Fettucini Alfredo - the healthy way!

I love Alfredo sauce. I could eat it by the spoonful - right from the pan. But, of course, it isn't so helpful for my weight goals. After several attempts, I made a tasty and healthier version of this great comfort food! What I love, is that most of the ingredients are pantry staples, so you've got dinner anytime in about 30 minutes. The calories have been cut from 550 to just at 200 for the sauce. Fat grams have been cut from 35 grams a serving to around 12 a serving. What helps to make this lower calorie is the use of chicken broth to thin the sauce instead of half and half and heavy cream. Also using some white wine gives the dish a great rich tasting flavor. When paired with whole wheat pasta and some steamed broccoli, you've got a delicious meal and a non-guilty one too!

INGREDIENTS

2 TBSP. olive oil

2 TBSP. whole wheat flour

3 cloves of garlic minced or chopped

1 cup of fat-free chicken broth

1 cup 1% or skim milk

1/2 cup dry white wine

3 TBSP. reduced fat cream cheese

1 TBSP. reduced fat sour cream

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Favorite pasta

Favorite add-ins (steamed broccoli, lump crab meat, grilled chicken, shrimp, etc.)

DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add chopped garlic over medium low heat.

Stir frequently so the garlic doesn't burn.

Once the garlic is lightly browned, stir in the flour. This is how you make a roux. This is the basis to all white cream sauces. I first learned how to make a roux at a cooking class in New Orleans. Being able to make my own roux, gave me power..made me super chef...then I woke up!

Let the flour and oil cook together for about 2 minutes. This makes sure the flour taste is cooked out. Don't cook on high heat, you don't want the roux to brown.

Add a cup of chicken broth and stir until well combined. The sauce is kind of brown in color. This is because I used whole wheat flour. If you use white flour, the sauce will be white, unless you cook your roux too long!

Once this starts to get thicker, add the cup of milk and stir until well combined.

Next add the white wine. This is my most favorite white wine in the whole world.

Pour a little, drink a lot! ;-))

At this point I added about 2/3 a cup of sun-dried tomatoes. I love the tangy taste of them in Alfredo sauce. If you don't love it...leave it out.

Once this starts to thicken, add the cream cheese and the sour cream. Stir until well combined and smooth.

Add the Parmesan cheese about a 1/3 a cup at a time and stir until well combined and the cheese is melted. You can grate your own, but I prefer the easy stuff! I've even used the stuff in the green can in a pinch!

If the sauce starts to get thick....mine ALWAYS does, add a little bit of chicken broth until it is the consistency you prefer. I normally have to add chicken broth about 2 - 3 times during the course of cooking, as I don't always time my noodles to be done when my sauce is!

I cooked a whole wheat fettuccine noodle to serve with the sauce, but I also like Penna pasta too. Whatever makes you happy!

Tonight, I served the pasta with steamed broccoli. To save time, I threw a bag of broccoli florets in with the pasta water when the pasta was just about done.

You can also serve it with chicken, shrimp, crab or other vegetables. Take the sauce and run with it! So glad there was enough for left overs!!!!!!

Sweet Potato Burritos with Chili-Lime Cream Sauce

I got this burrito recipe from my friend Christina who got it from Allrecipes. Got that?? I, of course, added my own touches and spices like most cooks do. This is written how I made it. You can also do a search at Allrecipes for Sweet Potato Burritos. The recipe there is a bit different. I think part of the fun of cooking is taking recipes and making them your own!

I wanted a sauce to go with them other than just plain sour cream and I didn't think salsa would taste quite right. I love the flavor combination of chili pepper and lime, so I based a sauce around those flavors. It ended up working really well with these burritoes!

Although this sounds like a super weird combination, it was really yummy. Interesting flavors and other than baking off the sweet potatoes last night when I was cooking some thing else (time-saving tip from Christina). I assembled these (7 minutes) and cooked them (20 minutes) after church today. Beginning to table~ less than 30 minutes. They were yummy, filling and filled with great vitamins (and really budget friendly too~I think the entire meal cost me less than $8!!!!)

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet Potato Burritos

2 large sweet potatoes

1 can fat-free refried beans

1 pkg. (2 cup) shredded 2 % reduced fat Mexican Cheese

1 pkg. whole wheat tortillas

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. chili pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Bake sweet potatoes until tender and oozing. (I did these the night before and just left them in their skins in the refrigerator until I needed them - you could probably do this up to 2 days in advance. )

Scoop out sweet potato flesh and mash lightly once cooked.

Mix can of refried beans with the listed spices.

Assemble the burritos in the following order: Beans, sweet potato, cheese. 1 can of beans and 1 package of cheese with the sweet potatoes made 6 burritos with a little cheese and sweet potatoes left over.

Place burritos seam side down in a baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Brush the tops of the burritos with some olive or canola oil. Just a little bit.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Chili-Lime Cream Sauce

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper (added to spicy preference and to taste)

zest of one lime

juice of 1/2 a lime

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper.

Zest a lime.

This is my zester, it is super easy to use and makes really pretty zest strings!

Add zest to the sour cream. Add the juice of 1/2 the lime. Stir in remaining ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

Enjoy this yummy - but totally different type of burrito. If you like sweet potatoes, I promise you will love these burritos! The Chili-lime cream sauce adds another great layer of flavors. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Moroccan Triple Pepper Chicken - Crockpot!

Very little makes me as a happy as being half way through a hard day and thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner once I get home and then remembering with a big smile on my face that I have dinner already cooking in the crock pot! Woo Hoo! Of course, the same old same old can get kind of boring after a while. So here is a new flavorful dish I hope you will enjoy! It was really good and had lots of terrific flavor!

I know this seems like a ton of ingredients, but it was all stuff I had on hand. The entire mixture came together in my crock pot this morning before work in about 7 minutes. No joke!

INGREDIENTS

4 - 6 frozen chicken breasts

2 packages of sliced peppers and onions (or you can be really domestic and slice in strips 1 red, yellow and green bell peppers and 1 onion)

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 Serrano peppers sliced thin

1 can diced tomatoes

2 1/2 tsp. curry

2 1/2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. thyme

2 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 cups fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 1/2 TBSP. honey

1 small piece of dark chocolate

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Layer one bag of peppers and onions in the bottom of your crock pot. Lay frozen chicken on top of the peppers and onions.

I love these bags of chicken. ~ I like the way the bag at chicken looks like it is floating above the counter!

Top with the other bag of peppers and onions.

Take the Serrano peppers and slice them thinly.

Add dried cranberries. Sprinkle spices and minced garlic on top.

Place chocolate piece in the middle of the entire mixture.

Pour chicken broth over the mixture. Top with can of tomatoes.

I think these fire-roasted diced tomatoes give it an awesome flavor.

Cook on low for 9 - 10 hours. If you are going to cook the food for about 7 hours, use thawed chicken breasts.
Once the chicken is cooked the entire way through, take the chicken breasts out of the crock pot and shred the chicken.

Add the chicken back to the crock pot and stir in the honey.

I served ours with Almond Couscous.

Loved this yummy dinner!

Jambalaya Beans and Rice

I've been visiting several different cooking blogs and have realized that most include pictures. So here is my first attempt at that. I didn't take pictures of all the steps. I'll try to get better about that. I'd love some input on it all!

With this dish I've taken a traditional Jambalaya type recipe and increased the fiber by adding beans and serving with brown rice. Also using low-fat turkey sausage and other low-fat meats like chicken breasts and shrimp give lots of protein without upping the fat content. I cook the brown rice with 1/2 water and 1/2 fat-free chicken broth and omit the butter. Great flavor, no added fat!

This recipe was made in about 15 minutes with 30 minutes simmer time. If you start the rice first, it should all be done just about the same time.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

1 lb. Turkey Smoked Sausage

2 cans favorite beans (I found a new type that had black, red and pinto beans all together)

1 can diced tomatoes

1 pepper sliced

1/2 onion sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. ground red pepper

2 bay leaves

4 - 5 dashes of hot sauce (add more if you like it hot!)

DIRECTIONS

Slice turkey sausage on the diagonal. (of course my pieces didn't all get cut that way...I was in a hurry!)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.

Cut peppers, onions and mince garlic. I was lazy and didn't want to take the time to chop them all up. These are some of my favorite time savers.

Add peppers, onions and garlic to the skillet and cook until onions are translucent and the peppers are slightly browned on the edges. Add sausage to the skillet and cook until the pieces are slightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and cook for about 30 minutes. You can also add cut up chicken or peeled shrimp if you like. I had some leftover chicken and added it. Serve on top of some brown rice. Enjoy!

Peach Jalapeno Chicken

Looking for a new way to cook chicken, this dish turned out pretty tasty!

INGREDIENTS
4 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Garlic Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil

Sauce
1/2 of one sweet onion finely diced
1/2 of one bell pepper finely diced
1 jalapeno (membranes and seeds removed and finely diced)
2 cloves garlic minced
2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
2/3 of a jar of sugar-free or no-sugar added peach preserves
juice of 1/2 of lime
1/4 cup orange juice
1 small can diced peaches (packed in its own juice - not packed in syrup)
Salt and Pepper

Optional ~ splash of white wine, brandy, peach snapps or mango rum

Cook chicken breasts in the oven (350 degrees for 45 -60 minutes) or in a skillet in a little olive oil. Lightly coat with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with garlic pepper. Cook until no longer pink and cooked through.

Sauce - Saute' onions, bell peppers, garlic and jalapenos in a little olive oil (just enough to keep them from sticking) in a small sauepan. Once softened, add peach preserves and orange and lime juice, salt and pepper. Add in splash of liquor if using. Cook on low for 30 minutes or until reduced by 1/3. Add in peaches and heat through.

To serve, slice each chicken breast into thin strips and spoon some of the peach sauce on top. If you would like the sauce to be a bit spicier, leave some of the jalapeno membranes and seeds in when dicing.

Mediterranean Meatloaf

I love mediterranean food. I had some ground turkey in the fridge and was wanting something yummy to eat. Here is my brainstorm on my road home from school! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
1 package ground turkey
1 box chopped frozen spinach
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped or minced
2/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
olive oil
Couple splashes white wine or brandy
salt
pepper
1 small package tomato basil reduced fat feta cheese crumbled
2/3 cup oatmeal ground fine in a blender

Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Once lightly browned, add spinach and continue to cook until heated through. Add sundried tomatoes and wine/brandy, salt, pepper and oregano.
Take off the burner and let cool. Once cool, mix half of the spinach mixture with the ground turkey, feta cheese and half of the ground oatmeal. Add more spinach and oatmeal as needed to give it a good consistency. Make sure there is enough spinach mixture to be evenly distributed throughout the meat. Shape into a loaf shape and cook in a 350 degree oven for 45 - 60 minutes or until cooked through.

I added my extra spinach mixture to some whole wheat couscous that I cooked to serve as a side dish. Made a great spin on the regular couscous we eat.

Turkey Breast in the Crock Pot

Made this for dinner and it was super easy and super yummy!!! Lots of good leftovers too!

INGREDIENTS
1 turkey breast with bone in
1 package powdered soup mix (onion, garlic herb, etc)
OPTIONAL ITEMS:
1 1/2 cups baby carrots or whole carrots cut in pieces
5 stalks celery cut in big pieces
1 onion cut into big pieces
2 tsp. dried sage
2 tsp. rosemary

Put vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot. Place turkey breast on top. Rub powdered soup mix into the skin of the turkey breast. Also add herbs to the skin of the turkey breast. Cover and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours. If cooking longer, turkey breast should be a bit frozen. Do not add broth, the turkey will make plenty. The vegetables in the bottom won't be good to eat after the turkey has cooked, but will flavor the broth nicely. Strain the broth and heat in a pan and mix with a little corn starch for a great tasting gravy.

Apple Pork Loin - Crock Pot or Oven

I cook this in the crock pot, but it can also be cooked on low (250 degree oven) for about 5 hours.

INGREDIENTS
4 lb. pork loin roast
4 apples
1/4 cup no sugar added apple juice
3 T. Splenda brown sugar
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, beer or white wine
3 Tablespoons brown mustard
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
1 tsp ground dried ginger or fresh finely minced ginger

Directions: Rub roast with salt and pepper. Core and quarter apples. Place apple quarters in bottom of crockpot. Place roast on top of apples. Combine apple juice, mustard, Splenda brown sugar, wine/beer/broth, onion, rosemary and ginger. Pour over top surface of roast. Cover and cook on Low for 10-12 hours, until done.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

INGREDIENTS
4 - 6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/3 cup favorite bottled buffalo sauce
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 Tablespoons melted margarine (non trans fat)
1 - 2 teaspoons Paprika

Place chicken breasts in the crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours. If you need to cook it longer than 8 hours, put chicken in frozen.
Tabasco sauce can be added to taste if you want it spicier.

Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing to dip it in along with celery and carrots.

Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Now that school is back in session, I LOVE crock pot or slow cooker recipes. Nothing is nicer than coming home to a good smelling dinner you can serve right away!

INGREDIENTS
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can 98% fat free condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup skim milk
2/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 tsp. dried thyme
4 ounces sliced ham
4 ounces sliced low fat Swiss cheese
6 slices of whole wheat bread (use food processor or blender to make crumbs)
1/4 cup trans fat free margarine, melted

DIRECTIONS
Mix together the cream of chicken soup, milk and sour cream in a small bowl. Add thyme. Spray crockpot with non stick spray. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, and drizzle margarine over stuffing. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

NOTE: If you will be gone longer than 8 hours, make sure chicken breasts are frozen when put in the crockpot - cook on low. They won't be overcooked this way!

Yummy Chicken Strips

INGREDIENTS
2 cups finely crushed whole wheat crackers
Salt and ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide strips
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a shallow dish, combine yogurt with chicken broth and salt and pepper (can add bottled buffulo wing sauce if you want it spicy).
In a t second shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, add cracker crumbs. You can also add any spices you like here - such as: Lemon Pepper, Italian seasoning, or chili powder
Dip chicken into flour and turn to coat.
Dip chicken into yogurt mixture and then transfer chicken to cracker mixture.
Turn to coat chicken (or shake bag) until well covered with oat mixture.
Place chicken on prepared baking sheet and spray the top of chicken with cooking spray.
Bake 15 minutes, until crust is golden brown and chicken is cooked through. (bake, then turn on the broiler for a few minutes to really brown/crisp them and get the coating crunchy)
To freeze, let them cool completely then lay them out on a baking sheet and freeze. Once they are frozen, pack them up into packages that are the amount you think your kids will eat in one meal. To reheat just pop them in the oven on a baking sheet.

Parmesan Tilapia

I am trying to be good about incorporating fish into our daily diet. But cooking fish TOTALLY intimidates me. We had this for dinner last night. It was super easy and yummy!

INGREDIENTS
1 pound fish fillets (I like tilapia or orange roughy, but any mild white fish will do)
1 TBSP softened Smartbalance (or other nontrans fat margarine)
2 TBSP light mayonaisse
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
Salt (not too much the cheese is salty)
Sliced tomato (optional)
Freshly washed baby spinach (optional)

Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with tomato slices and then spinach leaves (if using them). Place fish fillets on top. Mix together, margarine, mayonaisse, parmesan cheese, basil, lemon pepper and salt. Coat top of the fish. Place in a 400 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until fish is cooked through and flaky. Be sure to not overcook.

Chicken Dijon

This is a great dish to serve with company or for a special event.

INGREDIENTS
1 1-lb package boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
2 T. all-purpose flour (I use whole wheat)
1 tsp. onion salt
2- 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 TBSP. Dijon-style mustard

Sprinkle chicken breasts with onion salt and lemon pepper. In a skillet over medium heat cook chicken in olive oil for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to a platter, and keep warm. Add chicken broth to pan juices. Stir together half-and-half and flour. Add to broth. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 - 2 minutes more. Sitr in Dijon mustard. Spoon some sauce over each serving and pass the rest. I serve this with wild rice, couscous or brown rice and a favorite veggie.

Jalepeno Chicken Roll-Ups

This recipe is my sister, Kerri's, recipe. It is a family favorite and great for entertaining or summer grilling.

INGREDIENTS
1 1lb pkg. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 jalapenos, seeded and julienned sliced
8 slices bacon (center cut or lean)
1 bottle Balsamic Viaigrette (I like Wishbone)

Cut each chicken breast in half. Cut a small slit in each breast piece. Place 3 -4 julienned jalapeno slices inside each breast. Wrap each chicken bundle with a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place all chicken breast bundles in a pan and cover with the Balamic Vinaigrette. Marinate for 6 - 8 hours. Grill until cooked through on medium high heat. We leave the jalapeno slices off of the children's portions. Can also add onion slices with the jalapeno slices when wrapping bundles.

Caribbean Chicken with black beans and mango

I was wanting a fun new way to cook chicken and read a bunch of different recipes and combined what I considered the best elements of each. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. Most are things you have in the pantry and substitutions can easily be made.

MARINADE INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoon balsamic, red wine or apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons splenda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 TBSP. Worchestshire sauce

REMAINING INGREDIENTS
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 onion chopped
3 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips (optional)
1 avocado chopped in small pieces (optional)
1 TBSP. olive oil
3 - 4 dashes of hot sauce
1 TBSP. Splenda

Whisk together lime juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Splenda, Worchestshire sauce, salt, and pepper until blended. Slowly whisk in olive oil until incorporated. Mix half of this dressing with the chicken breasts, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Refrigerate the remaining dressing for later use.
Heat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Grill chicken breasts until no longer pink, about 6 minutes per side. Rest for 5 minutes then slice into bite-sized pieces.

While chicken is grilling, saute' chopped onion and red pepper in a skillet with 1 TBSP. olive oil. After onions become translucent. Stir in black beans and cilantro. Add dashes of hot sauce and 1 TBSP splenda. Keep on low heat. Once chicken is cooked and resting, stir in chopped avocado and mango. Stir in grilled chicken pieces and remaining dressing. Heat through. Be careful not to stir too often or too hard. Serve with brown rice.

Fish Tacos with a lime cream sauce

My friend, Lisa, was telling me about fish tacos. My husband loves them and sometimes orders them when we go out to eat. I decided to try my own hand at them. They made for a really yummy dinner tonight.

INGREDIENTS
1 TBSP Olive Oil
2 -3 cloves minced garlic
4 - 5 TBSP lime juice
4 - 5 shakes of hot sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
2 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro (could use dried as well, just use less)
Zest from 1/2 a lime
1/2 small can chopped green chilis
4 - 5 Tilapia fillets (or your favorite type fish, I think any would work)
Whole wheat tortillas
Toppings: Finely shredded cabbage, sliced avocado or guacomole, chopped tomatoes, favorite salsa, black olives, black beans, etc.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add garlic and lime juice cook for about 1 minute. Add next 5 ingredients. Heat through for about 2 minutes. Add fish fillets and cook through - white and flaky. (make sure not to overcook)

Lime Cream Sauce
1 cup Reduced-fat sour cream
Zest from the remaining 1/2 of lime
Juice from that lime
Remaining 1/2 of the can of chopped green chilis
1 TBSP of chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4-6 shakes of hot sauce (more if you like it hotter)

Stir all ingredients together. This would actually make a great sauce for fajitas, tacos, etc.

Layer on top of the tortilla ~ fish pieces, lime cream sauce and any other toppings you like.

Super quick, easy and tasty!

Spiedies (or the best marinade for grilled chicken)

My dad grew up in upstate New York near Binghampton. I remember as a child going to visit my grandparents and having the most delicious grilled chicken I'd ever eaten. They eat Spiedies up in New York in small bite-sized pieces, but my grandmother would marinate split chickens (or chicken breasts) and grill them. I'm going to have to make some soon~

INGREDIENTS
5 pounds chicken, cubed or 6 split chicken breasts
2 cups olive oil
1 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons salt
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic salt
3 tablespoons crushed dried mint
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
12 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes (only if using cut up chicken)

Place the cubed chicken or chicken breasts into a large resealable plastic bag or container, add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, garlic salt, oregano, garlic salt, mint, basil, and black pepper. Seal the container and shake until combined. Refrigerate for 1 to 3 days (the longer the better), shaking the container and turn the meat every 6 to 8 hours.

If you are cooking the split chicken breasts, put the chicken and marinade in a large baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. This will help cook the chicken all the way through without risking it being scorched on the grill.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. When you are ready to cook, remove meat from the marinade and place on skewers or take the partially cooked chicken out of the oven and put on the grill.

Place the skewers on the preheated grill and cook, turning every three minutes until cooked through and the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170 degrees F. Be careful not to overcook or the meat will be very dry. The bite-sized chicken is great by itself, on whole wheat hoagie rolls or on a salad.

Homemade Black Bean Burgers

I love black bean burgers and I love that I can eat them without feeling guilty AT ALL! This is a recipe I found on one of the Southbeach websites. It is really yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce (optional)
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS:
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.

If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.

My favorite way to eat a black bean burger is with a slice of low-fat swiss cheese, some sliced avocado, lettuce and tomato. Eat it with or without a whole wheat bun!

Other topping ideas: sauteed onions, spicy BBQ sauce, any low-fat cheese, steak sauce, mustard, low-fat mayo, ketchup, pickles, etc.

James loves Pepper Jack cheese and jalepenos.

Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Fajitas

This is a great dish to make in the morning in your crockpot and have dinner ready when you get home in the evening.

INGREDIENTS
Frozen chicken breasts (enough for 1 per person plus a couple extra if you want leftovers for lunch the next day)
1 - 2 bags frozen triple peppers and onion mix (we like a lot of peppers and onions so we use 1 1/2 - 2 bags)
Large jar of favorite salsa
1 packet fajita seasoning (found with the Mexican food items)
1 - 2 cans drained and rinsed black beans (optional)
Whole wheat flour tortillas
Favorite toppings: low fat sour cream, avocado or quacamole, lettuce, cheese, black olives

Put frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot (make sure they are frozen, this will help make sure they don't over cook). Add frozen peppers and onions. Sprinkle fajita seasoning on top. Pour large jar of salsa on top. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours. About an hour before serving add black beans if using and heat through.

Serve with tortillas and toppings.

Spanikopita (or Greek Spinach Pie)

Spinach is a fantastic food to incorporate into your diet. Here are two recipes that feature spinach. My kids love these recipes and it gets them to eat their spinach. Caroline even asked for me to make this recipe for her birthday dinner!

INGREDIENTS
1/4 - 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 large onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds spinach, rinsed and chopped (or 3 packages of frozen spinach that is thawed and drained)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. ground nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
2 eggs whites, lightly beaten
1/2 cup low fat ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled low-fat feta cheese
8 sheets phyllo dough
2 TBSP cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray with nonstick spray a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
Heat 1/4 cup chicken broth in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Saute onion, green onions and garlic, until soft and lightly browned. Stir in spinach and parsley, and continue to saute until spinach is limp, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool - add more broth if needed for to keep food from sticking
In a medium bowl, mix together egg whites, ricotta, and feta, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Stir in spinach mixture. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Lay another sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with olive oil, and repeat process with two more sheets of phyllo. The sheets will overlap the pan. Spread spinach and cheese mixture into pan and fold overhanging dough over filling. Brush with oil, then layer remaining 4 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each lightly with oil. Tuck overhanging dough into pan to seal filling.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown. Cut into squares and serve while hot.