Healthy Chicken Parmesan

I love so many of Hungry Girl's recipes! If you haven't heard of her, click on the name and check her out! I get her daily emails, and am always learning new things. One of my favorite topics she covers is Swap-outs or fake-outs. I tried this one tonight and everyone, including V, ate it!

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Fiber One cereal
1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original**
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated using Adjustable Microplane
1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup canned tomato sauce
Optional: garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add parmesan to crumbs (if desired, season crumbs with optional spices, as well).

Place crumbs in one Coating Tray and Egg Beaters in another of the Trays.

Next, fillet chicken into cutlets so you have 8 pieces. Coat raw chicken on both sides with Egg Beaters, and then coat with crumb mixture.

Place chicken on Large Sheet Pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray a light mist of nonstick spray on top of chicken and place in oven. Cook for 10 minutes, and then turn chicken over. Add another light mist of nonstick spray and cook for an additional 10 - 12 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked and coating looks crispy).

Meanwhile, if desired, mix tomato sauce with your seasonings of choice. Remove chicken from oven, top with sauce and then cheese, and return chicken to oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy! Serves 4

Serving suggestion: Serve with whole wheat spaghetti or linguini noodles and steamed veggies.

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (packaged works much better than fresh grated for this)
• 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
  
• 1/4 cup butter, softened (NOT melted)
  
• 3 Tbsp light miracle whip
  
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  
• 1 tsp Pampered Chef All-Purpose Dill seasoning
  
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets
  

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Spray broiling pan with cooking spray or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese,bread crumbs, butter, miracle whip, and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder and Dill Seasoning. Mix well and set aside.Do not refrigerate - keep at room temperature!
   
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Excellent - flaky, moist, tender fish! The whole family loves it! Usually we each eat 2 fillets. Great with baked brown rice and steamed broccoli.

Heavenly Healthy Waffles

• 4 egg whites (or 1 cup egg substitute)
  
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 12 oz container of skim evaporated milk
  
• 3 scoops protein powder
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
  
• 2 tsp Pampered Chef Pure Bourbon vanilla extract
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup finely ground oatmeal (about 1 1/2 cups quick oats blended in blender)
• 1/4 cup finely ground Fiber One cereal (about 1/2 cup blended in blender or food processor)
  
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 6 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp. Splenda brown sugar blend
  
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. In Kitchen Aid mixer, whisk together the egg whites, milks, applesauce, pumpkin, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients until blended. Beat in flour mixture until combined.
2. Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron by scant 1/2 cups, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Yield: 20 waffles
Nutritional value if made as written per waffle: 103 calories, 1g total fat, 0g sat. fat, 0.25mg cholesterol, 258mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate, 2.5g fiber, 5.5g sugar, 5.5g protein

2 waffles would = 3 points (by my calculation)

Note: Can substitute mashed bananas for pumpkin and/or applesauce. I've also used 1/4 c. organic extra virgin coconut oil in place of the applesauce.

These are excellent! So easy to make, and just sweet enough that V and I don't need any syrup or anything!

Changing directions

I keep changing what I want this blog to be. For now, I think I've decided it's just going to be a sort of electronic compilation of recipes I've made and liked, and how I've adapted them, if they were pulled from somewhere else originally.

Three-Meat Chili

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb sausage
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 bell pepper (green or red)
5 Tbsp chli powder
a pinch or two of cinnamon
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 palmful ground Chipotle Chile Pepper
1 large can Chili Hot beans
1 large can Chili Mild beans
1 can Great Northern Beans, not drained
1 can Black Beans, not drained
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes, not drained
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 bottle beer

Brown all meats in a large stock pot over medium heat. Remove cooked meat to a dish and keep warm. In same pot, using a little of the fat rendered from the meats, saute onion, peppers and garlic until soft and translucent. Add browned meats and seasonings, stirring to coat. Pour in remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through. The longer it sits on the stove, the better it tastes!

Variation: Add diced zucchini or frozen corn to bump up veggie factor.

Sausage & Veggie Mac Skillet

Adapted from Kraft Foods Hearty Sausage Skillet

1 lb. Turkey Smoked Sausage, sliced

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes, undrained

1 cup water

1 tsp. Pampered Chef Italian seasoning

1 pkg. (12 oz.) Shells & Cheese Dinner Made With 2% Milk Cheese

2 cups broccoli florets(or substitute frozen corn, peas or carrots)

Brown sausage in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 min.; drain.

Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, the water and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil. Add Shells. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover.

Simmer 7 min., stirring twice. Add broccoli; cook an additional 5 min. or until tender. Stir in Cheese Sauce until well blended.

Note: Can also use any other type of sausage, ground beef or turkey, or chicken thinly sliced.

Breakfast Egg & Meat Cups

5-7 strips center cut bacon or turkey bacon, or 1/4 lb turkey sausage
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small head broccoli, finely chopped
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
10 eggs, lightly beaten
dash of milk
pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar and mozzarella or whatever you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 2 6-cup muffin tins (or silicone trays) with cooking spray.
In 10" saute' pan, brown meat. Remove to paper towels to cool slightly and drain.
In same pan, using a little of the reserved fat, saute' veggies until soft and onions are translucent.
Remove veggies to Small Batter Bowl, and stir in cooked meat. Divide mixture evenly among 12 muffin cups.
Beat eggs, adding a little bit of milk to lighten them up. Add pepper to tasted, can add salt if using turkey sausage (bacon will be salty enough). Pour eggs over filling, fill each cup 2/3 full. Top each cup with one tomato slice, if using. Sprinkle cheese over each cup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until eggs are set. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. If freezing, freeze individually on a cookie sheet, then put into a resealable bag to store.

Beef With Broccoli

3/4 lb. boneless tender beef steak (may substitute chicken)
2 tbsp. cornstarch, divided
4 tbsp. soy sauce, divided
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. fresh broccoli, trimmed
3 tbsp. light oil (vegetable or canola), divided
1/2 onion, 1/4 chunked 1/4 finely diced
3-4 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/8" slices

Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Combine 1 tablespoon each cornstarch and soy sauce with sugar, ginger and garlic. Stir in beef. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove flowerets from broccoli; if large, cut in half lengthwise. Cut stalks crosswise into 1/8" slices. Combine remaining cornstarch and soy sauce with 1 cup water; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok or large skillet over high heat. Add meat and stir fry 1 minute; remove. Heat remaining oil in same wok. Add broccoli, onion and carrot; stir fry 4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in meat and soy sauce mixture; bring to boil. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe, I made this tonight and it was delish! I wanted to lighten it up just a little bit. I used Dove Dark Chocolate (83% cacao). Makes enough to serve 8-10 people.

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) loaf French or Italian bread, cubed
• 3 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup coffee flavored liqueur
• 1 cup packed Splenda light brown sugar blend
  
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Pampered Chef Korjinte cinnamon
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3-4 ounces dark chocolate, grated
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and place the bread in the dish. In Large Batter Bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur. Combine the brown sugar and cocoa powder in Small Batter Bowl. Add the sugar mixture to the milk mixture and mix well. In the empty Small Batter Bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add the vanilla and almond extract, and cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture and mix well.

Grate chocolate with Garlic Slicer directly over bread. Pour the custard mixture over the cubed bread in the pan. Let stand, stirring occasionally for approximately 20 minutes or until bread absorbs most of the milk mixture. Bake for 1 hour or until set. Check pudding by inserting a knife through the middle and it should come out clean.

Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled with whipped cream if desired.

Garlic Chicken Veggie Pizza

2 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
2 T butter or margarine
2 T EVOO
1/4 small red onion, finely diced
4-5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 t dried basil
2 t Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning
1 (10 oz) tube refrigerated pizza crust
2 roma tomatoes, diced or sliced (whatever you prefer)
1 broccoli crown, chopped
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or according to package directions).
In a small saute pan, heat butter and EVOO. Saute garlic and onion until soft, stir in basil, then stir in chicken. Set aside.
Spread pizza dough out on Large Bar Pan. Spread seasoned chicken over crust. Dot ricotta and half the mozzarella over chicken. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning.
Top with tomatoes and broccoli. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then sprinkle the other 1 tsp Italian Seasoning over everything.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.