Category: Chicken

Turkey Sausages with Chicken & Spicy Beans

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This is a wonderful all-in-one kind of meal.  The nutrition is great, the method (skillet) is fabulous because you only dirty one pan, and the taste is awesome!  The simple list of ingredients made me wonder if the flavor wouldn’t be all that awesome, but I was wrong.  This dish is full of flavor and the combination of sausage, chicken, tomatoes, garlic, and a hint of red pepper is delightful.  I also loved having the cannellini beans as my carb for the night.  They pair well with the flavors and it gave me some variety to what I usually have for my carb.

You can add as much red pepper as you like which allows you to control the level of heat you want for the dish.  I wanted a hint of heat . . . just enough to add a depth of flavor, so I added approximately 1/4 teaspoon.   Clearly you can add more if you want more heat (the original recipe had much more heat than this), or less if you want less (all of you with children).

Sausages with Fagioli All'uccelletta

Turkey Sausages with Chicken & Spicy Beans
Adapted from the Cooking Channel

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces turkey sausages, sliced in ¼-inch slices
10 ounces chicken, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15-0z) diced tomatoes
red pepper flakes, to taste
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh flat-leave parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Heat a large high-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil to heat.  Once hot, add the sausage and chicken and cook until heated through and no longer pink (sausages will brown), about 8 minutes.  Remove sausage and chicken from the pan to a plate and reserve.

Add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  With a wooden spoon, stir in the diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes (I used 1/4 teaspoon), bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Lower the flame, cover the pan with a lid, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and thickened to a sauce-like consistency.

Add the sausage and chicken (and any juice left on the plate) and beans to the thickened tomatoes.  Stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Add the chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 the Recipe)
Calories:  227
Protein:  26.5g
Carbs:  18.7g
Fat:  4.4g (1.5g = Sat.)
Fiber:  3.8g
Sugars:  3.8g

Grilled Pizza

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This is SUCH a fun summer meal.  I was first introduced to this concept by some good friends in my neighborhood.  They had invited us over for dinner one night and taught us how to make pizza on the grill.  It was so much fun. We loved the idea of putting the dough on the grill, and then “decorating” our pizzas with whatever toppings we wanted.  We each had our own individual pizza and it was exactly how we wanted it.  I thought the concept was brilliant, and I never have grilled pizza without thinking of my good friends (thanks Megan!).

Beau recently had a birthday and we decided this would be fun to add to the festivities.  I wasn’t sure who would stop in to see Beau that night, but I knew that if anyone did it would be very easy to offer them a grilled pizza.  I had dough ready and all the toppings prepared.  It worked perfectly and was a lot of fun.  The good news was that I had prepared plenty of toppings so Beau and I had grilled pizza again. . . two days later.  Bonus!  I can only imagine how fun this would be if you had children old enough to make their own pizzas!  I think I would have grilled pizza at least one night a week.

I like the recipe I’m giving you for the dough.  It works wonderfully for a pizza crust and I love the recipe because you don’t have to plan for the dough to raise twice!  In fact, you don’t have to wait for this dough to raise at all!  I’m serious.  It works just fine without any rising time.  I have other recipes that taste a smidge better, but I love the convenience of this one WAY MORE than I care for the smidge of better taste.  After all, it gets layered with all sorts of other flavors, so the crust becomes background anyways.  (If I had to eat the crust alone, then perhaps I would sacrifice the convenience for a better recipe.)

I usually will make my own marinara/pizza/tomato sauce.  It’s healthier, easy to make, and delicious.  However, in a pinch I have popped open a bottle of store-bought marinara too (still love me, okay?).  The nutritional information is calculated using a homemade version.

Because the toppings can vary and not every pizza is the same, I calculated the nutritional information based on the pizza I’ve highlighted in the picture.  It basically has diced, cooked chicken and a variety of veggies on it.  This is definitely a healthier option when choosing to put a pizza together.  Other toppings I have prepared for my guests include Canadian bacon, pineapple, turkey pepperoni, sliced cherry tomatoes, diced peppers, diced onions, sliced olives, fresh basil, and reduced fat cheeses.  This usually satisfies all age groups and most of the options are still pretty healthy.

So, what are you waiting for!?  Go make you a grilled pizza!  Tonight maybe?

Grilled Pizza

For the Dough:
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon lecithin
1 cup hot water (hot water from the tap)

For the Pizza:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Marinara/Tomato Sauce of your choosing
Mozzarella cheese, part-skim (or other reduced fat cheeses)
Desired Toppings (cooked chicken, Canadian bacon, turkey pepperoni, peppers, onions, tomatoes, olives, pineapple, fresh basil, etc.)

For the dough:  Mix dry ingredients.  Add lecithin and water.  Mix in until dough combines, approximately 1 minute and check for consistency (use your dough hook on your mixer).  Dough should be a little sticky.  If dough is too dry, add more water.  Mix for 5 minutes on a medium speed (this will knead your dough).  Spray your countertop with nonstick cooking spray and divide dough into 8 even sections.  Shape each section into a ball.

Using a rolling pin, create your pizza crust by rolling each ball of dough out to resemble a circle (or as close to a circle as you can).   Your crust will be thin.  Set aside on a greased surface (I usually use a large jelly roll pan and I stack the crusts with a piece of greased parchment paper in between each crust).  You do not have to wait for this dough to rise.  Yay!

For the Pizza:
Clean (use one of those handy BBQ brushes to scrape off any residue), lightly oil, and preheat your outdoor grill to medium heat (this could take 10-15 minutes, so it’s a good time to get your toppings ready).  If needed, lightly brush the pizza dough with olive oil (usually my crust is already lightly oiled from sitting between two greased parchment papers so I can skip this step).  Gently grab two edges of your dough and place it on the hot grill.  Close the grill and let the dough cook for about 2-4 minutes, or until your dough has lightly bubbled and has grill marks on the bottom (this could take longer depending on the heat of your grill).  Using tongs or a spatula, remove dough from grill.

This is when you’ll “decorate” your pizza with whatever you wish.  VERY IMPORTANT – when placing toppings on your pizza, make sure you place toppings on the side WITH the grill marks. (You’ll need to put the non-grilled side back on the grill to cook.)  Start with 2 tablespoons of sauce, then 2 tablespoons of cheese, then layer with remaining desired toppings.  Once all the toppings are on the pizza, place the pizza back on the grill, close the grill (you need to lock in the heat to melt the cheese and cook the toppings/crust), and cook for another 2-6 minutes.  The heat of your grill will determine the length of time it will take.  Your pizza is done when the cheese is melted and there are nice grill marks on the bottom of your crust.

Repeat with remaining pizza crusts.   (Side Note:  If you have all your toppings out by the grill, then, after placing the crust on the grill for the first time, you can just flip the crust and place toppings on the pizza while it’s on the grill.  This makes things a little bit easier.  However, if you do this, work quickly so that the crust doesn’t cook before you have all the toppings on.  Otherwise, you’ll have a burnt crust and undercooked toppings.)

Nutritional Information
(Per Pizza with 2.5 oz. Chicken & a Variety of Veggies)
Calories:  294.1
Protein:  28g
Carbs:  32.4
Fat:  5.6g (2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  5g
Sugars:   3.1g

CRUST – Nutritional Information (Crust Alone = 1/8 Recipe)
Calories:  147.8
Protein:  5.8g
Carbs:  30.7
Fat:  1g (0.2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  4.6g
Sugars:  3.1g

Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup

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Basil, Coconut Milk

When I eat out at a Thai restaurant, I usually like to try new things.  My hubby convinced me to try the soup recently and I wasn’t so sure I was going to be happy with that choice.  Well, I was wrong!  It was SOOOOO yummy!  I added some rice to my soup and it became a very filling meal in-and-of-itself!  It was awesome!

I recently ran across a Thai soup recipe that had raving reviews and most of the reviews claimed that it was similar to what they would find in a Thai restaurant.  That was all the convincing I needed to give the recipe a try.  Here is my little version of it and it’s awesome, people!  Beau and I ate this over baked brown rice and fell in love.  That coconut milk mixed with the chili, basil, and ginger flavors left us wanting more!  No worries – I made the whole recipe so we were able to eat leftovers for a couple of days.  Score!

I hope you like this as much (or more) than we did!

Basil, Coconut Milk

Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup
Adapted from sparkspeople.com

24 oz. chicken breast, boneless, skinless, fat removed
1 3/4 cup light coconut milk
2 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock, low sodium
8 slices ginger, fresh, peeled
1 3/4 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
4 green onions, sliced (green part reserved for garnish)
1 lemon
2 tablespoons basil, shredded

Place the chicken breasts in a small saucepan.  Cover completely with cold water and place over moderate heat.  Bring water to 180 degrees (just before the water starts to bubble).  Poach chicken for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

While chicken is poaching, place coconut milk, stock, ginger, mushrooms, red pepper, and white part of green onion into a saucepan over moderate heat.  Bring to a simmer.  Add chili sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.  Once chicken is cooked and cooled slightly, cut into 1 inch cubes.  Add to soup.

Finish soup with basil, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with chopped green onion.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Heaping Cup)
Calories:  175
Protein:  24.6g
Carbs:  6.7g
Fat:  5.2g (4.1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  1.3g
Sugars:  3.6g

Creamy Chipotle Chicken Pasta

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I’ve been on the hunt for this recipe for a loooooong time!  I ordered something similar to this at the Cheesecake Factory and absolutely fell in love with the dish.  I had hoped to recreate it at home, but with less calories.  Folks, I think I’ve succeeded.

Now, just as I’ve warned in previous posts about the heat in chipotle chile peppers, this recipe is NO exception.  PLEASE . . . go less on the heat because you can always add more, right???  Because I love spice, I kind of went crazy here and doubled . . .yes, doubled what the recipe called for.  Beau and I could eat it, but our lips were on fire!  So, maybe follow the directions or even half what’s here if you’re planning to serve children.

That being said . . . we LOVED the creaminess and flavor that was punched into this dish.  This dish is completely opposite than boring.  A version like this still remains one of my favorite meals at the Cheesecake Factory (I know . . . how in the world do you choose a favorite dish at that place!?!?).  It is CRAZY good!

The original recipe uses Alfredo Sauce.  That’s a TOTAL calorie and fat killer.  So, I used Roco’s technique for Alfredo using Greek yogurt and it worked like a champ.  It made this dish so stinkin’ creamy that I was afraid to count the calories for fear that I wouldn’t be able to share it with you.  But, guess what!  I can because the calorie count is pretty darn perfect per serving!  Whooooohoooo!!!

Give this whirl.  Just be careful to add the level of heat you and your loved ones will be able to enjoy and tolerate.

Chipotle Chicken Pasta

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 red bell pepper, sliced
3 garlic coves, minced
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup low-fat, low sodium chicken broth
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, seeds removed and minced
1 teaspoon of adobo sauce
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, such as Fage Total
1 cup whole wheat pasta (dry) – I used elbows
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, optional

Cook pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Add cubed chicken and taco seasoning.  Once chicken has almost cooked through, add garlic and red peppers; cook until tender.  Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and chicken broth in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  Pour the cornstarch mixture, chipotle sauce/pepper, and cream cheese into the sauté pan, bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Remove the sauté pan from the heat and stir in yogurt until the sauce is smooth.

Combine cooked pasta with sauce; stir to coat.  Portion between 4 plates and garnish each with cilantro and parmesan cheese, if using.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 of Recipe)
Calories:  234.8
Protein:  29.4g
Carbs:  19.3g
Fat:  4.6g
Fiber:  2.2g
Sugars:  3.6g

 

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

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Here’s another easy and quick AND tasty weeknight dinner option.  It comes together quickly and tastes great.  I love those chipotle chiles in adobo sauce!  They leave a nice smokey and spicy flavor behind everything they become a part of.  I also love this chicken mixture atop a toasted corn tortilla.  This crispy tostada has it all . . . flavor, texture, and a fabulous calorie count.

You must be warned . . . the chipotle chile is a hot pepper.  It leaves a good amount of heat.  If you prefer mild heat, then cut the pepper and sauce in half (and consider taking out the seeds of the pepper).  I thought the heat on this was just right, but I love a little extra heat.

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
12 ounces chicken cutlets, thinly sliced
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 cup red bell pepper strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
8 corn tortillas (such as Mission Thins)
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.  While oven is heating take corn tortillas and lightly spray each side of the tortillas with cooking spray.  Place tortillas on a jelly roll pan, trying not to overlap.  Place tortillas in heated oven.  Cook for approximately 10-12 minutes, or until tortillas start to brown.   Remove from oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, remove 1 chile and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can; mince chile.  Set chile and sauce aside.  Reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until done.  Remove chicken from pan.  Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme; sauté 4 minutes.  Stir in chile and adobo sauce; cook 30 seconds.  Add chicken and salt; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat.  Add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.  Divide mixture evenly among toasted corn tortillas.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Tostadas)
Calories:  243
Protein:  24g
Carbs:  21.7g
Fat:  7.6g (2.4g)
Fiber:  3.2g
Sugars:  3.3g

Thai Green Coconut Curry with Shrimp & Basil

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I am a HUGE sucker for coconut milk. . . especially when it comes to anything Thai.  When I eat out at Thai restaurants and want to indulge, I go for the coconut curry dishes every time.  So, it’s no wonder that I absolutely LOVE this recipe.  I think it’s restaurant worthy, but I dare say it’s even better because it tastes so darn fresh when I make it in my own kitchen.  You can adjust the heat of the recipe with the amount of curry paste you add.  So, if you like your curry spicy, add a little more curry paste.  I think the amount in the recipe is just right for most people.  (I like a little more heat, so I usually add more when I’m just cooking for me.)

The addition of fresh basil that you add just before serving is SO awesome.  It leaves this dish tasting so fresh and that basil flavor is the most perfect compliment to the curry.  You MUST try this.  If you are a Thai food lover like me, you’re going to love it.  If you’re not sure you like Thai food . . . well, this is a pretty safe recipe to try because I’ll be shocked if you don’t fall in love at first bite.  (By the way – for all you people who don’t love shrimp or who are allergic to shellfish, you can always substitute chicken.  Just remember to cook it until it is done and is no longer pink inside.)

Thai Green Coconut Curry with Shrimp & Basil
Adapted slightly from skinnytaste.com

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 small scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste (or more to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (from 1 1/4 lbs unpeeled)
6 oz light coconut milk
2 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
salt to taste

In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat oil on medium-high flame. Add scallion whites and green curry paste; sauté one minute.

Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cook about 2-3 minutes.

Add coconut milk, fish sauce and mix well; simmer about 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.

Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens and basil. Serve over brown rice and enjoy!

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/4 Shrimp + Sauce)
Calories:  134.1
Protein:  18.5g
Carbs:  4.4g
Fat:  4.4g
Fiber:  1g
Sugars:  1.8g

Baked Chicken Taquitos

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These are good.  Really good!  I found them on multiple food blogs about one year ago and figured they had to be good if all of my favorite food bloggers were making them.  Well, I was right . . . kind of.  They were actually better than I had expected them to be.  I was impressed with how easy they were to make, how delicious they turned out, AND I was happy to be able to make them a little more calorie-friendly without sacrificing much flavor.  We’ve got a HUGE winner here.  HUGE!

The filling is full of flavor and I love how the spices get mixed with green onions and cilantro because that gives these little babies a fresh pick-up.  And . . .  the cream cheese and cheddar cheese makes them even more irresistible.  Baking them in the oven with a little cooking spray on top helps to give them that deep-fried flavor and crunch without all the grease (yuck!).  I have been making these for friends, family, and kids and I’ve had NOBODY turn them down or complain about them.  Yep, that’s right!  Chances are that your kids are going to LOVE them too!  They’re great for dinner (and they also make great appetizers too).

Baked Chicken Taquitos

4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa (red salsa is good too)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 green onion, sliced finely (white & green parts to equal about 2 T.)
12 oz. shredded, cooked chicken
1 cup reduced-fat cheese (Monterey jack, cheddar, or pepper jack)

12 small yellow or white corn tortillas (like Mission Thins)
kosher salt, optional
cooking spray

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix softened cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

Working with a few tortillas at a time, place 3-4 between two damp paper towels and microwave for 30-45 seconds, until tortillas are soft and pliable and don’t crack while rolling. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture (I use a cookie scoop and put two scoops in each tortilla) on the lower third of a soft tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.
Place filled taquitos seam side down on the baking sheet, making sure they don’t touch each other. When ready to bake, spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and lightly sprinkle some kosher (coarse) salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Serve immediately. Taquitos can be dipped in salsa, light sour cream, guacamole, or any other combination you can dream up (and that your calorie count will allow).

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Taquitos)
Calories:  216.4
Protein:  20.5g
Carbs:  18.7g
Fat:  7.5g (4.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.2g
Sugars:  2.7g

Crispy Mexican Chicken

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Who doesn’t love some crispy, breaded chicken from time-to-time?  The fried stuff kind of grosses me out now days, but the oven-baked stuff still grabs my attention!  I love this version because it carries nice subtle Mexican flavors.  And, instead of dipping into a high-calorie sauce (BBQ Sauce, Ranch, etc.), you dip it in salsa.  Great idea, right!?

Now, you’ll want to keep in mind that any time you put bread crumbs on your meat you are using up carb counts.  For me, sometimes it is TOTALLY worth sacrificing other carbs for the sake of knowing I can actually eat breaded chicken without gaining weight.  Besides that, it also takes some stress off of trying to decide what else to make.

So, go have yourself some flavorful, fried oven-baked chicken, and enjoy every stinkin’ bite of it!

Crispy Mexican Chicken
Adapted from sparkpeople

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded until uniform in thickness
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
salsa, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by covering with foil and then spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. (I also placed an oven-proof baking rack on top of my foil so that when my chicken cooked it was able to keep it’s crispness on all sides.  If you don’t do this, I would just coat the top and sides of your chicken strips with panko, because the bottom looses it’s crispness as it cooks right up next to the foil.)

Meanwhile, heat a small, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Place panko bread crumbs in skillet and constantly stir until lightly golden brown.  Remove from skillet and place in a shallow dish along with the taco seasoning and salt.

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts.  Slice the breasts into strips or sections (mine were about 2-inchs wide).  Pat the chicken dry and then spray each strip with nonstick cooking spray, then dip into the bread crumb mixture to coat the entire surface.  Transfer the chicken to the baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the meat reaches 165 degrees.  Serve with salsa.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 4 Ounces)
Calories:  128.8
Protein:  23.8g
Carbs:  6.3g
Fat:  1.1g
Fiber:  0.3g
Sugars:  0g

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken and Bell Pepper Gyros

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Oh my!  I seriously LOVED this.  Admittedly, I am a Balsamic Vinegar lover so perhaps it goes without saying, but as I write this post I’m wishing I could be eating this again today!

You cook your chicken in the balsamic vinegar, then you cook your peppers and onions in balsamic vinegar.  All the while, a delicious and sticky glaze develops.  You put your balsamic-glazed chicken and veggies in a wheat pita, sprinkle with cheese, and eat away.  The balsamic vinegar clings to the gyro fillings and it adds a hint of sweetness as well as a touch of acidity.  Oh man, it’s good!

I suppose that a Gyro would technically be made with flat bread.  I had whole-wheat pitas on hand, so that’s what I used.  I simply warmed them for 15-20 seconds in the microwave so that they were easy to fold and then layered the ingredients in there (just like a taco).

Since this is super delicious and super easy, I think you should make this ASAP (and make an extra one for me and then call me over).

Balsamic-Glazed Chicken & Bell Pepper Gyros
Adapted from Jillian Michael’s, “Making the Cut”

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided in half
6 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, divided in half
1 cup red bell pepper strips (about 1 medium pepper)
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
2 whole-wheat pita rounds (approximately 120 calories each)
1/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken to pan; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned.  Add 1/8 cup (or 2 tablespoons) vinegar; cook 2 minutes longer or until chicken is done and vinegar is syrupy (or absorbed into chicken).  Remove chicken mixture from the pan; cover and keep warm.  Wipe pan clean with a paper towel.

Return pan to medium-high heat; add remaining 1 teaspoon oil.  Add bell pepper and onion; sauté 7 minutes or until tender.  Stir in remaining 1/8 cup vinegar; cook 1 minute or until vinegar is syrupy.

Arrange chicken mixture evenly pita; top with bell pepper mixture.  Arrange cheese over pepper mixture (about 2 tablespoons per Gyro), and sprinkle with black pepper.

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Gyro)
Calories:  345.6
Protein:  27.5g
Carbs:  31.7g
Fat:  9.6g (2.4g = Sat.)
Fiber:  7.1g
Sugars:  7.7g

Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pizza

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It’s been a little bit, but I took a trip to visit my sweet sister in Montana and she cooked this up for me.  It was SUPER good and my first thought was, “this can’t be good for us.”  However, I knew she had taken the recipe from a healthy cookbook, so I had to investigate.  I did so, and I am very happy to report that it works in terms of calories and macro-nutrient breakdown!  (Of course, I made a few adjustments to really make me happy.)

If you are a fan of Alfredo mixed with chicken and spinach, this pizza is a MUST for you!  I will tell you that veggies have never been my sister’s strong suit.  So, in fair warning, if you don’t like spinach then you probably won’t LOVE this pizza.  My sis liked the pizza, but didn’t love it.  She said she would make it again, but cut the spinach in half in order for her to say that the pizza deserves her love (not like).

So, now you know that a veggie/spinach lover (me) and a non veggie/spinach lover (sis) both enjoyed this pizza.  Don’t you think there’s a good chance you might like it too????

Chicken & Spinach Alfredo Pizza
Adapted from Traci and originally from
Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2010

1 pkg (10-oz.) frozen, chopped spinach (thawed & squeezed dry)
12 ounces cooked & chopped chicken breast
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 whole wheat pita rounds (approx. 120 calories each)
1 garlic glove, peeled & halved
1/2 cup reduced fat Alfredo sauce, such as Classico
 1/2 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

In a large bowl combine the spinach, chicken, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Place pita rounds on ungreased cookie sheet.  Rub with cut sides of garlic.  Discard garlic.  Spread approximately 2 tbsp. Alfredo sauce over each pita.  Top each pita with 1/4 of the spinach mixture, 2 tbsp. cheese, and approximately 1/8 tsp. pepper flakes.

Bake at 450 degrees for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and pita is lightly browned.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Pizza)
Calories:  331
Protein:  30.2g
Carbs:  25.6g
Fat:  9.1g (5.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  5.7g
Sugars:  2.5g