashley doesn’t like mushrooms but I would have added those to my own version.

What you need:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed and sliced
• 2 cups broccoli crowns
• 1 cup green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 cup red bell peppers, sliced
• 1/2 cup red onions, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 tablespoons Kikkoman stir fry sauce (add more or less for desired sweetness)
• 1 box Rice Roni whole grain rice (optional)

 

What to do:

1. If you are making Rice Roni to serve stir fry over, start cooking that first according to the directions on the box. Be sure to add water if it boils away so you do not burn the rice.
2. Chop all vegetables and add to a preheated large skillet or Wok lightly coated with extra virgin olive oil.                                                                                 
3. Saute vegetables until crisp (about 10 minutes) and add chicken and sauce.
4. Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes.
5. Lay on a bed of rice and enjoy!