Fitness Food and You

Southern Oven-Unfried Chicken, (serves 4) 

ingredients

½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1 T Louisiana-style hot sauce

8 skinless chicken pieces with bones (legs, thighs, quartered breasts)

1 ½ cups multigrain cereal flakes, crushed

1 ½ t onion powder

1 ½ t garlic powder

1 ½ t ground black pepper

1 ½ t hot red pepper flakes

1 t paprika

directions

Preheat the oven to 400⁰ F. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt and hot sauce. Add the chicken pieces and coat. Marinate them in the bowl as you proceed to the next step.

In a 1-gallow ziplock plastic bag, add the crushed cereal flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika. Shake the bag to mix the dry ingredients. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, seal the bag, and shake well to coat the chicken.

Place the coated chicken pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate them, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and spray lightly with olive oil. (You can use a cooking spray or a misto bottle). Bake for 35-40 minutes.

(Adapted from Art Smith’s recipe found in “Diabetes Forecast”, June, 2012)

Healthy Hearty Chicken Stew

ingredients

1 T olive oil
2 stalks celery, cut into bite-size pieces
2 carrots, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
1 small onion, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 skinless chicken breasts with ribs (about 1 1/2 pounds total–can also use skinless thighs or legs with bones)
1 (15-ounce) can kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained.

directions

Heat the oil in a heavy 5 1/2-quart saucepan or in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, and onion. Sauté the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, basil, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme. Add the chicken pieces; press to submerge.

Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently uncovered until the chicken is almost cooked through, turning the chicken breasts over and stirring the mixture occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken breasts to a work surface and cool for 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans to the pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced into a stew consistency, about 10 minutes.

Discard the bones from the chicken. Shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken meat to the stew. Bring the stew just to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with brown rice or whole grain bread.
(Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’s recipe found on http://www.foodnetwork.com)

Tangy Arugula Salad with Orange Slices (serves 4)

dressing ingredients

6 T freshly squeeze orange juice

2 T white vinegar

2 T honey

6 T peanut oil

1 T minced ginger

2 t Dijon mustard

½ t salt

salad ingredients

8-10 cups baby arugula

1, 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

2 oranges, divided into segments

3 scallions sliced

2 T sunflower seeds

directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, cannellini beans, oranges slice, and scallions. Drizzle with the dressing. Toss well and sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

(Adapted from a recipe found in Yoga Journal, February, 2014)