Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cherry Sauce

This cherry sauce is great with pork or chicken! It tastes rich, but doesn't have any added fat. I am definitely adding this one to my monthly rotation. 

Ingredients

1/2 lb fresh cherries, pitted

3 Tbsp water

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

3 Tbsp agave nectar

1/4 tsp. thyme

Enough cabernet sauvignon to completely cover the cherries

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Flour 

Salt 

Garlic

Olive oil

1. Remove pits from cherries, and place them in a saute pan.  Add all remaining ingredients and stir well.

2. Cook over medium heat and allow sauce to achieve a low boil.  Taste sauce after 10-15 minutes and either remove or continue cooking to desired consistency.

 3. It's almost done here. As your sauce is cooking, rinse chicken thighs. Season each side with salt and garlic, then press the thigh into a bed of flour. Remove any excess flour. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a skillet, and cook each thigh for about 3 minutes per side (or until golden brown). Place browned thighs on a cookie sheet that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Finish cooking thighs on broil for about 10 minutes, depending on the heat of your oven. This makes them crispy without frying, but be careful you don't leave them too long. They can burn quickly if you don't keep any eye on them.

4. Remove thighs from oven. Spoon cherry sauce over them, and serve!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Goat cheese is lower in fat and calories than cheese made with whole cows' milk, and it's also very rich and creamy. This filling really dresses up a chicken breast!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 medium package of goat cheese (about 6 oz)

2 green onion stalks

1 Tbsp herbs de provence

Something to bind chicken breast while cooking (toothpicks, twine, silicone bands, etc.)

1. Combine goat cheese, onion and herbs in a small bowl. 

 2. Slice each chicken breast through the thickest part about 3/4 of the way through. Do not cut it all the way through! Add filling.

 3. Close the chicken breast and bind it with bands or toothpicks.

 4. Cook on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes per side. This will vary based on the size and thickness of the meat.

5. Remove toothpicks (I haven't done so in this picture, yet.) and serve with a side of veggies.

Good Morning Pancakes

I love pancakes, but they can be quite high in fat, cholesterol, and calories. Here's a recipe from an old southern cookbook that I modified. You still probably shouldn't eat them everyday, but they're a lot easier on your waistline!

This is what most of my cookbooks look like. I'm always making changes to ratios and altering ingredients. Here's my version:

Ingredients

2 Tbsp oil
1 cup 2% milk
2 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
2 egg whites (no yolks)
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp apple sauce (If you don't have applesauce on hand, add one more Tbsp oil.)
1 Tbsp cinnamon

 1. Mix all dry ingredients until well combined. Add wet ingredients and stir thoroughly.

2. Use a ladle to drop batter onto a pan or skillet over medium high heat.

3. Cook for about 3 minutes per side.

4. Serve warm with agave nectar. I frequently add a dollop of jam to the top!

Crab Rangoonies from Hungry Girl

• I saw this recipe on an episode of Hungry Girl on Food Network. These make great appetizers or hearty snacks. 
• 
  
• 1 pkg. imitation crab meat (I used 12oz)
• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped
• 1 pkg fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 wedges The Laughing Cow brand cheese (I used low-fat swiss)
• 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium or lite soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
• I pkg wonton wrappers 
• 
  
• Optional dipping sauce: sweet and sour sauce, Chinese-style hot mustard, soy sauce, etc. 

 

1. Chop crab, green onion and garlic and add to bowl. Mix in cream cheese and Laughing Cow cheese until well combined. 

2. Add soy sauce and garlic. Be sure to taste the mixture before stuffing the wontons, and adjust seasoning to personal preference. 

 3. Add about 1 teaspoon of filling to each wrapper. Using a small bowl of water, wet your finger and trace the edges of the wrapper. Fold it over onto the wet edges and push down to seal. Arranging them in the pattern above will maximize your baking pan space. 

4. Bake at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes per side. Serve warm! 

Easy Fruit Bake

This is a simple way to satisfy a sweet tooth without consuming a lot of fat or calories. The final product ends up being similar in consistency and taste to pie filling, and is great served with vanilla frozen yogurt!

Ingredients

3 pears (any variety) chopped

3 apples (any variety) chopped

1 cup grapes (red seedless work best)

1/2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. sugar

Cinnamon to taste

 1. Roughly chop apples and pears. This time I used Bosc pears and Gala apples. I tend to remove the skin from the pears, but not the apples, although the skin is perfectly safe to eat if you enjoy the texture. Remove stems from grapes.

 2. Place all ingredients in a baking dish. This could also be done in a slow cooker. Make sure there's some depth to the dish as this recipe produces a fair amount of liquid as it cooks.

3. Add butter, sugar and cinnamon. Cover fruit with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 2 hours, or until fruit is easily pierced with a fork.

4. Enjoy!

Hearty Vegetarian Breakfast Hash

Here's a recipe that is very easy and so quick to prepare!

Ingredients

2 veggie burger patties, cooked

2 large potatoes, cooked and rough cut 

1/2 of 1 onion, chopped

1 small bunch of green onions

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 T soy sauce

1 T olive oil

Chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

1. Cook veggie patties and potatoes. I use a George Foreman grill for the patties (I use Trader Joe's brand, but any brand will do!) because it makes them kinda crispy. Cut or tear into pieces.

Toss the potatoes in the microwave until they are cooked through. Let them cool enough to handle comfortably, then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Add olive oil to a hot pan, coat the bottom, and add patties pieces and potatoes.

 2.  Add all onions and bell peppers. Season with soy sauce and spices.

 3. Saute.

 4. Dish will be ready when the potatoes are browned on the sides. Serve hot!

Turkey Taco Soup

Taco soup is typically made with ground beef, which can be high in fat and cholesterol. This recipe uses ground turkey instead. I always use www.nutritiondata.com to help me estimate the nutritional value of the ingredients I choose. Ground beef: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beef-products/6206/2

Ground turkey: http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/932/2

Not an exact comparison, but 3oz of cooked beef (80/20 mix) has 15g (6g saturated) of fat and 231 calories, while 4oz of cooked turkey has 11g (3g saturated) of fat and 193 calories. 

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey

2 ears fresh corn

2 tomatoes

1 can fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies

1 carton broth

1 onion

Salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and garlic to taste

Optional ingredients for topping: avocado, light sour cream, reduced fat cheese, baked tortilla strips

  

1. Brown 1lb of ground turkey and season as desired with garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. 

 2. Fresh corn makes a big difference in taste and adds a nice crunch to the meal. Use a knife to remove kernels from the cob.

 3. Add corn and 1 onion, chopped.

 4. Add fresh tomatoes and roasted tomatoes with green chilies. You can use any brand, but I prefer Trader Joe's because they  use BPA free cans. Add 1 carton of broth, either chicken or vegetable will work well.

 5. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes so the flavors can properly infuse.

6. Serve with chopped cilantro, avocado pieces, some light sour cream, and reduced fat cheese. I tend to buy cheese that is made with 2% milk so the fat content is lower.