Sauteed Chicken Breast with Peppers and Feta

This dish relies on it's simple ingredients for its robust flavor.... the sweetness of the red bell peppers and onions, the saltiness of the feta, and the fruitiness of the kalamata olives. The ingredients come together effortlessly creating a flavorful entree that is simple, fast and delicious. Great for a healthy weeknight meal. And even better.... you can do it all on your stove top! No need to fire up your oven in the heat of the summer.

Sauteed Chicken Breast with Peppers and Feta

3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (you can sub 1 tsp dried)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4(4-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breast halves or two large chicken breast, pounded and cut into two pieces.
1 teaspoon olive oil

1 tsp butter

1 1/3 cup or 1 large red bell pepper strips
1 cup vertically sliced red onion
1 cup sliced zucchini

2/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
2 tablespoons diced kalamata olives (optional)

Put one piece of chicken in a zip-lock bag. Pound chicken with a meat mallet to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. Repeat with all chicken.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Heat oil and butter in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add bell pepper, onion, zucchini, broth, and vinegar to pan; cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently. Spoon bell pepper mixture into a bowl; stir in 1/4 C cheese. Return chicken to pan, and sprinkle with 1/4 C cheese. Cover; cook over low heat 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Divide the vegetable mixture evenly between 4 plates, and top each serving with a chicken breast half. Sprinkle with diced kalamata olives.

My husband is a little wary of red bell peppers, but even he gave this pepper-laden plate a thumbs up. He said it was "surprisingly delicious considering the ingredients". My kids loved the feta and the chicken, but it was hard to sell them on the peppers. If you suspect the same with your kids, serve this meal with an additional green vegetable that you know they will eat, and some brown rice to help fill their bellies (I used brown basmati short grain). Don't forget to have them try at least one of those peppers!

Tip: If you don't have an herb garden yet, it's time to get started! Start with a few of your favorites like thyme, cilantro, parsley or basil in pots. Or just stick them in the ground in your backyard somewhere. What ever is easiest. Fresh herbs have a much more vibrant flavor then dried, and they are easy to substitute into your favorite recipes. The general rule is 3x the amount of the dried herb called for (for example 1tsp dried or 1 Tbs fresh). Happy cooking!

Coconut Milk Cupcakes

Coconut milk has been on my mind lately, well, atleast when I think about cooking. I blame it on the bowl of butternut squash soup I had at Cafe Coco's in Kaua'i last week... it was deliciously rich, made with fresh local coconut milk and a sprinkle of curry. It's odd because I never liked coconut as a kid--not candy bars, cake, or even granola bars with just a hint of coconut flavoring. I probably never tried coconut milk. Now, I love the flavor and richness that coconut milk brings to a recipe-- in sweets, stir-fries, rice, or soup. Coconut milk has earned a rotation spot in my pantry.

These cupcakes could be mistaken for a rich basic white cupcake.... they don't flaunt the coconut flavor... just the moisture and richness that the coconut milk lends. Try this recipe even if you have an aversion to coconut.

Coconut Milk Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Combine 2 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (for about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into lined cupcake tins. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350°until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes. Frost with cream cheese icing. Top with chopped toasted macadamia nuts, turbinado sugar or our favorite... strawberry slices.

I usually wing it for icing...

Cream Cheese icing:

Put 1/2 a block of Neuffchatel cheese in a mixing bowl. Add 1 Tbs softened butter. Beat with a mixer. Add powdered sugar to desired consistancy. If it gets too thick, just keep mixing. It will usually soften up again. Mix in 1 1/2 tsps vanilla.

Note: Find coconut milk in the Asian food aisle of your grocery store.

Pasta and Tomatoes with Chickpea Sauce

If you are one of those who likes to sneak nutrition into your family's diet... this is a dish for you! The flavors of hummus, fresh tomatoes and parsley adorn this pasta in this simple, yet hearty dish. The chickpea sauce boosts the fiber and protein content, while leaving out all the saturated fat traditionally found in creamy pasta dishes. Top it with a small amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to give it a big flavor boost at the end.


Pasta with Tomatoes and Chickpea Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups uncooked pasta- choose your variety!
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, chickpeas, and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

While garlic mixture simmers, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, drain well.

Place chickpea mixture in a food pro-cessor, or blender and process until smooth. Make sure that you process it long enough or it may be a little mealy in consitancy. Combine chickpea mixture, pasta, tomatoes, fresh parsley, and lemon juice; toss well. And up to a half cup of warm water to thin the sauce if needed. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve hot.

Use whole-wheat pasta if preferred (I was out!). Serve it with steamed broccoli and some fresh-cut fruit of the season like honeydew melon. How did the kids recieve it??? They groaned a little when I put it on the table (as they often do when an unfamilar dish is set before them), but in the end they cleared their plates without further complaint. All four of them! I'd say it passed the test.

Tip: If you enjoy the bright flavors that fresh herbs lend to a dish, be sure to use the more vibrant flat-leaf Italian parsley instead of the curly leaf variety. And, If you must have some meat on your plate, grill up some italian seasoned chicken breast to go on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken

This one is for my husband. He absolutely LOVES this spicy, buttermilk-marinated, psuedo-fried, crisp-tender, chicken. The buttermilk lends flavor and tenderizes the meat. The flour is perfectly seasoned to create a flavorful, crisp, crust that is true to the texture and flavor of real fried chicken-- minus all that grease! If too spicy, alter the amount of red and white pepper to your preference.



I usually make a bunch of legs for my husband and girls (their preference) and a boneless chicken breast for me. Boneless thighs or any bone-in meat would also work well, just be sure to remove the skin. If cooking boneless chicken breast, pound it to a 1/2 inch thick, and split it into two pieces if it is too large. This will ensure even and tender cooking. Watch it closely in the oven, any boneless pieces (especially white meat) will cook faster and will dry out if left in too long. You may need to remove them from the oven before your bone-in chicken is done.

Try serving this with my husband's favorite: rosemary roasted red potatoes and fresh steamed swish chard. Or serve it with some chive-mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, and a large green salad.

Tip: To skin chicken legs, hold on to the meaty end of the leg with one hand. With your other hand, grab the skin with a dry papertowel. The paper towel will adhere to the skin, making it much easier to pull it right off of the leg (A trick I learned from my mom=). Be sure to wash your hands well and sanitize any working area where you used raw chicken.

Buttermilk Oven-Fried Chicken

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 chicken breast(about 1 pound), skinned
2 chicken drumsticks (about 1/2 pound), skinned
2 chicken thighs (about 1/2 pound), skinned
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4-1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika

Cooking spray

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine flour, salt, peppers, cumin, and paprika in a second large zip-top plastic bag. Remove chicken from first bag, discarding marinade. Add chicken, one piece at a time, to flour mixture, shaking bag to coat chicken. Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour; lightly coat each chicken piece with cooking spray. Return chicken, one piece at a time, to flour mixture, shaking bag to coat chicken. Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour.

Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 35 minutes or until done, turning after 20 minutes.

Yogurt-Cheese Snickerdoodles

I created this recipe to bring to my sister's baby shower, and it has since become a favorite! The yogurt cheese works wonders here. It lends moisture and tenderness to the crumb and adds to the distinctive tang found in these well-loved cinnamon-and-sugar cookies. Amy tried out the recipe last week and her teenage son said, "These are the best cookies I've ever had!".



Yogurt Cheese Snickerdoodles
1 C whole wheat flour
1 2/3 c all purpouse flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
5 Tbs butter
¾ C plain nonfat yogurt
1 ½ c sugar
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

3 tbs sugar
1 Tbs Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Make the yogurt cheese:
Spread out yogurt on top of layered paper towels on your counter. Put a few paper-towels on top as well. Let the liquid from the yogurt soak into the paper towels until the yogurt turns into a thicker, more cheese like consistency. It will resemble a soft cream cheese that you can peel away from the paper towels. Replace the wet towels with dry ones as needed until the consistancy is achieved.

Make the cookies:
Whisk together the dry ingredients (flours-salt) in a medium bowl, set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, yogurt cheese, and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and egg whites, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. DO NOT OVERMIX. Chill dough in the freezer for 30 mins. Ball up the dough and coat each cookie in cinnamon-and-sugar, place on a cookie sheet, coated with cooking spray, and flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10 mins or until done. Becareful not to over-cook them!




Additional Tips:
Reduced-fat cookie doughs are more delicate then their fattier counterparts, so you need to take some precautions when mixing. If you over mix, the gluten will develop and the cookies will be tough instead of tender. When it comes time to add the dry ingredients, I usually put the mixer aside, and mix it with a big wooden spoon.

Do not over bake... or your cookies will have a tough outer crust!

I like to double the recipe and freeze the dough in a large zip-lock bag. Then, when we have a craving for some of these yummy morsels-- it's a sinch! Take it out of the freezer, ball it up, coat it with cinnamon and sugar, place them on the cookie sheet, flatten and bake! Yum! (You could also freeze the dough unbaked, pre-rolled, and flattened on a cookie sheet. Then scoop them up and put them in a zip-lock bag and return them to the freezer until that craving comes again.)

My beautiful daughter enjoying a snickerdoodle.

Spinach and Orange Salad

If you haven't started making your own salad dressings.... it's time to start! It's quick, and it's easy. Try it out and you'll never go back. Watch for more of my favorite salads and dressing recipes to come.



Spinach and Orange Salad

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons minced sweet onions
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad:
3 cups orange sections (about 3 large oranges)
6 cups torn leafy green lettuces (your choice)
3 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup thinly sliced red onion

To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside.
To prepare salad, combine orange sections, spinach and lettuce in a large bowl. Add onion. Pour vinaigrette over salad mixture; toss gently to coat.

Cheddar Chicken and Corn Chowder

I know it's the end of March, but I just had to slip one more soup in before heading into the soup-less summer. This one is a crowd pleaser. It has a rich flavor and a smooth texture, with intermittent bites of tender chicken, sweet corn and potatoes . My 8-year-old daughter even asked to take some in her thermos to school for lunch the next day. Serve this with a big Spinach and Orange Salad and some whole grain rolls.



Cheddar Chicken and Corn Chowder

2 bacon slices
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic clove, minced
4 ½ cups fat-free chicken broth
1 ¾ cups diced red potato
2 ¼ cups frozen corn
½ cup flour
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
¾ cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Cook bacon in a large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Set aside. Add the chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potato, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add corn; stir well.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place four in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in the cheddar cheese, salt and black pepper. Top with the crumbled bacon. Yield: 7 servings (serving size 1 ½ cups)