#4 Weight Watchers Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

This is one of my favorite meals!!! I decided to post this one today because I am making this tonight. It is a slightly healthier version ;)

Ingredients

6 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed with a knife

1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, washed, patted dry (four 4 oz pieces)

1 tsp table salt

1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1 spray(s) cooking spray

1/2 cup(s) canned chicken broth

1/4 cup(s) heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup(s) whole milk plain yogurt, Greek-variety

1/8 tsp table salt, for cooking pasta

8 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, fettuccini

1/2 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano suggested

1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, flat-leaf, finely chopped, divided

Instructions

• Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat.
  
  
• Rub garlic over chicken; reserve garlic. Season chicken with salt and pepper and rub in seasonings with your hands; set aside.
  
  
• Off heat, coat skillet with cooking spray and then set over medium-low heat. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until golden, flipping once, about 5 minutes per side.
  
  
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine broth, heavy cream and yogurt; pour over chicken and scrape bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon to incorporate seasonings. Simmer chicken gently, turning once, about 30 minutes.
  
  
• While chicken is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
  
  
• Remove chicken from cream sauce and set aside. Add Parmesan cheese to cream sauce and mix until well-combined. Add cooked pasta and 3 tablespoons of parsley; toss well. Serve pasta topped which chicken and rest of parsley. Yields about 3 ounces of chicken and 2/3 cup of pasta/sauce per serving.Picture retrieved from: http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=140861
  

#3 Tenderloin with Herb sauce (Taste Of Home-Comfort Food Diet)

When I made this meal for Scott. He said, "I love this! I would order this at a restaurant."

Ingredients

• 2 pork tenderloins (1 pound each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 2/3 cup half-and-half cream
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence ( If you can't find this at the store you can always make it)
  
• Herbes de Provence- 2 tablespoons dried savory,2 tablespoons dried rosemary,2 tablespoons dried thyme,2 tablespoons dried oregano ,2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried majorum, 2 tablespoons dried fennel seed, 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce,1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules,1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together. Store in an air-tight container.
  

Directions

• Cut each tenderloin into 12 slices; sprinkle with salt. In a large
• nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown pork in butter in
• batches over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until no
• longer pink. Return all pork to the skillet.
• Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over pork. Cook and stir over
• low heat for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Yield: 6
• servings

Nutrition Facts: 4 ounces cooked pork with 2 tablespoons sauce equals 238 calories, 10 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 104 mg cholesterol, 495 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 31 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 fat.Picture retrieved from: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Tenderloin-with-Herb-Sauce

#2

New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice (Emeril Lagasse)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound boiled ham cut, into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 ounces smoked sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices (1 cup)
• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted through, soaked overnight and drained
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 8 to 10 cups water
• Steamed rice

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, ham and sausage and saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the beans, garlic, and enough water to cover the contents in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours. Add more water if the mixture becomes dry and thick. Use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side pf the pot. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the mixture is creamy and the beans are soft. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy but not watery. Remove the bay leaves and serve with steamed white rice.

#1 On the List

1. Chicken Marsala (Taste of Home:Comfort Food Diet Cookbook)

Ingredients

• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 1 cup fat-free Italian salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine or 3 tablespoons unsweetened apple juice plus 5 tablespoons additional reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions

• Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness. Place in a large resealable plastic bag; add salad dressing. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and discard marinade. Combine the flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika and pepper; sprinkle over both sides of chicken. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil and butter for 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
• Gradually add broth and wine to skillet, stirring to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Strain sauce; set aside. In the same skillet, cook mushrooms in remaining oil for 2 minutes; drain. Stir sauce into mushrooms; heat through. Pour over chicken; sprinkle with parsley. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 chicken breast half with 1/3 cup mushroom mixture equals 247 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 68 mg cholesterol, 348 mg sodium, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 26 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 very lean meat, 1-1/2 fat, 1/2 starch.

The Dreaded Question

I don't know if you are like us, but for Scott and I, we hate that dreaded question. The one involving "what's for dinner?"The refrigerator, pantry, and freezer are empty, and you both know it. When all of the sudden you both look at each other and say, "What's for Dinner?" We usually look at each other and repeatedly say back and forth, "It's up to you, I don't "feel" like anything." What we would end up doing is getting take out or fast food. Scott and I have decided to make a few "changes" to our lives so we can have more change in our pockets. We are creating this list of "Go To" meals. After being married for almost 5 years, we have come up with a list of our favorite meals. When we can't decide what's for dinner we simply go to the list. Hope this list will help you as it has helped us.