Submerging the green beans in ice water immediately after blanching them helps
the beans maintain their color and crispness by halting the cooking process
until you’re ready to finish the recipe.
Start to Finish: 40 minutes Makes: 4 servings
2 |
cups fresh green beans, cut into 2-inch-long pieces |
1 | tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil |
1 | pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces |
1 | tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme |
2 | cups sliced yellow summer squash and/or zucchini |
1 | 15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained |
1⁄4 | cup reduced-sodium chicken broth |
6 | cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon minced) |
1 | cup cherry tomatoes, halved |
1 | tablespoon chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley |
1⁄4 | teaspoon kosher salt |
1⁄<4 | teaspoon freshly ground black pepper |
Nutrition facts per serving: 257 cal., 5 g total fat
(1 g sat. fat), 66 mg chol., 388 mg sodium, 24 g carbo.,
8 g fiber, 35 g pro.
Start to Finish: 20 minutes, if using leftover pasta Yield: 4 servings (1½ cups each)
1 tablespoon | extra-virgin olive oil |
1 tablespoon | garlic, sliced |
3 cups | whole-wheat penne pasta or Barilla Plus Pasta, cooked |
3 tablespoons | red wine vinegar |
2 cups | tomatoes, seeded, diced |
1 cup | chicken, cooked, shredded |
1½ cups | baby spinach, cut in 1-inch pieces |
3 tablespoons | capers, rinsed, roughly chopped |
1 tablespoon | basil, chopped |
2 | scallions, chopped |
Culinary Notes:
Use leftover pasta and chicken.
If using freshly cooked pasta, after the pasta is drained, toss it with the vinegar and garlic while it is still warm.
Other pastas can be used in place of penne. Orzo, riso, gemelli, and macaroni all work well for this salad.
If the salad is prepared in advance, combine all ingredients but the spinach. Add the spinach just before serving. Also, adjust the season just before serving as the pasta will absorb a lot of salt and acid as it sits.
Add ½ cup feta cheese after the remaining vinegar is added. Do not overmix. The cheese will break apart.
Replace diced tomatoes with cherry tomatoes cut in half.
Replace baby spinach with arugula or spinach cut in 1-inch pieces.
Replace chicken with water-packed tuna.
Nutrition Facts per Serving:
157 calories, 11 g protein, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 25 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 3 glycemic load
Start to Finish: 55 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings
1 pound | tomatillos |
½ pound | poblano chiles |
2 teaspoons | olive oil |
1½ cups | yellow onion, finely chopped |
1 tablespoon | garlic, minced |
1 teaspoon | Mexican oregano |
3 cups | chicken stock |
2 15.5-ounce cans | cannellini beans, with liquid |
2 tablespoons | chopped fresh cilantro |
2 cups | cooked, shredded chicken |
4 cups | chard, stemmed, cut in 1-inch-wide strips |
Salt and black pepper, to taste |
*Optional topping
1 bunch | fresh cilantro |
1 | serrano chile |
1 tablespoon | pine nuts or peanuts |
1 clove | garlic |
2 ounces | extra-virgin olive oil |
1 | lime, juiced, with zest |
Salt and black pepper, to taste |
Combine all pesto ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pesto on top of the chile verde and finish with 2 tablespoons of salsa verde (purchased), as desired.
Culinary Notes:
Baby spinach may be substituted for chard.
For a less spicy chile, Anaheim peppers may be substituted for poblano peppers.
For a special local flair, try the small tomatillo variety named Milpero. It is flavorful and fruity with a concentrated flavor of the green tomatillo.
Nutrition Facts per Serving:
380 calories, 24 g protein, 15 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 41 g carbohydrate, 13 g fiber, 30 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 7 glycemic load
Roast Chicken, Garbanzo Bean, Red Pepper, and Caper Salad
Start to Finish: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings
(Gluten-Free Option)
¼ teaspoon | garlic, mashed |
⅛ teaspoon | ground cumin |
2 teaspoons | Spanish paprika |
¼ cup | Red Wine or Sherry Vinaigrette (pages {TK}) |
1 pound | chicken, cooked, cute in ½-inch by 1-inch pieces |
2 cups | garbanzo beans, rinsed; reserve liquid |
1 cup | bottled roasted red pepper, cut in strips |
2 cups | spinach, cut in 1-inch pieces, or baby spinach |
2 tablespoons | capers, rinsed |
Salt and pepper to taste |
Culinary Notes:
If the salad is too vinegary, add some of the canned bean liquid.
This salad will become more delicious as it sits. You can prepare it the day before but leave out the spinach. Add the spinach just before serving.
Cook Once/Eat Twice:
Use leftover roast or grilled chicken.
Variations:
Replace garbanzo beans with white beans.
Replace chicken with roast pork.
Replace spinach with shredded romaine lettuce or arugula.
Nutrition Facts per Serving:
390 calories, 36 g protein, 14 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 27 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 85 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 4.5 glycemic load
Tandoori Chicken
Start to Finish: 30 minutes, plus 24 to 48 hours for chilling and 1 to 3 hours for marinating Yield: 4 servings
½ cup plain fat-free yogurt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1¼ pounds total)
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced (1½ teaspoons minced)
2 teaspoons paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
Culinary Notes:
You can substitute shrimp or salmon for chicken in this recipe, but marinate for a maximum of 15 minutes. The yogurt will make the shrimp mealy in texture if overmarinated.
Be sure to use yogurt that contains no gums, gelatin, or fillers. These ingredients may prevent the curd and whey from separating to make the yogurt cheese.
If you want leftover chicken to use for another meal, double this recipe.
Nutrition Facts per Serving: 152 calories, 28 g protein, 2 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 66 mg cholesterol, 144 mg sodium, TK glycemic load
Toasted Bulgur, Chicken, and Almond Salad
Start to Finish: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings (1¼ cup each)
1½ cups cucumbers, peeled, seeded, diced
2 cups cooked coarse bulgur
1 cup chicken, cooked, shredded
1½ cups baby spinach, julienned
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 tablespoons Simple Lemon Vinaigrette (page {TK})
3 tablespoons toasted almonds, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Culinary Notes:
When preparing salad with grains, remember that grains and starchy ingredients will absorb seasoning and need to be re-seasoned just before serving.
Cook Once/Eat Twice: Use leftover bulgur pilaf and leftover chicken.
Variations:
Add ½ cup diced roasted red peppers.
Replace the bulgur with toasted cooked quinoa, spelt, barley, or farro (the quinoa substitution will make it gluten-free).
Replace chicken with canned tuna packed in water. Leave in chunks. It will break up as it is mixed.
Nutrition Facts per Serving:
250 calories, 16 g protein, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 30 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 6.5 glycemic load