Making the Cut (20 page)

1. Preheat broiler to 500°F.

2. Brush both sides of fillets with lemon juice, and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Place fish on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and broil 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 whole chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs attached)

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup almond slivers

½ cup dry white wine

¼ cup water

3 cloves garlic, pushed through a press

2 tablespoons Smart Start

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Heat oven to warm setting. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken legs with pepper. Brown chicken 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a platter and place in oven.

2. Add almonds to skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Pour off fat from skillet.

3. Add wine, water, and garlic to skillet. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat and stir in almonds, Smart Start, parsley, and lemon juice. Spoon sauce over chicken.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

½ cup water

1 (10-ounce) can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

¾ cup uncooked wild rice

1 tablespoon Smart Start

1 cup finely chopped onion

½ cup finely chopped celery

¾ cup chopped dried figs

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

¼ teaspoon paprika

4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

thyme sprigs (optional)

1. Bring water and broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the wild rice; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until rice is tender.

2. Melt Smart Start in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the rice, figs, thyme, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and paprika. Remove from heat, and keep warm.

3. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining pepper.

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts, and cook for 7 minutes on each side or until done. Serve the chicken with wild rice pilaf, and garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

^*
(saturated 3 g, monounsaturated 2.3 g, polyunsaturated 1.6 g)

cooking spray (olive oil preferred)

8 skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)

1 pound green beans, trimmed

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon chili powder

2½ teaspoons bottled minced garlic

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons dried thyme

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

½ cup water

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side. Place chicken and beans in an 11 × 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray, and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at high 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning after 6 minutes.

2. While chicken mixture cooks, heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and the next 6 ingredients (chili powder through sugar); cook for 3 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring frequently. Add broth and water, and cook until thick (about 2 minutes). Spoon sauce over chicken mixture.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

6 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 cups chopped, seeded tomato

½ cup chopped onion

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

6 jalapeño peppers, sliced

1/3 cup white vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup peeled, diced avocado

6 large lettuce leaves

1. Add water to a large skillet, filling to a depth of 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Add chicken, and simmer 8 minutes or until done. Cool, and cut into thin strips.

2. Combine chicken, tomato, onion, cilantro, and jalapeño in a large bowl. Combine vinegar, oil, and black pepper. Add vinegar mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat. Add avocado just before serving; toss gently to coat. Serve chicken mixture over lettuce leaves.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Pounding the chicken breast halves into thin “scallops” cuts the cooking time in half but leaves the chicken moist and tender.

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

cooking spray (olive oil preferred)

1/3 cup fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon capers, drained (rinse well if packed in salt)

1 tablespoon Smart Start

1. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to ¼-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Brush chicken with juice, and sprinkle with black pepper. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from pan; keep warm.

3. Add broth and wine to pan, and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in capers and Smart Start.

NUTRITION PER SERVING