Easy Madras Chicken Curry

I used a new product from Whole Foods, seeds of Change Madras Simmer Sauce .

1 pound chicken, diced

3 cups rice

3-4 tbsp diced cilantro

1 jar Seeds of Change Madras simmer sauce

Add chicken to a pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Cook for about 7-8 minutes until no longer pink. Then pour the whole bottle in, stir it a bit and cover for 10 minutes. While covered, cook rice in the microwave and divide into 4 servings. Then top rice with the cooked curry/chicken mix and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Voila! Curry in 15 minutes tops!

Nutritional information: 424 calories, 62 carbs, 5 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: AMAZING - it tasted super fresh even though clearly it had no fresh veggies in it. I could see tossing in some red bell pepper, onion or tomato if you wanted to, but it's really great on it's own. I know making your own sauce is preferable, but with this at only $4 that's $1 per serving so pretty sweet! We'll be buying this item again for.

Here is my picture again in tupperware:

Here's the 4 tubs it made - 2 mixed and 2 non-mixed! (I like to mix the ones i'm going to refrigerate - it keeps the rice from getting dry)

Simple Beef Tacos

Simple Beef Tacos
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound 96/4 beef
4 Mission carb balance tortillas
4 tbsp salsa, divided in 4
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1 package taco seasoning
3-4 tbsp of water
Nonstick cooking spray
12 cherry tomatoes, diced
1 oz. Kraft natural swiss/cheddar cheese blend, divided in 4

Spray a large nonstick pan with nonstick spray. Add beef, jalapeño, taco seasoning and water. Stir until no longer pink, then add to tortilla, top with salsa, tomatoes and cheese. Serve.

Nutritional Information: 314 calories, 9 fat grams, 26 carbs and 32 protein grams.

Review: Easy, yummy and flavorful! Great tacos that are even more filling with a side of southwest salad or chips and salsa - YUM!

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Makes 4 Servings

1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 Anaheim chile, diced
1 jalapeno, deseeded and diced
16 oz. 96/4 ground beef
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the diced onion, chile and jalapeno. Sauté for 3 minutes; add the ground beef and all the seasonings. Cook until beef is done making sure to break it up into crumbles. I added a little water during cooking.

Other ingredients:

12 small corn tortillas

1 can of spicy chili beans

1 cup enchilada sauce

60 grams fat-free cheese

4 tbsp Sour cream

Green onions, diced

Place tortillas in wet paper towels and microwave for 60 seconds or until soft and pliable. Coat a square baking dish with cooking spray then pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan coating evenly. Place a spoonful of undrained beans on the tortilla followed by a large spoonful of the beef mixture. Roll and place seam side down on the baking dish Continue until baking dish is full. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over each enchilada then top with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and continue to bake for 2 additional minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving. Top the enchiladas with sour cream and green onions. Enjoy.

Nutritional Information for 3 enchiladas/1 serving: 477 calories, 21 carbs, 8 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Fabulous! Even with the fat free cheese and stuff it tasted restaurant style which is AMAZING. So flavorful and fabulous!! And…. This is my first time cooking with ground beef! It was so easy and Austin was so excited to have “red meat” back in the hizzy.

Bajio Tacos

Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Bajio Tacos
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken
1/2 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp cumin
16 tsp brown sugar
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
6 oz. diet sprite
1 tsp canola oil (for frying tortillas)
8 Ole corn tortillas
12 cherry tomatoes, diced, divided into 12 servings
60 grams Kraft natural Swiss/Cheddar/Parmesan blend, divided into 4 servings

1 tbsp corn starch; 2 tbsp cold waterCombine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Return to crock pot and cook 1 more hour. Thicken the juices with a cornstarch mixed in water. Serve with tortillas, cheese, tomatoes and any other taco fixings.

Nutritional Information per serving: 418 calories, 52 carbs, 6 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: It was SO good! If you're looking for more traditional tacos, don't look here, but if you want something different with a distinct flavor, try these!

Mexican Flavored Chicken Creations

Mexican-Flavored Chicken
Makes 8 Servings

2 pounds of chicken

1 can hot rotel

1 packet taco seasoning

1 jalepeno, deseeded and finely diced

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for three hours on high. Remove chicken to a plate, shred with two forks, add back to slowcooker, stir, and cook for 30 more minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove, and divide into 4 tubs (each tub has TWO servings).

The idea was that the chicken would be ready to go for multiple recipes! Here’s what we did with it!

2 servings - Tostados (with refried beans and avocado)

My serving with a side of greens!


Austin's with an extra tostado!

2 servings - Mexican Wraps (big tortilla stuffed with chicken, beans, lettuce and avocado)

Sorry for the work pic - VERY good regardless of gross pic! LOL

1 serving - Taco Salad (big bed of lettuce covered with chicken, avocado and cilantro salad dressing)

Yum... loved those avocado chunks

3 servings - Chicken enchilada bake (bake at 450; line square glass pan with 3 corn tortillas, add chicken, add ½ can enchilada sauce; add 3 corn tortillas; add can of spicy beans; add 2 corn tortillas; add remainder of enchilada sauce and top with cheese)

Kinda gross pic again! haha Taken with my iPhone at work today in the plastic container - the picture didn't stand a chance! LOL


YUM! This made it SO easy!

Easy Tikka Masala

Easy Tikka Masala
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. chicken, defrosted and diced
3 cups white rice
½ tbsp canola oil
1 jar Patak’s Tikka Marsala Curry Sauce
Fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Cook rice in microwave per instructions. Set large pan over medium heat with nonstick cooking spray. Add canola oil and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Once browned, stir in the bottle’s contents and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro on top.

one serving - sorry for the odd pic, it was inside a plastic tub! I was SO hungry that I just ate it out of here! LOL

Nutritional Information: 440 calories, 60 carbs, 6 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: Loved it! We especially liked how saucy it was for something that was relatively low calorie. It was very flavorful, no need to add anything really, although the cilantro added a nice touch. Super tangy, I could even see adding some yogurt to calm it if you wanted (low calorie calmer). And at only $3 a bottle for 4 servings, it was an inexpensive, easy dinner. We’ll be making it again!

Chicken Bharta

Adapted from the Fitnessista

Chicken Bharta

Makes 4 Servings

2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fage 0% yogurt
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped

3 cups white rice, divided

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in cumin seeds and onion. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Mix ginger, garlic, curry powder and tomato into the saucepan, and cook about 1 minute. Stir in yogurt. Mix in raw chicken and jalapeno pepper, and season with salt. Cover, and cook 10 minutes over high heat. Begin cooking white rice per instructions. Remove cover, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking about 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve. Serve over white rice.

Nutritional Information: 456 calories, 58 carbs, 9 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

4 little servings - yay!

Review: Wow. I really loved the heavy curry flavor in this sauce mixed with the creamy yogurt and fresh tomatoes and onions. It was very flavorful. I will say that it wasn't super saucy (if you like your rice drowning in curry you won't find that in this recipe). To me though, it was plenty of sauce and definitely carried through.

Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. of boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 cups white minute rice
2 cup green bell pepper
6 slices canned dole pineapple
½ cup Sweet & Sour Sauce, divided
Salt and Garlic Salt to taste

Defrost chicken, cut it in pieces and coat it in garlic salt/salt, cooking over medium heat. As it cooks, get the rice going in the microwave and cut up the peppers and pineapple. Once the chicken is close to being done (i.e. barely pink) add the peppers, pineapple and half of sauce, and lower heat to simmer for 2-3 more minutes. After simmer, add cooked rice, more salt and remainder of sauce.

Nutritional Information: 394 calories, 1 fat gram, 66 carbs and 27 grams of protein.

Review: A little too high in carbs but not too bad. Either way – I think it’s worth it – yum!! Random that it has no fat, right? Great recipe, and pretty easy with it being jarred!

Easy Spicy Thai Linguine

Spicy Thai Linguine
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. chicken, diced
½ cup Thai Kitchen Spicy Thai Chili Marinade
8 oz. linguine
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp dried cilantro
1 tsp canola oil

Cook pasta per instructions. Add large pan over medium heat with oil. Add chicken and ¼ cup marinade. Stir until no longer pink, then add noodles, the remaining marinade and 2 tsp of sesame seeds. Stir until mixed well, divide into 4 servings and top each with remaining sesame seeds and cilantro.

Nutritional information: 388 calories, 53 carbs, 4 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Love it. It was super spicy, which I liked, and so very easy. It didn't reheat too well- it lost a bit of its flavor. However, great the first time around but beware of the spiciness!

Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chicken
Makes 4 Servings

3 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ tbsp of Sriracha chili sauce
½ tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
8 oz. of spaghetti, cooked per instructions
16 oz. chicken, diced and cooked on nonstick spray with ½ tbsp soy sauce and ½ tsp minced garlic
1 cup red bell pepper, sliced
3-4 green onions, sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6-7 fresh basil leaves, cut in ribbons
sesame seeds, for garnish

Combine vinegar, soy sauce, canola oil, sesame oil, Sriracha sauce, garlic and ginger. Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes to allow flavors to mingle. Cook spaghetti per instructions. Cook chicken per instructions above until no longer pink. Drain noodles and return to pan along with now-cooked chicken, bell peppers, green onions and the sauce; toss until noodles, chicken and vegetables are evenly coated with sauce. Remove from stove then add the basil and cilantro and toss to combine. Serve immediately with sesame seeds for garnish.

Nutritional Information: 462 calories, 46 carbs, 14 fat grams and 38 protein grams.

Review: AMAZING. Loved the flavor, loved the bell pepper crunch, great spicy overall but not too overpowering - LOVED. It reheated well too, retaining it's flavor and not drying out the noodles. Everyone at work was like WOW - that smells amazing! :) Thanks, Pam, for another great recipe! You never fail me! :)

Red Curry Chicken

Red Curry Chicken

Makes 4 Servings

160g tomato chopped
100g bell pepper chopped
16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s curry simmer sauce
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s light coconut milk

Defrost Chicken in microwave. While it’s defrosting, spray a medium-hot pan with fat-free PAM. Add the tomato and bell pepper to the pan and saute. Add a few spoonfuls of water to the pan. Add in the curry simmer sauce and coconut milk. Turn the heat to medium-low, add as much salt and crushed red pepper as you prefer (I used a lot!) and simmer. Chop up chicken; put 1.5 cups rice in microwave and start cooking. Drop in chicken and simmer until rice is done (7 minutes). The sauce should be concentrate. Pour the chicken and sauce over a plate of rice. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information: 418 calories, 62 carbs and 4 fat grams – not bad for Thai curry and white rice – yay!

Review: Great, easy recipe for yummy Thai food. It's more on the soupy side and the veggies help add flavor, crunch and color. I also like being able to adjust my spiciness level with red pepper flakes!

Lemon Chicken with Cilantro Rice

Adapted from Closet Cooking

Lemon Chicken with Cilantro Rice

Makes 4 Servings

3 tsp bottled lemon juice
2 tablespoon chicken broth
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tsp light brown sugar
2 tsp honey

1 tsp sriracha chili sauce
16 oz. chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)

1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoon ginger (minced)

1 clove garlic (minced)
4 green onions (chopped)
2 handfuls cilantro (chopped)

1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)

Mix the first six ingredients in a bowl. Place the chicken into mixture and marinate for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a pan. Add ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the chicken reserving the marinade (use a slotted spoon). Saute chicken until cooked, about 3-5 minutes. Add the reserved marinade and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 7-10 minutes. Add the green onion and cilantro, stir for 1 minute and remove from heat. Serve on rice, and top with sesame seeds. I served it over Aggie's Kitchen Cilantro Rice – a recipe of hers I’ve been wanting to make! Recipe below makes 4 servings.

1 cup Basmati rice, uncooked
2 cups cold water
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp olive oil
large handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Combine rice and water in a large microwavable covered dish. Add a small drizzle of olive oil and garlic to rice. Place in microwave and cook for 18 minutes. Do not take off lid during cooking process. Once it is cooked, fluff rice with a fork and taste for doneness. (If at this time it's not cooked well enough - it should be - just add a small amount of water and cook for a few more minutes) Toss in chopped cilantro, green onions, salt and pepper. Stir.

Nutritional Information: 359 calories, 6 fat grams, 44 carbs and 30 protein grams.

Review: SUCH a delicious meal! Very light but super flavorful. Next time I may make more chicken, or serve it with a soup or something (just to get the calories up closer to 400 or 450).

Tomato, Spinach, and Basil Quiche with a Shredded Potato Crust

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Tomato, Spinach, and Basil Quiche with a Shredded Potato Crust
Makes 4 Serving

20 oz. russet potatoes (2 medium), peeled and grated
Olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp red onion, diced finely
1/2 cup of fresh spinach, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 oz. fat-free feta cheese
8 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tbsp fresh basil
Sea salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a pie dish with cooking spray and olive oil. Peel then shred potatoes onto 2 paper towels; add another two paper towels to the top and press all the liquid out of the potatoes. Smash shredded potatoes all over the bottom and sides of the pie pan, pressing firmly. Spray with cooking spray and season with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Sprinkle diced tomato, spinach, red onion and half of cheese on potatoes. Beat eggs with milk and season with dill, sea salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture on veggies then top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean - don't overcook. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Nutritional Information: 302 calories, 30 carbs, 11 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: Loved it! Super flavorful and filling - love the idea of a potato crust! To save time you could try frozen, but I think it won't taste as good and will likely up the calorie counts. I will say that you should REALLY make sure the potatoes are dry. We made extra effort and I think it would have been soggy if we hadn't done that. Anywho - can't wait to make this again - definitely a family favorite!

pre-cooked!

Egg Soaked Ham & Bacon Breakfast Pizza

Adapted from Our Best Bites
Egg Soaked Ham & Bacon Breakfast Pizzas
Makes 6 Servings

6 English muffins, cut in half
4 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp kosher salt
10 dashes Tabasco sauce
12 thin deli slices of ham (hormel natural choice)
6 slices turkey bacon (butterball)
¾ cup shredded cabot 75% cheese
1/3 cup green onions, diced
1/3 cup green bell peppers, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray liberally with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.In a pie plate, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and Tabasco sauce. Cut each English muffin in half and soak each inside in the egg mixture--you want the egg mixture to soak into the bread, but you don't want the English muffin to fall apart. Place the muffin, cut/egg side up, on the baking sheet. If any egg is left over, carefully pour over less-soaked pieces. Cook bacon in the microwave. Add slice of ham on top of each muffin. Rip bacon in half and add a piece on top of each muffin. Add green onions and peppers and then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 296 calories, 28 carbs, 10 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: I LOVED these. They really tasted like little pizzas - I especially loved the bites with the onion/peppers (upped the amount on list above). I also liked that they had ham & bacon - very tasty. And the cheese melted nicely holding it all together. LOVED. The whole "french bread" soaking in egg idea is super clever, thank you Our Best Bites! These will be a regular around here - WOO!

Poppy Seed Chicken

Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen
Poppy Seed Chicken
Makes 6 Servings

20 oz. diced cooked chicken
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 cup fat-free sour cream
20 reduced-fat Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tbsp light land o’lakes butter melted
1 tbsp poppy seeds
3 cups white rice, cooked

In a bowl, mix together soup and sour cream until well blended. Stir in diced chicken.
Spread creamy mixture into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. In a small zipper bag, crush crackers. Then add poppy seeds and butter to bag and seal. Toss to coast. Sprinkle cracker mixture over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.

Nutritional Information: 390 calories, 52 carbs, 6 fat grams and 24 protein grams.

Review: Awesome. It was super creamy and flavorful. I did have to add a bit of salt to mine, but other than that it was yummy, filling and creamy southern comfort food (without all of the extra calories!).

Garlic Chicken in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro

Adapted from Gina's Weight Watchers Kitchen

Garlic Chicken in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken, defrosted
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1/2 cup cilantro, diced
3 tsp minced garlic, jarred
sea salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
14 oz can light coconut milk
2 tsp lime juice

In a medium pot, heat oil on low. Add red peppers and sauté until soft (about 3 minutes). Add scallion whites, 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes, coconut milk and salt to taste, cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together and to thicken the sauce. Add chicken, put lid back on, and cook 10 minutes. Shred chicken into medium-size chunks. Add lime juice. To serve, divide equally among 4 bowls and top with scallions and cilantro. Serve over rice. (I used basmati rice – 1 1/3 cup rice; 2 2/3 cups water).

Nutritional Information: 432 calories, 8 fat grams, 56 carbs and 31 protein grams.

Review: It was REALLY good you guys! Very soupy and “restaurant-like” per Austin! It tasted like a panang curry sauce, we added extra red pepper flakes and a little salt before eating! Definitely a keeper, although I feel like it could have done without the green onion? (just to simplify it?) and I felt like I could easily add more chicken and make this SIX servings as it was pretty soupy. Austin LOVES his soupy - i'm on the fence - but that's definitely an idea to make it less caloric.

Easy Egg-Drop Soup

Egg-Drop Soup

Makes 2 Servings

1 packet Sunbird Egg-Drop Soup
2.5 cups water
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp green onion, diced (about 1 stalk)
¼ cup mushrooms, chopped

Combine water and contents of seasoning packet in a pot. Set to boil. Once boiling, stir in gentle strokes slowly adding egg. Stir for 1-2 minutes, then drop in onion and mushrooms (will still be boiling). Stir for 4-5 minutes, then divide into two bowls. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information: 86 calories, 10 carbs, 3 fat grams and 3 protein grams.

Review: SO good – Austin said it tasted like “the real thing.” High praise, my friends.

prime ingredient

Easy Red Curry

16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1/2 cup Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce
Salt & Red pepper flakes and garlic salt to taste
3 cups white rice, cooked per microwave instructions

Sprinkle garlic salt on chicken and drop it in a large pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Add ¼ cup sauce and some salt and red pepper flakes. Once chicken cooks, add white rice to pan, more salt and red pepper flakes and remaining sauce. Stir for 2 minutes until it’s mixed.

Nutritional Information: 404 calories, 58 carbs, 4 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: This is one of my favorite jarred sauces. I used to LOVE going to Tin Drum for curry and while this is much thicker/less soupy - it hits the spot and requires no work in making the sauce. This is a go-to, easy recipe for us!

Easy Yellow Curry

Easy Yellow Curry

Makes 4 Servings

Take 16 oz. chicken and cook with salt, 1 tsp minced ginger and 1/4 cup sauce. Once the chicken was almost done, add 3 cups cooked white rice, more salt, another 1/4 cup of sauce and 1 tbsp of diced, fresh cilantro and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 414 calories, 59 carbs, 5 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: YUMMY! This was a great, easy recipe that tastes fresh and flavorful. It's not as good as the red curry sauce to me, but it's still good!

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried Rice

Makes 4 Servings

3 cups white rice
2 egg
½ cup onions
Garlic Salt
½ cup light soy sauce
1 tbsp skim milk
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt, Chili sauce and pepper to taste.
Optional: 2 tbsp diced scallions and 3 oz. mushrooms

Make 3 cups white rice and refrigerate overnight. Set a pan on medium, spray it with PAM and cook the egg/egg whites with salt and milk and set them aside. Then spray the pan again, and cook two servings of defrosted chicken in garlic salt and 2 tbsp soy sauce and set it aside. Then drop in onions. Cook until browned and remove. You should now have an empty pan and a plate with cooked egg, chicken and onions. Now, spray pan and add in cold white rice. Stir until it starts to brown (3-4 minutes), then add garlic salt and 4 tbsp soy sauce. Stir for 2 more minutes, then add the egg, chicken, onions and carrots to the rice and 2 more tbsp of soy sauce. Stir for two more minutes then divide the mix into four and serve.

Nutritional Information: 425 calories, 57 carbs, 4 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: This is a favorite. I've been making this since I was a little girl. Yes, it's been tweaked a lot - to perfection! hehe I really do love the flavors, especially the addition of the low-calorie siracha to add some fire. And the mushrooms add some good bulk too, as do the fun, surprising egg bites!

Chicken and Basil Stirfry

Adapted from Cooking Light

Chicken and Basil Stirfry

Makes 4 Servings

1 pound chicken
½ red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
4 oz mushrooms
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
3 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed
3 cups white rice, cooked per instructions in microwave
Salt and siracha sauce to taste

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick strips 2 to 3 inches long. Place a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat; when hot, add oil, garlic, ginger, flakes and chicken. Stir often until chicken is barely still pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms, stir for 3 to 4 more minutes until chicken is no longer pink. In a small bowl, mix broth, soy sauce and cornstarch until smooth. Add to pan and stir until sauce is boiling, about 1 minute. Add basil leaves and stir just until barely wilted, about 30 seconds. Add salt to taste and pour into a serving bowl over rice.

Nutritional Information: 416 calories, 59 carbs, 5 fat grams and 28 protein grams.

Review: Seriously - loved it! The flavors were great, the mushrooms + red peppers made it flavorful and colorful, I loved the sauce - it was like 'brown sauce' at Chinese restaurants that I used to get on the side. A definite new standard for the casa - and it gives me a way to use some of our basil (we no longer have basil plants; we have basil bushes!).

Cashew Chicken Curry

Adapted from Kitchen Parade

Cashew Chicken Curry

Makes 2 Servings

1 small onion, diced
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp curry powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ pound chicken breasts
10 ounces canned diced tomato
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/2 tbsp dried cilantro
1/2 cup nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup light coconut milk

1 1/2 cups white rice

Heat a pan on medium high. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until soft. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and kosher salt. Add chicken and cook it through. Add tomato, mushroom and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in yogurt and coconut milk and heat through for 5 minutes (do not boil). Serve over white rice. It makes 2 servings, and then I put it over two servings of ¾ cup white rice.

Nutritional Information (including rice): 492 calories, 4 fat grams and 75 carbs.

Review: This is a great curry - super hearty and filling. It's very thick, like a chili. You could easily take down the counts by dividing it over 6 servings or using less rice. This one's a keeper. Only downside is the simmer time - have another recipe to make on the side!

Bourbon Chicken

Adapted from Aggie's Kitchen

Bourbon Chicken

Makes 2 Servings

10 oz. boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp olive oil
½ garlic clove, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tbsp apple juice
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ketchup
½ tablespoon cider vinegar
¼ cup water
6 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 cups white rice

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium Heat until well mixed and dissolved. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: 496 calories, 6 fat grams and 61 carbs.

Review: We LOVED it – tasted very authentic and spicy but sweet. A new favorite fo sho. Yes, it's a little high on carbs! But this could easily be remedied by taking it down to ½ cup rice instead of ¾ cup – and maybe add some veggies. I think it would be nice with a side of broccoli or edamame!

White Bean & Chicken Chili

Adapted from Cooking Light

White Bean & Chicken Chili

Makes 3 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
15 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1.5 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp all purpose flour
1.5 tsp cumin
Bush’s Best Cannellini Beans; White Kidney Beans1 15.5 oz. can
Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Jalapenos 14.5 oz can
1 cup Swanson 99% Fat Free Chicken Broth
Salt/Pepper

Set a large frying pan to medium-high and add oil. Chop the onions, cut the chicken into small, bite size pieces and rinse and drain the beans. Now that your pain is hot, add onion and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Add chicken, chili powder, cumin salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, and broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the cover and sprinkle flour in to the mix. Stir for 1 minute, then cover and cook for 3 more minutes.

Nutritional Information: 387 calories, 40 carbs, 7 fat grams and 44 protein grams.

Review: Nice, flavorful chili. It's definitely not a 'white' chili, it has a heavy tomato taste which I like. I wish it had 4 servings as opposed to 3, but it's a great one. It's nice to top with saltines too!

Tin Foil Chicken

Tin Foil Chicken

Makes 2 Servings
Adapted from Kitchen Parade

4 tbsp Barbecue sauce
8 oz. raw skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half-inch strips
½ green pepper, sliced*
½ red pepper, sliced*
½ cup diced onion*
½ cup mushroom slices*
1.5 cup white rice
1 tbsp light butter
*Use more if you like on the veggies - we use extra mushrooms!

Preheat oven to 350. Tear off two sheets of 12”x15” foil. Smear a tablespoon of barbecue sauce in a rectangular shape in the middle of each sheet. Divide the raw chicken among the two sheets and put on top of barbecue sauce. Add peppers, onions and mushrooms. Drizzle another tablespoon of barbecue sauce on each. Fold the foil over itself lengthwise then crosswise to create tightly sealed packets. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 50 minutes. Cook rice per microwave instructions. Divide into two servings, top each with  1/2 tbsp butter and 1 packet of vegetables and all sauce.

Nutritional Information: 453 calories, 68 carbs, 4 fat gram and 28 protein grams.

Review: Great for weekend food, easy to prepare and yummy to eat. Yes, the cooking time is long, but it is great reheated too! It really tastes like chicken/veggies that taste grilled and all of the seasoning is right there - yum! The BBQ sauce added a lot and gave the rice a yummy flavor. 

Spiced Yogurt Chicken

Adapted from Kitchen Parade

Spiced Yogurt Chicken

Makes 2 Servings

1/8 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 tablespoon chili powder
1/8 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/16 tsp cinnamon
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts

5 oz. angel hair
Sauce: 1/8 cup fat-free yogurt, lemon juice, and cilantro.

In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients except chicken. Stir in the chicken, coating well. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes. Stir together sauce ingredients in small bowl. Cook chicken in sauce on a pan set to medium until just cooked through, about 10 - 12 minutes (6 minutes per side). While the chicken is cooking, boil noodles per package instructions. Divide pasta on two plates, spray it with butter and salt, then topped with chicken and sauce.

Nutritional Information: 431 calories, 52 carbs, 6 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: YUMMMM. You could easily make it low carb by putting in on salad – good, good stuff.

Quinoa with Garlic Chicken & Veggies.

Quinoa with Garlic Chicken & Veggies

Makes 2 Servings

Chicken Breast, 8 oz.
Quinoa (dry) ½ cup
1 Can Fat-Free Swanson Chicken Broth, divided
56 grams Green bell peppers, diced
60 grams Tomatoes, diced
60 grams Red bell peppers, diced
60 grams Mushrooms, diced
1.5 oz. Fat-Free Feta Cheese
3 tsp Olive Oil, divided
2 tsp minced garlic

Fill pot with quinoa and 1 cup chicken broth. Once it boils, reduce to simmer, cover, and set timer for 12 minutes. Then get out two pans – one medium sized and one large. Spray both with nonstick olive oil spray, and add 1.5 tsp of olive oil to each pan. Set them both over medium. Add chicken seasoned with salt and pepper to the medium sized pan. Stir, adding ½ cup chicken broth. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. For the other pan, add garlic, then add all veggies. Stir until veggies are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add chicken/broth mixture to veggie pan, add quinoa to veggie pan and pour the last of the chicken broth in. Sprinkle with feta and salt, and stir for 1-2 minutes. Then serve.

Nutritional Information: 412 calories, 38 carbs, 12 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: It was so good and SO filling. I was super stuffed (in a good way) and am so glad my first attempt at Quinoa worked out thanks to Mon’s great tips about using chicken broth instead of water and tons of veggies with feta – YUM!

Portobello Tetrazzini

Adapted from Cooking Light

Portobello Tetrazzini

Makes 2 Servings

8 oz. chicken
4 oz. uncooked spaghetti
Cooking spray
12 oz. sliced Portobello mushrooms, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup condensed reduced fat, reduced sodium cream of mushroom soup
½ cup fat-free milk
3 tbsp sherry
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to season
1 tsp olive oil

Cook spaghetti according to package; drain and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over high heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil, then cook chicken seasoned with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, then add mushrooms and sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add soup and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes or until thickened. Add spaghetti, chicken and parmesan. Stir for 1-2 minutes then serve.

Nutritional Information: 513 calories, 57 carbs, 9 fat grams and 45 protein grams.

Review: Talk about comfort food my friends – loved it. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon (i.e. I would never eat this if I thought for 2 seconds I had to go anywhere else that day!)

Mustard Chicken Pasta

Adapted from Kitchen Parade

Mustard Chicken Pasta

Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt & pepper
2 cups Sliced mushrooms
8 oz. barilla angel hair noodles
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
Sauce: 1/2 cup swanson fat-free chicken broth, 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream, 1/4 cup fat-free honey mustard sauce

Set a pot of water to boil. Spray pan set to medium with PAM and drop in 2 tsp olive oil. Between two sheets of waxed paper, pound the chicken with a rolling pin until about a half-inch thick. Season one side with salt and pepper, transfer to the skillet seasoned-side down (the meat should sizzle), then season the top side. Put noodles in water for 4-5 minutes. Cook chicken for 4 minutes on one side, then 3 – 4 minutes on the other side. Transfer to warm plates and cover with foil. Add mushrooms to skillet, stir 1 – 2 minutes until warm. Add sauce over mushrooms and stir for 1-2 minutes while it slightly thickens. Place noodles on plate, and pour sauce/mushrooms over chicken.

Nutritional Information: 466 calories, 55 carbs, 9 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: We really liked it! I modified it a bit to reduce noodles and double sauce - LOVE it. It's definitely a strong mustard taste, so if you don't like mustard you probably won't love this recipe.