Spring Chicken Sautee

New recipe that we tried tonight! I liked it! Very colorful and pretty dish loaded with vitamins and low in calories and fat. I found this recipe on eatbetteramerica.com

Spring Chicken Sautee

prep time:20 min
start to finish:40 min
makes:4 servings

2 cups fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch-long pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme
2 cups sliced yellow summer squash and/or zucchini
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. In a covered medium saucepan, cook green beans in a small amount of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; submerge beans in enough ice water to cover and let stand until cool. Drain again; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. In a large bowl, toss chicken with oregano. Add chicken to hot oil in skillet; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
3. Add squash to skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in chicken, green beans, cannellini beans, chicken broth, and garlic. Bring to boiling. Add tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook about 1 minute or until heated through.

Mediterranean Vegetable, White Bean & Feta Penne

This came from the Feb 2011 Clean Eating Magazine
I loved it

6oz whole grain penne pasta
1 cup cooked or canned white beans, drained and rinsed
2 med tomatoes chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 med zucchini, cut into eighths lengthwise and then into 2 in pieces
1 med bell pepper cut into small pieces
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

Cook penne according to pasta directions, add beans during last min of cooking

Meanwhile in a med bowl combine tomatoes, 2garlic cloves, vinegar, basil, pepper flakes and salt, set aside

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in nonstick skillet, tilt to coat pan, add zucchini and bell pepper and cook 4 min or until edges begin to brown, stir frequently. Add remaining 2 garlic cloves and cook for 15 sec stirring constantly. Remove from heat ,stir in tomato mixture and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp of oil. Cover to keep warm

Drain penne and bean mixture , place in serving bowl, sprinkle evenly with rosemary and all but 1/4 cup of feta. Spoon zucchini mixture over top and top with remaining feta

Chicken Taco Fiesta

This recipe was sent to me by a boot camper, I changed a little but of it, took out the packaged taco seasoning and added my own. It was very good!!

1 1/4 lb chicken tenders cut into small pieces
14 oz can of chicken broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 tbs chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
14 oz canned white corn
1 can black beans
1 1/2 c uncooked brown minute rice

Mix together all seasonings and place to side

In large saucepan saute chicken in olive oil until done, add chicken broth, tomato sauce and mixed seasonings, bring to boil, simmer for 5 min. Add corn, beans and rice. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand until rice is donw

You can top with a sprinkle of reduced fat cheese, sour cream if you would like. I added some extra Frank's Hot Sauce to mine because I like it really spicy.
I served it with a salad

Leftovers can be placed in a whole grain tortilla for a great lunch wrap

Chili Macaroni

My aunt sent me this recipe that was given to her by a friend. It is a Weight Watchers Recipe

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey breast
2 med onions chopped
29 oz canned stewed Mexican Style tomatoes undrained
2 1/2 cups of canned tomato juice
4 oz diced green chili peppers (I used 2 cans)
2 tsp Chili Powder (I also added ground cumin and ground pepper to taste)
1 1/2 cups whole wheat macaroni uncooked
31 oz Pinto Beans canned, rinsed and drained

Brown beef and onions, drain
Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, chili peppers, chili powder and other seasonings if desired
Bring mixture to a boil
Stir in macaroni and beans, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender- around 15 min. Spoon 1 cup of chili into bowls. I added some Frank Red Hot Sauce to mine because I like mine very spicy!

It was really good, we enjoyed it

Sirloin & Peppery Tomato Reduction

This was very good! I loved the sauce that went over the steak. I made 2 mistakes. 1. My steaks were too thin and 2. I overcooked the steaks but it was still very good

Ingredients:
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt divided
1 lb boneless sirloin steak about 3/4 in thick,trimmed of visible fat
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 med zucchini cut into eighths lengthwise and then 2 inch pieces
1 med squash cut into eighths lengthwise and then 2 in pieces
1 med yellow onion , quartered, layers separated

Sauce
1/2 cup of canned diced tomato
1/2 cup of water
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of steak and press lightly to adhere, let sit for 10 min

Heat 1 tsp of oil in large nonstick skillet on med high tilting to coat pan. Add zucchini, squash and onion and cook until tender crisp, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and place in med bowl, cover to keep warm

Heat 1 tsp of oil in same skillet on med heat, tilt to coat pan. Cook steak until desired doneness

Meanwhile prepare sauce in small bowl adding all ingredients except oil

Remove steak from skillet and place on cutting board. Return skillet to med heat and add sauce mixture to pan residue. Bring to a boil and cook for 3-4 min or until reduced to 1/4 cup liquid, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, stir in 2 tsp of oil and serve over steak. Serve beside squash-onion stir fry

Taken from Clean Eating Magazine Feb 2011

Nutrients per serving:
( 3 oz steak, 1/2 cup of cup squash stir fry and 1 tbs of sauce)

Calories: 235
Total Fat 11g
Saturated Fat 2 g
Carbs 7g
Fiber 2g
Sugars 4g
Protein 22 g
Sodium 246 mg
Cholesterol 55 mg

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Tried this tonight and it was very good! I do need to learn how to butterfly chicken because I did not do a good job on that!

4 boneless chicken breasts
5 oz fresh spinach- chopped
2 red ripe tomatoes- chopped
1/2 yellow onion- chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
reduced fat feta cheese
Lawry's Seasoned Pepper

1. Flatten and butterfly chicken breasts and season both sides with Lawry's Seasoned Pepper- be careful not to add too much
2. Brown chicken and cook until no longer pink
3. While chicken is cooking, in a second pan add olive oil and heat. Add spinach, tomatoes, onion and garlic and sautee until hot
4. Spoon spinach mixture into chicken breasts and then sprinkle with feta cheese if desired
5. Close chicken breast and cook 1 min on each side

Serve with steamed veggies of your choice and a salad

Enjoy!

** recipe was adapted from one I found on sparkpeople.com

Pita Pizza

Another favorite at our house. Very quick and easy and a good alternative to your local pizza place.

Pita Pizzas

whole wheat flat bread
2 cans of Muir Glen Organic Pizza Sauce (I get it at Kroger in the Organic section)
grilled chicken strips
spinach
4 Roma tomatoes
part skim mozzarella cheese
crushed red pepper if desired

Heat oven to 350. Put flat breads on a cookie sheet, top with spinach leaves, grilled chicken, thinly sliced roma tomatoes, pizza sauce, crushed red pepper if you want and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, I do not use much cheese.

Cook for 15- 20 min

Enjoy!