Chicken Piccata

If you are a fan of lemon chicken, you will love this chicken piccata! The sauce was so flavorful without being too heavy. I made some organic steamed broccoli and wild rice to go with this - making the broccoli the main part of the meal. While meat and poultry are good for us, we try to make the vegetables the focal point of our meal and the meat the "side." So we cut each of the pieces of chicken in half and had 2-3 ounce servings of chicken. This is a great meal for a weeknight if you have a half an hour to prepare it, but would also be a great meal for company without taking too much time! 

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

1 pound organic free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup organic chicken stock

1/4 cup capers

1/4 cup fresh organic parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in gallon-sized sealable bag and pound with meat tenderizing mallet until thin (~1/4 inch thickness). Season with salt and pepper on both sides and dredge in flour, shaking to remove excess.

2. In large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp butter with 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned. Transfer chicken to a plate.

3. Add lemon juice, chicken stock and capers to pan and bring to a boil, scraping brown bits from bottom. Return chicken to pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Place chicken on serving dish. Whisk remaining 2 Tbsp butter into sauce in pan and pour sauce over top of chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

(Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentils' Chicken Piccata recipe from 

foodnetwork.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Butter is rich in vitamins E, K and D. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. Wild rice is a great source of protein and antioxidants, as well as vitamins A, C and E.

Pine Nut & Parmesan Kale Salad

We recently had a kale salad made by Sunset Foods that was so amazing, I had to try to re-create it! So here is my attempt, and I have to say it turned out pretty darn close to what I was trying to re-create. Luckily for me, Sunset included a list of ingredients on the deli label, so all I had to do was play with amounts. The salad from Sunset had currants in it, but I couldn't find them fresh or dried in the store I went to, so just left them out. I made this as a side to go with pasta, but would be good as a side with pretty much anything. This is a really great tasting way to get some fresh dark leafy greens in and is a nice alternative to a plain old salad for summer meals and get-togethers! 

Pine Nut & Parmesan Kale Salad

Ingredients

6 oz fresh organic baby kale leaves
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. If not pre-washed, wash and pat-dry kale. Place kale in large bowl.

2. In small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, honey and olive oil. Drizzle dressing over kale leaves and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts and parmesan and gently fold in.

What are the nutritional benefits of this salad? Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. Balsamic vinegar is rich in polyphenols - a type of antioxidant. Rice vinegar contains lots of essential amino acids, which play a role in countless processes in the body. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Pine nuts contain lutein (which is good for vision), monounsaturated fats (shown to help reduce bad cholesterol - LDL - and increase good cholesterol - HDL), Vitamins C and D, and minerals iron and magnesium. Parmesan cheese is a great source of protein and calcium.

Slow Cooker Lemon Dill Chicken

This was definitely an easy slow-cooker keeper! Baking a whole chicken in the oven is pretty simple, but being able to toss the chicken in the slow cooker and leave the house is really nice. This chicken was so tender, it was falling apart when I went to take it out of the crock pot. This would be great at any time if the year, but the lemon and dill combination would make a really nice summer time dinner. For some healthy sides, I made brown rice and some steamed broccoli - a great, healthy, balanced meal!

Slow Cooker Lemon Dill Chicken

Ingredients

1 large yellow onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1/4 tsp grated lemon peel
4-5 pound organic free-range whole broiler/fryer chicken
1/4 cup organic chicken stock
4 sprigs fresh organic parsley
4 sprigs fresh organic dill
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Place chopped onion in bottom of slow cooker. Combine butter and lemon peel in small bowl.

2. Tie legs together with cooking twine and rub whole chicken with butter/lemon peel mixture. Place fresh parsley and dill sprigs in cavity. Place chicken in slow cooker, breast side up, and tuck wings underneath. 

3. Drizzle chicken stock and lemon juice over chicken and sprinkle with remaining dried seasonings. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. 

4. Remove chicken from slow cooker and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.

(Recipe adapted from April/May 2014 issue of Taste of Home magazine)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Brown rice is unrefined, so contains it's original abundance of iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, antioxidants and fiber. Broccoli is packed with vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate and calcium. 

Crock Pot Minestrone

After eating meat-containing (but very good) dinners all weekend, a healthy vegetarian meal was in order last night for a Meatless Monday. This soup was easy, since the crock pot did all the work for me, and tasted great. I loved the flavors of the swiss chard and yellow squash in it. I also made a big mixed green salad with lots of fresh vegetables to go along with it. There were lots of leftovers, so there was plenty for a healthy lunch today. This made quite a bit of soup, so I will be freezing some for an easy dinner in the future!

Crock Pot Minestrone

Ingredients

4 large stalks organic swiss chard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cups organic vegetable broth
29 ounces canned organic diced tomatoes, undrained
16oz can organic kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15oz can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 organic yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 organic yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 organic carrot, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups whole wheat rotini pasta, uncooked

Directions

1. Remove stems from swiss chard and chop separately from leaves. In medium sized pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and swiss chard stalks and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients, except for swiss chard leaves and pasta, to slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. Add pasta and chopped swiss chard leaves and cook for another 20-25 minutes on low, or until pasta is tender.

(Recipe adapted from April/May 2014 issues of Taste of Home Magazine)

What are the nutritional benefits of this soup? Kale is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K. It is also a good source of minerals calcium, copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorous. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.  Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Canned tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C.Kidney beans provide lots of protein, folate, fiber, and iron. Garbanzo beans are packed with fiber as well as lots of great nutrients, including protein, molybdenum, manganese, folate, tryptophan, copper, phosphorous, and iron. Yellow squash is a good source of fiber, vitamin C, iron, folate, beta-carotene, and lutein. Bell peppers are one of the best food sources of vitamins A and C. Carrots are very high in vitamin A (with one cup providing over 400% of the daily value), and they are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber. Compared to white pasta, whole wheat pasta provides more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. 

Chicken Yakitori

We used our grill for the first time this season over to weekend to grill this chicken, and it was awesome! The yakitori sauce is similar to a teriyaki sauce, but is less sweet.  The great thing about this chicken recipe is that it is really quick, so would be great for a busy week night. We had a bunch of vegetables in the refrigerator that we needed to use, so we made some baked tomatoes, roasted asparagus and a salad to go with our dinner. Some brown rice and broccoli would be great with it too!

Chicken Yakitori

Ingredients

1 pound organic chicken thighs

1/4 cup sake

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin

1 Tbsp sugar

2-3 wooden skewers

Directions

1. Preheat grill and soak wooden skewers in water for about 20 minutes.

2. Thread chicken thighs onto skewers. In a small sauce pan, combine sake, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat. 

3. Place skewers on grill, turning and brushing with sauce frequently. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until cooked through.

(Recipe adapted from The Complete Chicken Cookbook, ed. Justine Harding)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Chicken is an excellent source of protein and is rich in B vitamins. Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene and vitamin C. Asparagus is high in vitamin K and is also a great source of vitamin A, folate and iron.

Feta Shrimp Skillet

This is an awesome healthy dinner recipe that was in my Taste of Home magazine that arrived last week. And it only took about 30 minutes to make, from start to finish. The brown rice that I made to go with it did take an hour, though. This was filling without being too heavy and was really good with brown rice. This would also be really good with along side a salad. I think I will make this again in the summer time with a fresh greek salad to enjoy outside on the deck with a cold glass of organic chardonnay!

Feta Shrimp Skillet

Makes ~4 servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
29 oz canned organic diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup white wine
1 lb cooked shrimp
2 Tbsp fresh organic parsley, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. In large pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook for another minute. Stir in tomatoes and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

2. Add shrimp and parsley and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp are heated through. Remove from heat and sprinkle with feta cheese.

(Recipe adapted from April/May 2014 issues of Taste of Home)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control.  Onions are rich in quercetin, a type of antioxidant, as well as vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, K, folate, thiamin, and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium and manganese. Canned tomato products contain more bioavailable lycopene compared with fresh tomatoes, and are high in vitamin C.  Shrimp are an excellent source of protein, providing 24g of protein in a 4oz serving. Shrimp are also a good source of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. Feta cheese is a great source of protein and calcium.

Fresh Veggie Pita

This is my version of one of my favorite meals from a restaurant called Yours Truly in my hometown of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. It is a really healthy lunch or dinner and an easy and delicious way to get in some fresh leafy greens. When I was working full time before my son was born, I used to make these stuffed pitas for my husband and myself to take for lunch. It takes just a few minutes to get them all stuffed and toss some dressing in a little to-go container. To add some protein to these, I will sometimes add some cheese or hummus to them.  The original version from Yours Truly uses Muenster cheese. For dinner at home, these are great on their own or alongside a bowl of soup.  It's not warm out quite yet, but this is a really nice quick and healthy meal on a hot summer day!

Fresh Veggie Pita

Ingredients

1 whole wheat pita
2 cups fresh organic spinach leaves
1/4 fresh avocado, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 fresh organic cucumber, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 fresh organic tomato, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp fresh balsamic vinaigrette, or your favorite dressing

Directions

1. Cut pita in half so you have 2 "pockets." Place avocado and cucumbers in bottom of each half, then stuff with spinach. Place tomatoes on top of spinach. 

2. Serve with dressing on the side, for dipping.

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Compared to white pitas, whole wheat pitas provide more fiber and nutrients, particularly B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, copper, and iron. Spinach is packed with fiber,  vitamins K, A, C, B2, B6 and folate, and the minerals iron, manganese, magnesium, calcium and potassium. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Cucumbers are an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of vitamin C. Tomatoes are high in fiber, lycopene and vitamin C.