Poppy Seed Chicken and Clementine Salad

Serves 4 (I made the dressing as is, but cut the chicken, clementines and greens in half because this was just for Chris and I. I was thinking I would use the dressing for another salad tomorrow, but half of it on two salads didn't seem like enough, so I used all of it. So I guess what I'm saying is, make your own call.)

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1/2 small shallot, sliced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
6 cups packed mixed baby greens
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
4 clementines, peeled and separated into segments
1 cup grapes, halved

1. To make dressing, place vinegar, honey, water, shallot, mustard, oil, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in mini food processor; process until shallot it finely chopped and dressing is well blended.

2. Combine greens, chicken, clementines, and grapes in large bowl; drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Results: This dressing was so good and really easy to make! This salad was amazing-so colorful and filling! Chris and I both loved it. I'll definitely be working this into the dinner rotation.

Recipe from Fresh, Fabulous Fast by Weight Watchers. (Are you sensing a trend lately?)

Pecan-crusted Chicken with Cilantro Slaw

Serves 4

CHICKEN
1 large egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 cup panko
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

SLAW
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 cups shredded green and red cabbage (I used a pre-shredded broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, cabbage mix because when I made THIS recipe, the slaw was Buy One, Get One)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat over to 400*.

2. To make chicken, whisk together egg white, salt and cayenne in shallow dish. Mix together panko and pecans on a small plate.

3. Dip chicken in egg white mixture, then coat on all sides with panko mixture, pressing lightly so it adheres.

4. Heat oil and butter in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until bottom is browned, 4 minutes. Turn chicken and transfer skillet to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, to make slaw, stir together lime juice, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Add cabbage and cilantro and toss to coat.

Results: This chicken was AMAZING. The pecan crust was delicious. The slaw, however, was not good at all. There was way too much lime juice. Next time (because I WILL make this chicken again), I think I'll serve this with the Lemony Fennel & Radiccho Salad.

This recipe is from the cookbook Fresh, Fabulous, Fast by Weight Watchers

Citrus Chicken with Napa Slaw

Serves 4 (but we got a lot more servings out of this...)

3 Tbsp Eden Mirin (rice cooking wine)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
5 cups cabbage, all varieties, Napa, thinly sliced (I used a 12 oz pre-shredded package of slaw)
3 cups Chicken breast without skin, roasted, shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup shredded carrots
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Crunchy chow mein noodles

1. Whisk together the mirin, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, chicken, carrots, scallions, and cilantro; toss well to coat. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.

2. To serve, sprinkle crunchy chow mein noodles on top.

Results: If you buy the ingredients pre-shredded/pre-cooked, this was super easy to put together! I thought this was really nice and fresh tasting and the leftovers held up well for several days. This would be a great salad to bring to a picnic or party, but as a "dinner", it wasn't that filling.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 1 (ingredients per sandwich)

1/4 cup cooked shredded chicken, warm
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 tablespoon light mayo (optional)
1 tablespoon carrot, grated
1 tablespoon celery, sliced
1 tablespoon green or red onion, sliced or diced
1 tablespoon reduced-fat blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
Butter flavored cooking spray

1. Mix the chicken, hot sauce, mayo, carrot, celery and onion in a small bowl.

2. Spray one side of each bread slice with cooking spray. Assemble sandwich with chicken mixture and cheeses and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted,
about 2-3 minutes per side.

Served with steak fries.

Results: This was a really great way to get the taste of chicken wings without all the fat. My recipe above is a lower-fat version of the original, which you can get to from the link below. I don't think my version was missing anything. These were good, but definitely only something I'd be in the mood for every once in awhile. Chris thought they were too spicy, but I did not.

Recipe from Closet Cooking.

Baked Pesto Chicken

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning chicken
1/2 cup basil pesto (a recipe for a light version of pesto follows, but you can use any pesto recipe, or store-bought.)
1/2 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken pieces, then cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces.

2. Spray a 9" x 12" baking dish with non-stick spray, then spread 1/4 cup basil pesto over the bottom of the dish. Lay chicken strips over the pesto, then spread 1/4 cup more basil pesto over the chicken. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (or use a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid) and bake the chicken for 20 minutes, just until chicken is barely firm and cooked through. (Don't cook too much at this point, or the chicken will be overcooked by the time the cheese is melted and browned.)

3. Remove foil and sprinkle chicken with 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese. Put dish back into the oven without foil and cook 5 minutes more, just until cheese is melted.

Served with orzo and overcooked edamame beans

Results: The original recipe warned about over-cooking the chicken, so I was a little paranoid about that. I lowered the cooking time from 375 to 350, and baked for 25 minutes (instead of 25-30 minutes) and the chicken was still a little dry. Next time, I will lower the cooking time to 20 minutes (with 5 more minutes for melting the cheese.) I also used an 11x13 casserole dish, and since the chicken had lots of space, I think that helped it over-cook. Next time I'll use a smaller dish.

Other than the chicken being a little dry, this was delicious! I love pesto and usually only use it on pasta. Adding it to chicken and smothering it with cheese was awesome. Yum!

I used pesto sauce that I had in the freezer, so this was a super easy meal to prepare.

Recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen.

"Light" Pesto recipe
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp salt

1. Place pine nuts in a small skillet and set pan over medium heat. Cook until
nuts are golden, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine nuts, basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt; process until smooth and thick. Yields one cup.

Pesto recipe from Weight Watchers

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Serves 4

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tsp cold water
1/4 cup Panko
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I used fresh, with no problems)
2 oz reduced fat Swiss cheese (about 2 slices)
2 oz pepperoni (about 16 slices)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk together the egg whites with the water in a small bowl. Place the bread crumbs in another small bowl. Lightly pound the chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper with a mallet or rolling pin to 1⁄4-inch thickness. Top each chicken breast with one-quarter of the spinach, 1 half slice of cheese, and 4 slices of pepperoni. Roll up each chicken breast from a short side.

3. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, into the egg white mixture, then into
the bread crumbs. Place the chicken, seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Cut each roll into 4 or 5 slices.

Served with orzo and broccoli

Results: These were very pretty and tasty! The pepperoni added some color and a little bite, but these would also be good using sun-dried tomatoes instead of pepperoni. Neither of the boys would eat this meal. Too bad. I'll be keeping this one.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Taragon Chicken

It took me FOREVER to remember where I found this recipe, but I finally got it! I found this awesome website, Everything Mom, with links to different freezer meals. It linked to this website, Organized Home, with the recipe for Tarragon Chicken. The original recipe sounds great, but I had to tweak it to make it more healthy. You should definitely check it out, because they give you instructions for making this a freezer-friendly meal. The original recipe uses dried tarragon, but I had some leftover fresh tarragon from the Chicken Saute with Pine Nuts recipe, so I substituted 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon for the dried tarragon.

serves 4

4 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
3 zucchini squash, small
1 c small mushrooms, whole
3 carrots, peeled
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons light butter, melted
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon tarragon, dried (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
cooking spray

1. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then again into quarters, and cut into 2-inch spears. Peel carrots and cut into 1/4-inch slices.

2. Arrange chicken, meaty sides up, in 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray;
sprinkle with paprika. Place zucchini, carrots and mushrooms around and over chicken. Mix remaining ingredients; drizzle over chicken and vegetables. Spray chicken and veggies with cooking spray.

3. Cover and cook in 350-degree oven until chicken is done, 50 to 60 minutes.

Served with mashed potatoes

Results: This was really, really good. I used about half the butter (and switched that up to light butter) and don't think I missed anything, tastewise. The vegetables were roasted perfectly. I will say that the chicken was a little dry, but the chicken breasts I used were really thin, so I think it had more to do with that than with the cooking times. Super easy to make and a nice colorful meal.

Recipe from Organized Home

Chicken Saute with Pine Nuts

Serves 4

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken, breast
2 tsp olive oil
4 teaspoons pine nuts
1 pound asparagus
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. In a flat dish or plate, stir together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in
flour, coating both sides and patting off excess. In a large, nonstick skillet, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté on both sides until nicely browned. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and place in oven until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

While chicken is baking, make asparagus and pine nut topping:

3. Reduce heat to medium and add pine nuts to pan. Sauté until golden brown, about
2 minutes. Add asparagus, shallots and garlic; sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. Add tarragon and chicken broth to pan and boil until broth is reduced by half. Return vegetables to pan, season with pepper and stir to heat. Set each breast on a plate and top with asparagus mixture. Serve immediately.

Served with orzo with parmesan cheese.

Results: Yum! This was so good. The pine nut/shallot sauce was so flavorful. Very simple to make, although it does require constant attention.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Chicken with Banana-Curry Sauce

Serves 4
Prep time: 7 minutes, Cooking Time: 40 minutes

2 medium bananas, sliced
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 chicken breast halves (boneless & skinless)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a roasting pan with nonstick spray. Puree the bananas, 1⁄4 cup of the water, the yogurt, curry powder, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.

2. Place the chicken in the roasting pan. Pour the curry mixture over the chicken. Roast until done, 30–35 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter; cover loosely with foil and keep warm.

3. Transfer the curry sauce into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining 1⁄2 cup water. Simmer, until heated through. Serve with the chicken.

Served with basmati rice and sugar snap peas.

Results: I know, I know...it sounds so weird, right? But this was so easy to make and actually pretty good. The banana flavor was a little over-powering of the curry, but I can't figure out what to tweak. Next time, I think I'll only use one banana and maybe add some cumin, coriander or cardamon to add a bit more curry flavor. Overall, everyone liked it, except for Steven. Henry ate all of his and said "mmmmmmm! Deee-licious!"

Recipe from Weight Watchers

BBQ Chicken & Tangy Coleslaw Sandwiches

Serves 4

1 1/2 cup green cabbage, finely shredded
3 Tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 cup Chicken breast without skin, roasted, shredded (I used a store bought rotisserie chicken)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
4 whole wheat rolls

1. Combine the cabbage, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 10 minutes for the flavors to develop or until ready to use, up to 6 hours.

2. Meanwhile, combine the chicken and barbecue sauce in a medium nonstick saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 4 minutes.

3. Slice the rolls horizontally almost all the way through; spread open. Place the warm chicken mixture then the coleslaw on the bottoms of the rolls. Serve while warm.

Results: Wow! We have been having some awesome luck with sandwich night at our house, and these were no exception. These have the added bonus of being extremely easy! I prepped everything early in the day, and all I had to do was heat up the chicken before dinner. Will definitely work these into the sandwich night rotation!

Latin Baked Chicken

Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes, Cooking Time: 40 minutes

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
8 (4-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (I used boneless and didn't need to change the cooking time)
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400*.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken; toss well to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature. Arrange chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, reserving marinade. Bake at 400* for 15 minutes.

3. Place reserved marinade in a blender; process until smooth. Place pureed marinade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 3 minutes. Brush chicken with half of cooked sauce; return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes. Brush chicken with remaining sauce; bake an additional 10 minutes.

Served with yellow rice (with chopped cilantro) and green and yellow wax beans.

Results: I was expecting this to be easier than it was (I thought I'd put it in the oven and be done with it), but the extra marinade steps added a bit to it. Still! This was simple and delicious! I'll definitely make this one again!

Caribbean Chicken and Pineapple Kebabs

Serves 4

1 bunch scallions
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons canola oil
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 pound chicken tenders
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
(Note: I added cherry tomatoes and whole mushrooms to our kebabs)

1. Cut white ends of scallions into 2-inch pieces and set aside. Chop green tops of scallions and place in blender with Worcestershire sauce, water, oil, thyme, allspice, pepper flakes, and garlic; blend until smooth, adding additional water 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary. Transfer to medium bowl; add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

2. Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat grill to medium-high.

3. Thread chicken, reserved scallions, bell pepper, and pineapple onto 8 metal skewers. Place skewers on grill rack and grill, turning often, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

Served with rice

Results: I've come to the conclusion that kebabs are never a good idea. The meat doesn't cook because everything is crammed together. The tomatoes are burnt to a crisp after 30 seconds on the grill. The pineapple gets so charred that the boys won't even look at it...No matter how many times I think, "Cool! Kebabs! That'll be easy." It never is. Taste-wise, this was very good. Cooking-wise, this was a huge pain in the ass.

Crispy Chicken with Lemon-Basil Dip and Lemony Fennel & Radicchio

Serves 4
Prep: 10 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Crispy Chicken with Lemon-Basil Dip
2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons, plus 1/2 cup plain, fat-free yogurt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into strips
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove, minced

1. Place oven tack in top third of oven. Preheat oven to 400*. Line a large baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Stir together mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the yogurt, the mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a medium bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Place panko in a shallow dish. Dip chicken pieces, one at a time, into panko, pressing gently to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, to make dip, stir together remaining 1/2 cup yogurt, the basil, lemon zest, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; set aside.

4. Remove baking sheet from oven; turn chicken over. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Return to oven; bake until chicken is browned and cooked through, 10 minutes longer.

While chicken is cooking for it's last 10 minutes, prepare the Fennel & Radicchio salad.

Lemony Fennel and Radicchio
2 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup water
1 cup finely shredded radicchio (about 1/4 head of radicchio)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fennel, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add water, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel begins to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Uncover skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until most of liquid is evaporated and fennel is tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in radicchio, parsley, and lemon zest and juice.

Serve chicken with dip and fennel-radicchio salad.

Results: OH.MY.YUM! Not only do I want to make this for dinner tomorrow night, but Henry wants me to make it for the next 100 nights and Steven, YES, I said STEVEN, wants me to make it for the next three nights. This was delicious and easy to make. The salad was fantastic too (the boys would not eat that though.) I think fennel might be my new favorite vegetable, especially for adding some crunch to a salad. A new favorite meal in our house!

Chicken, Leeks & Brown Rice Slow Cooker Casserole

Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes (includes browning the chicken), Cooking Time: 7 hours

cooking spray
8 skinless chicken thigh(s)
2 cups canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced (I forgot to buy these, but we didn't miss them)
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup carrot, thinly sliced
1 cup celery, thinly sliced
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and brown, turning once, about 6 minutes; set aside.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; nestle the chicken thighs in the mixture. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

Results: Delicious! I am not a fan of brown rice, but this tasted awesome! The leftovers were great too. I forgot to buy the mushrooms, but this dish doesn't need them. Henry & Chris loved this, but of course Steven wouldn't look at it.

Baja Tacos

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Cooking spray
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/2 large sweet red pepper, sliced
1/2 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning (optional)
8 taco-sized corn tortillas
salt
black pepper
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup Iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 Tbsp shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, or Monterey Jack cheese
2 Tbsp fat-free sour cream
1 Tbsp salsa
1 tsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

1. Coat veggies with cooking spray. Set a skillet set over medium heat. Saute onion for 2 minutes. Add red & green peppers; sauté for 2 minutes more (vegetables should still be a little crisp). Remove vegetables from pan and place in a small bowl.

2. Saute chicken in same skillet about 4 to 5 minutes; add taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup water. Simmer until cooked through.

3. Heat tortillas in same skillet for 20 seconds on each side; remove to a plate.

Season vegetable mixture with salt and pepper; divide among tortillas. Top each with avocado, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa and cilantro; fold up and serve.

Results: These tacos are super easy to make and way tasty! I've made these three times after trying the recipe for the first time, and I love them! I know, I know...they are just tacos, there is nothing original about the recipe, but they are delicious, and seriously low-fat. Who knew that tiny bit of cooking spray would cook all the veggies and chicken?

Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad

Serves 4
(I forgot to write down the prep/cooking times. This did take longer than I would have liked or thought, but there is a lot you could ahead of time. You could make the salad and the dressing, and also prepare the chicken up to the the cooking part.)

1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 bunches arugula (I used two handfuls)
1/2 medium fennel bulb, very thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 large egg
3 large egg whites
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
cooking spray,
1 Tbsp regular butter
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1. In a small bowl, whisk together first four ingredients; set aside.

2. In a large salad bowl, combine arugula, fennel, onion and tomatoes; set aside.

3. Place chicken between two sheets of wax paper; pound until 1/3-inch-thick. Rub salt and pepper into both sides of chicken.

4. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, whisk together egg, egg whites, parsley and cheese. Dip a piece of chicken into flour; turn to coat and shake off any excess. Next, dip chicken into egg mixture; turn to coat. Lastly, dip chicken into bread crumbs, shaking off any excess ingredients. (You want to coat the chicken very lightly, not cover it with a heavy crust.) Set aside and repeat with remaining chicken.

5. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat. Melt butter in skillet (do not allow it to burn); add chicken. Cook chicken until coating is golden, flipping once, about 10 minutes; remove to plates.

6. Toss salad with dressing. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice and serve
topped with salad.

Yields 1 piece of chicken and 2 cups of loosely packed salad.

Results: This was great! It did take longer to prepare than I would like, but it was worth it. Henry ate all of his, then downed Steven's as well. This is one of those meals that you can trick your husband into thinking he's eating more than he really is. We each only had a 1/2 breast serving, but it was very filling. The leftovers were great too, and the dressing was light enough that it didn't make the leftover salad wilt. A keeper!

Oh, one more thing...the Parmesan cheese was sort of wasted. Half of the cheese remained in the egg mixture and you couldn't taste it in the chicken. Next time I'll leave the cheese out of the egg and instead sprinkle it on the salad.

Chicken and Edamame Stir-fry

Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes (would have been faster had I thawed those edamame before), Cook Time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp canola oil
10 oz frozen shelled edamame, thawed (2 cups)
1 tsp ginger root, peeled and grated
1 clove garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 oz Rice Noodles (optional)

1. If serving with rice noodles, start a pot of water boiling. Place noodles in water, remove from heat, cover and let sit while preparing dinner.

2. Combine the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl until
smooth; set aside.

3. Heat a nonstick wok or a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the edamame. Stir-fry until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the edamame to a plate.

4. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the wok, swirl to coat the pan, then add the ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chicken; stir-fry until lightly browned, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens and the chicken is just cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Stir in the edamame and heat through, about 1 minute.

Yields 1 cup per serving. Served with rice noodles.

Results: Do you love edamame beans? Do you dream of a dish that is so full of edamame that you can't possibly taste anything else? Do visions of edamame appear while you are driving your car at night? THEN THIS IS THE RECIPE FOR YOU! Holy edamame, that was a lot of freaking edamame beans. I thought this dish was BORING. The kids wouldn't even try it, and surprisingly, Chris loved it. Go figure.

Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Recipe from Gina's Skinny Taste

Serves 3 (hmmm...3? But, a perfect serving size for two adults, one child, and one child who stares at food.)

6 (about 12 oz) chicken tenderloins (I used a breast & 1/2, and cut them into strips)
6 tbsp shredded coconut
1/4 cup panko crumbs
2 tbsp crushed cornflake crumbs
1/3 cup egg substitute or egg whites (I used egg whites from 2 eggs)
pinch salt
olive oil spray
6 cups mixed baby greens
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 large tomato, sliced
1 small cucumber, sliced

Vinaigrette
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard

1. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients; set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Combine coconut flakes, panko, cornflake crumbs and salt in a bowl. Put egg whites or egg beaters in another bowl. Lightly season chicken with salt. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the coconut crumb mixture.

4. Place chicken on a cookie sheet lined with parchment for easy cleanup. Lightly spray with olive oil spray and bake for 30 minutes turning halfway, or until chicken is cooked through.

5. Place 2 cups baby greens on each plate. Divide carrots, cucumber, tomato evenly between each plate. When chicken is ready slice on the diagonal and place on top of greens. Heat dressing in the microwave a few seconds and divide equally between each salad; a little over 1 tbsp each.

Served with: Nothing. I didn't think this would be filling, but I was wrong. Very filling!

Results: Um...YUM! Gina has made up for the recipes I tried yesterday. This was delicious and filling. A great dinner. And that dressing is so good (and easy!), I'll definitely make that for other salads. Steven stared at his food. Henry ate all of his chicken, then devoured Steven's. Chris loved it too. KEEPER!

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Serves 6 (you can make this serve 8 by adding one more chicken breast)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet (1-1/4oz) low-sodium taco seasoning
1-16 oz jar salsa
1 cup frozen corn
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
Baked tortilla chips

1. Place the chicken breast in the bottom of the crockpot. Mix soup, salsa, and taco seasoning together and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

2. Before serving, shred the chicken in the crockpot with 2 forks, add corn, beans, and sour cream. Cook for a few more minutes until everything is heated through.

Serve with tortilla chips

Results: I found this recipe on Two Pink Hippos. It looked so good, so I added it to the menu for this week. It did not disappoint! This was sooooo good and filling. Chris liked it. Henry said it was "The bestest thing you have ever made." and had two servings. I think this one was a hit. (And in case you are wondering, Steven didn't have any because he was TAKING A NAP! That is not a typo. My six-year old son, who gave up naps when he turned one, was TAKING A NAP! I will take a sleeping child over fake gagging over my gourmet food any day!)

Henry ate two servings, and enjoyed being a "chef" by putting the chicken on the tortilla chips. He said adding the corn was his idea, but it really wasn't.

As an added bonus, this was so easy to make! At 9:24 a.m., as we were getting ready to leave for swim class, I remembered I needed to start the crock pot. I got everything going, and we were out the door at 9:31 a.m. Perfect! Thanks Two Pink Hippos!

Chicken with Leek and Almond-Poppy Muffin Stuffing

Serves 4 (with a bit of leftovers)

2 medium leeks, sliced and cleaned
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 celery ribs, chopped
4 almond-poppy seed muffins (the original recipe calls for lemon-poppy seed, so you could use either)
3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs, chopped
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (I didn't have this, so I used salt & pepper and fresh sage, chopped)
2 cups chicken stock
8 chicken breast cutlets
salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer it to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan and when it melts, sprinkle the flour into the pan. Stir and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in 1 cup of the chicken stock. Cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

2. While chicken is cooking, heat a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat with the olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter has melted, add the leeks and celery. Saute the vegetables for 5 minutes, then crumble the muffins into the pan. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Season the stuffing with the fresh thyme, lemon zest and poultry seasoning. Moisten the stuffing with 1 cup of the chicken stock and reduce the heat to low.

3. To serve, place stuffing on plate, top with two chicken cutlets and ladle gravy over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Results: This was really, really, really good! The stuffing had a great taste, and was really easy to make. If you have any extra stuffing, the leftovers were great on a sandwich the next day. Will make this one over and over...adding it to my favorites!