Prosciutto Garlic chicken

This is super easy, and super yummy!

8 Chicken breasts
8 slices of prosciutto
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T butter, melted

Mix the garlic and butter.  Brush/spoon over the chicken breasts.  Wrap in the prosciutto.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.  I served this with freshly steamed garlic spinach:

one bag of spinach (10 oz)
2 T olive oil (eyeball it)
1 clove of garlic, chopped

Cook the garlic in the oil until the garlic smells strong (3 minutes?).  Dump in the spinach and stir until the spinach is covered in the oil.  Cook until the spinach is just wilted (2 minutes).  Add salt and pepper. 

Healthy Lentil Soup

You know the feeling you get when you have been running and rushing, and eating out far too much?  Or you have been on the road, and you just want something that is not deep fried or coated in butter or grease?  I have been feeling that a lot lately.  So, my cure was to cook some stuff that was simple and left me with very little self-loathing when I finished eating!

This recipe (kind of) was on the bag of lentils that I picked up yesterday.  Love it!

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 small brown potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 ribs of celery
1 can of diced tomatoes (mine were seasoned with oregano and basil)
3 cups chicken broth
1 bag of lentils
1 tsp. sea salt

Cook the onions in the olive oil for as long as it takes you to peel and chop the carrots and potatoes.  Add in all the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.  Cover, simmer and cook until the chunks of potato and carrot are tender.  Check the tenderness of the lentils, and cook longer if you like them mushier. 

The recipe on the bag called for kielbasa sausage, too, but frankly (other than the chicken broth), I was looking more natural and less meaty.

I ate this for lunch today with fresh spinach, candied walnuts (just a few, I promise!) and some light raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  Yum!

Taco Soup

From my law school friend Jamie.

1 lb. ground turkey or beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 can of Rotel
1 can black beans
2 cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
1 can water
1 can yellow hominy
1 package of taco seasoning
1 package Hidden Valley Buttermilk Dressing mix
1 small can green chilies or 1/4 to 1/2 cup
Cumin, salt, pepper to taste

Brown the meat together with the onion. Drain. Mix in the other ingredients in the crock pot. Cook all day on low.

Chicken Spaghetti

from my friend Jamey from law school:

1 package of chicken breast or 3 cans of canned chicken (I would rather vomit than eat canned chicken...but apparently you can eat canned chicken and be OK because that is how the recipe was given to me...)
1 c. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1 package of spaghetti
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 jar of cheese whiz
cheddar cheese

Cook the chicken breast and cut into small pieces. Saute the onion and celery in butter and pepper. Cook the spaghetti. Add it all together except for the cheddar cheese. Put in a 9x13 baking dish, and top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Sloppy Joes

My girls used to call this "Funny Hamburgers."

1 1/2 lb. ground beef (can mix in ground turkey too)
1 diced onion
1 T celery seed or celery salt
2 c. tomato or tomato sauce

Brown the ground meat and then add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer together for 15-20 minutes. Serve on toasted buns with a slice of cheese.

Easy Italian--Spaghetti and Pita Pizzas

I love Italian food so much, and lately everything I eat tastes fancier and yummier with a few sprinkles of goat cheese and some fresh basil leaves (straight out of the back yard) on it.

Spaghetti:

To make this healthier, remember to use whole wheat noodles. Read the package carefully, because sometimes noodles labeled as "wheat" are not the healthy "whole wheat." If you are trying to get used to whole wheat, try angel hair or some other fine pasta, rather than trying to choke down some thick spaghetti.

For sauce, check out the new Giada lines of pasta at Target. Also, Bertolli has some good sauce. Whatever kind of sauce you use, read the label very carefully and make sure sugar is not listed as an ingredient. Sugar is hiding in a lot of sauces, and is unnecessary and can sabotage your efforts to lose weight.

After you cook the sauce, you can add in crushed tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes for extra flavor.

Of course, sprinkle with goat cheese, add a few cherry or grape tomatoes, maybe some capers and black olives, and a few leaves of fresh basil. Yum-o.


Pita pizzas:

A few years ago, my friends introduced me to this wonderful easy Italian dinner. Top some pita bread (look for whole wheat or low carb for a healthier option) with some tomato sauce (see above), Italian blend cheese (mozzarella, parmesan), and top with your favorite toppings. Throw in the oven on broil and watch very carefully to make sure it does not burn. It is wonderful and takes about five minutes to cook.

Chicken Tortilla Pie

This is a Cooking Light recipe that looks wonderful.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1/4 cup Fresh Salsa
• 1 cup spicy black bean dip (such as Guiltless Gourmet)
• 4 (8-inch) multigrain flour tortillas (such as Tumaro's)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) reduced-fat shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Cooking spray

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 450°.
• 2. Combine chicken and salsa in a medium bowl.
• 3. Spread 1/4 cup black bean dip over each tortilla. Top each evenly with chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese. Stack tortillas in bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated and cheese melts. Remove sides of pan. Cut pie into 4 wedges. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 380
• Calories from fat: 26%
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated fat: 4.3g
• Monounsaturated fat: 4.4g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1.4g
• Protein: 39.9g
• Carbohydrate: 28.7g
• Fiber: 12.2g
• Cholesterol: 80mg
• Iron: 0.8mg
• Sodium: 660mg
• Calcium: 215mg