Walnut Chicken Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
March 18, 2009
I love to make salads for dinner, and this southern-style salad makes a great main-dish dinner or weekend lunch. The walnut coating on the chicken cutlets is delicious paired with buttermilk, honey and basil. Feel free to use almonds or pecans instead of the walnuts, and if you’re short on time, use your favorite jarred salad dressing.
Walnut Chicken Salad
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 6 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
4 chicken cutlets
3 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
3/4 cup finely ground walnuts
1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups torn mixed salad greens
4 cups torn fresh spinach
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Preparation
1. Brush buttermilk evenly over chicken.
2. Combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, and salt in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in mixture.
3. Pour oil into a large skillet; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices.
4. Combine salad greens and spinach, and arrange on each of 4 individual plates. Sprinkle with cheese, and top with tomato halves and chicken. Serve with Buttermilk-Honey Dressing on the side.
Buttermilk-Honey Dressing
Prep: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a wire whisk.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, try this comfort food recipe that actually has only 400 calories and 13.1 grams of fat. I worked on a recipe development job a year ago: “Cooking with Beer”, and I was amazed with the beer flavoring. Beer can add such a great flavor to many recipes, especially beef. This recipe is ideal for this time of year while there’s still a chill in the air. Also, the mashed potatoes are delicious with the beef or on their own with a touch of horseradish. Enjoy for a Sunday night dinner or on St. Patrick’s Day.
Also, if you missed my television spot yesterday with my daughter, Leigh, on WBRC Fox 6 News in Birmingham, take a look at the link below:
link: ttp://www.myfoxal.com/dpp/gda_publish/20090315Weekend_Cooking_Healthy_Break
Guinness-Braised Steak with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
STEAK:
1 1/2 pounds boneless chuck steak, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
2 bay leaves
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness Stout
POTATOES:
2 pounds peeled baking potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
To prepare steak:
1. Sprinkle steak with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook 5 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove steak from pan; set aside. Add 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped carrot, 2 tablespoons broth, and sugar. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes. Stir in rosemary, mushrooms, and garlic. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, stout, remaining broth, and steak; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until steak is tender.
To prepare potatoes:
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Return potatoes to pan. Add butter; beat with a mixer at medium speed just until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients. Keep warm.
2. Remove steak from pan; keep warm. Discard bay leaves. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Spoon stout mixture over steak. Serve with potatoes.
St. Patrick’s Day Dessert: Irish Bread Pudding
March 14, 2009
I usually prepare bread pudding during Thanksgiving since I love a traditional Southern Bread Pudding drizzled with whiskey sauce. This recipe is a twist on my recipe, and it’s a great dessert idea for St. Patrick’s day. This bread pudding is flavored with Irish whiskey and is actually a low-fat recipe weighing in at 367 calories and 6.5 grams of fat.
By the way, I will be on Fox 6 News, WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama this Sunday at 8:40 a.m central time.
Irish Bread Pudding
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Stand: 10 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup light butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) French bread baguette, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup Irish whiskey or 1/4 cup apple juice
1 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated skim milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Irish Whiskey Sauce
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Brush melted butter on one side of French bread slices, and place bread, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake bread at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes, and set aside.
3. Combine raisins and whiskey in a small bowl; cover and let stand 10 minutes or until soft (do not drain).
4. Combine 1% milk and next 4 ingredients (1% milk through eggs) in a large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add bread cubes and raisin mixture, pressing gently to moisten; let stand 15 minutes. Spoon bread mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pudding. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set. Serve warm with Caramel-Whiskey Sauce.
Irish Whiskey Sauce:
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup light butter
2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel) (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk
Preparation
1. Combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Carefully add butter and cream cheese, stirring constantly with a whisk (mixture will be hot and bubble vigorously). Cool slightly, and stir in whiskey and milk.
Note: Substitute 1 tablespoon imitation rum extract and 3 tablespoons water for the Irish whiskey, if desired.
Low Budget Dinner: Sausage Mushroom Pizza
March 13, 2009
Instead of using pizza crust, why not try pita bread? This recipe is great topped with Italian sausage, green peppers and mushrooms, but feel free to use your own favorite toppings. These pizzas can also be grilled easily. Grill over medium heat 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned. Not only are these pizzas delicious, but they are economical and child-friendly.
Mushroom Pita Pizzas
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
3/4 lb. spicy Italian sausage
1 cup marinara sauce
4 (6-inch) pita bread rounds
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup diced green bell pepper
11/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preparation
1. Brown sausage in a medium pan over medium heat 5 minutes or until meat crumbles; drain, if needed
2. Spread each pita round with 1/4 cup marinara sauce. Top evenly with sausage, mushrooms, green pepper and cheese.
3. Bake at 350F 15 minutes or until pita is browned and cheese is melted.
Oh This Salad so Good! Spinach-Turkey Salad
March 12, 2009
This salad is so simple and so delicious! The combination of fresh spinach, basil, chopped pine nuts, turkey and Parmesan create an incredible healthy, fresh, main-dish salad. I served this salad for dinner, and it disappeared faster than I could blink. Serve it with your favorite vinaigrette or just a drizzle of red wine vinegar and olive oil. It has so many great flavors already, so it doesn’t need a lot of dressing. Welcome in spring with clean eating and this fresh salad.
Spinach-Turkey Salad
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 3 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
11/2 cups chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 pound sliced deli turkey (I used cracked pepper turkey)
1/4 cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
Vinegar and oil or vinaigrette
Preparation
1. Combine spinach, basil and pine nuts in a large salad bowl. Add turkey and cheese. Drizzle with dressing, tossing gently.
St. Patrick’s Day Appetizer: Fresh Herb Dip
March 11, 2009
Since Saint Patrick’s Day is one week away, here’s a quick and easy dip that is sure to be a party pleaser. This low-fat, low-calorie delight is perfect for spring. It’s filled with fresh dill and fresh basil. Guests won’t believe that this dip is low-fat, and don’t tell them it took only 10 minutes to prepare.
Low-Fat Fresh Herb Dip
Prep: 10 minutes
Yield: 31/2 cups
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) container light sour cream
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh vegetables, crackers
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients in a container of a food processor; pulse until combine. Cover and chill. Serve with fresh vegetables or crackers.