Recipes

OMG Chicken Piccata

For the Chicken

• 6 chicken tenders, pounded flat (about 12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 egg whites
• garlic salt
• lemon pepper
• olive oil cooking spray or extra virgin olive oil sprayed from a misto

Preheat oven to 375.  Dip the chicken in the egg whites and then into the Italian bread crumbs to lightly coat.  Place on a non-stick foil lined pan.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and lemon pepper then spray lightly with olive oil, flip and repeat.  Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, flip the chicken over, then bake 10 - 15 more minutes.

For the Sauce

• 1 cup of chicken stock (I used my homemade recipe below)
• 1 cup white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
• juice of 2 lemons
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Smart Balance light spread
• sea salt, to taste
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with hot water, for thickening

Combine the chicken stock and smart balance in a sauce pan on a medium heat.  While the smart balance is melting add the lemon juice.  Bring to a low simmer, add artichoke hearts, capers, garlic and parsley.  Add the wine and simmer.  Once the wine has reduced add the corn starch wash (usually you do not need the whole mixture, I used about half).  Allow dish to simmer on low and thicken.  Add sea salt to taste.

 

For the Pasta

• 1/2 cup small pasta of your choice (I use Orzo or Acini di pepe, very similar in texture to Israeli couscous)
• 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
• sea salt to taste

I cook these small pastas like rice letting them simmer covered for about 15 minutes in a smaller amount of liquid until the liquid has reduced. 

Each serving is 1/3 cup pasta with two chicken tenders, covered in the sauce.  I calculated this to 12 weight watchers points +.  This recipe makes 3 servings.

Chicken Stock

• Chicken, sometimes I use pieces of chicken, and sometimes I use a whole small chicken
• garlic pod with ends cut off
• onion with ends cut off and quartered
• celery
• carrots
• water

In a large stock pot add all ingredients and simmer for as long as you can.  Allow the mixture to cool and refrigerate over night.  Skim the fat off the top of the stock then strain.  Any stock not used right away can be frozen, I freeze it in 1 & 2 cup measurements.

Lightened Chicken and Dumplings

• 1 onion - chopped

• 2 large pods garlic - minced
• 2 bay leaves - dried
• 1 bag of carrots - sliced
• 1 bunch of celery - sliced (include the leaves, they add great flavor)
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley - chopped
• 3 chicken breasts with rib meat seasoned with garlic powder and salt  (this time I used bone in, but you can use boneless - skin removed)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch whisked with warm water (for thickening)
• 6 cups chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot sprayed with cooking spray saute onion, garlic and bay leaves until onion is translucent.  Add carrots, celery, an parsley and simmer about 10 minutes.  Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste.  Add chicken, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 15 - 20 minutes).  Make your dumpling mixture while chicken is cooking.

Dumpling Mixture:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk
• 4 tsp baking powder

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine all dumpling mixture ingrediants and mix together, I usually end up using my hands.  When chicken is cooked through, debone it and pull it apart into manageable sized pieces and return to pot.  While mixture is simmering add cornstarch and water mixture while stirring.  Drop dumplings by the pinch (I'd say mine were about 1 1/2 teaspoons in size) until the entire surface is covered with dumplings.  Do not stack dumplings.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes until dumplings are cooked.  Do not pick up pot lid during this time or they will sink.  Enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Sauce

• 1 package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup white wine (I used pinto grigio)
• 3/4 cup light sour cream (or fat free Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp flour + 3 Tbsp hot water for thickening
• Olive Oil sprayed from your Misto or EVOO cooking spray
• Garlic salt, to taste
• Cracked black pepper, to taste

Spray a non-stick skillet (preferably one with a lid) with olive oil or olive oil cooking spray and add sliced mushrooms and garlic.  Cover and saute until mushrooms are tender.  Add chicken broth and bring to low simmer, add white wine and allow to simmer for a few minutes while wine reduces.  Add flour wash for thickening, (in a glass add 1 tbsp of flour and then mix using a fork with about 3 tbsp hot water from the tap), be sure sauce is simmering while you add the wash and be sure to stir while you are adding. 

Allow to simmer one minute and then add sour cream.  Let your sauce simmer until you have reached desired thickness.  Give it a taste and add garlic salt and cracked pepper to taste.

This recipe makes 4 servings and it comes out to 4 weight watchers points + per serving...and it is delicious.  It is great over chicken and beef and rice and egg noodles.  Delicious!

Awesome Balsamic Dressing

• 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil (I think I used a little less than that...the recipe called for 3/4 cup, but I wanted to reduce that)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard

Combine, whisk, refrigerate.  Enjoy!

Baked Tilapia

For one serving:

• 1 tilapia fillet seasoned with garlic powder, lemon pepper, salt
• 1 can artichoke hearts (the vegetables can be whatever you want, I have used asparagus and last night I added tomato to my husbands)
• capers
• lemon
• 1 tsp smart balance light spread

Place seasoned tilapia on a piece of foil (large enough to wrap the fish and veggies in), add vegetables lemon, capers and smart balance. Enclose the fish and veggies in a foil packet.  Bake for 25 minutes at 375.  The fish comes out moist and there is a lot of lemon and buttery juice ready to place over carb of your choice.

Makeshift Eggplant Parmesan

• 1 eggplant sliced in thin circles
• olive oil spray
• garlic salt
• half a jar of pasta sauce (I like Barilla)
• part skim mozzarella cheese or parmesan (I used mozzarella last night since I had no parmesan)

Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on cookie sheet, spray with olive oil spray and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Roast for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Spread some sauce in the bottom of a corning ware and arrange a layer of the roasted eggplant, add sauce, repeat until eggplant is gone and remaining sauce is on top of the layers.  Bake covered in the 400 degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes until it is nice and bubbly.  Add cheese and bake uncovered until cheese is melted.

Simple Sauteed Shrimp

• 4 cups raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp smart balance light spread
• Old Bay Seasoning

Season raw shrimp with Old Bay Seasoning and refrigerate until ready to saute.  Melt Smart Balance in a large pan over low heat and add garlic.  Saute on low until garlic is becoming soft.  Add shrimp and increase heat to medium.  Stir until shrimp is pink and done.  Sprinkle with additional Old Bay as needed.  This recipe makes two servings.  I like to serve it over orzo.  :)

Big Dave's Rice

(source)

2 bell peppers, chopped (I usually use one red and one green)
1 onion, chopped
5 chicken bouillon cubes, 4 crushed, 1 whole
lots of garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup rice
2 cups water

Add olive oil, garlic, bell peppers and onion to a large non-stick pan and saute until tender.  Sprinkle the veggies with the crushed bouillon cubes.

While the vegetables are sauteing cook your rice adding the whole bouillon cube to the water.

Once the rice and vegetables are done, combine them and enjoy!  The weight watchers points + for a 3/4 cup serving is 5.

Ema's Version of Lightened Up Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

(adapted from Eat, Live, Run's recipe)

• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 chicken tenders, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder
• 2 cans diced tomato
• 6 wedges laughing cow light swiss cheese (I think next time I will reduce this to 4, the sauce ended up a little too thick as it cooled)
• 2 tsp Tony Chachere's
• 4 servings uncooked spaghetti
• olive oil from misto sprayer

Cook chicken at 375 until cooked through (about 15 minutes). While the chicken is baking, cook your pasta according to package directions and start your sauce. Saute onion in olive oil in a large covered skillet. I used my misto sprayer to add the olive oil to my pan, but I gave it a generous spray. I would estimate I added half a teaspoon of oil to my non-stick pan.

While onion is sautéing add 1 tsp of Tony Chachere's.  I will be honest I didn't measure the seasoning I used the eye ball method and gave the onion a generous coating.  When the onion is translucent add the minced garlic and sauté a minute longer.  Add tomatoes with their juices and bring to a simmer.

Add the cheese wedges and let them melt and bring the sauce back to a low simmer.  Add more Tony Chachere's as needed.

Once your chicken is done, let it rest and then cut into bite sized pieces.  Serve one cup of pasta with two sliced chicken tenders and a generous cup of sauce.  This recipe made 4 servings.  The weight watchers points + on this dinner was 10.