Healthy Recipes

Lemon Chicken with Artichokes
(Melanie - adapted from a Weight Watchers Recipe)

6 oz orzo (about 1 1/3 cups)
2 oz reduced-fat feta cheese
8 pitted gaeta olives, sliced
6 (1/2-pound) whole chicken legs, skinned
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 20-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Cook the orzo according to the package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the feta and olives; keep warm. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the artichoke hearts, garlic, and marjoram to the same skillet; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return the chicken to the skillet along with the broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour 1 cup of the artichoke sauce over the pasta and toss well. Divide the pasta evenly among 6 plates and place 1 chicken leg on each plate. Serve with remaining sauce.

*NOTE: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and omitted the olives and substituted cherry tomatoes instead.

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes
(Lauren)

2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place in a 9x13 baking dish. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over sweet potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until potatoes are tender.

Baked Fried Chicken
(Caron)

4 chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 sleeve (approx. 20) whole grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs
2.5 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs
2 tbsp sesame seeds
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 egg whites
1 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375. Lighly coat the baking sheet with the olive oil cooking spray. In a bowl, combine crackers, cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Put to the side. In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add chicken to the yogurt mixture and coat thoroughly. Then, one at a time, dip each piece of chicken in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto the chicken. Arrange chicken on the baking sheet and spray with olive oil cooking spray. This light spray before baking guarantees lightly, crispy results. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

Chocolate Chip Cakies
(Sarah)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted margarine
1/3 cup fat-free Egg Beaters
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet mini choclate chips

Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at high speed, beat the sugar, margarine, and Egg Beaters until light and fluffy. With the mixer at a low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, yogurt, vanilla, and mini chocolate chips. Stir until just combined - do not overmix. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto 2 ungreased baking sheets, making approximately 24 cookies. Bake 10 minutes or until firm. Cool completely on a cooling rack and store in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days.

*NOTE: Store them in the freezer. Otherwise they will stick together. Heat in the microwave 15-20 seconds before serving.

One Cookie: 1 Weight Watchers point. 97 calories, 3 grams fat, 1 gram sat fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 88 mg sodium, 16 grams Total Carbohydrate, 1 gram dietary fiber, 2 grams protein, 22 mg calcium.

Cheese Ball (Crowd Pleaser)
(Leigh)

3/4 cup low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup no-salt added, reduced-fat (2%) cottage cheese
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 (8-oz) pkg fat-free cream cheese, quartered (at room temperature)
1 (.9-oz) pkg dry vegetable soup/recipe mix
1/2 cup chopped parsley

In a food processor, pulse the cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, mustard, and cayenne pepper until very smooth (about 2 minutes). Add the cream cheese and soup mix; process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Scrape with a spatula onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around the cheese mixture and form it to a 4-inch ball or a 7-inch long log with your hands. Refrigerate until firm (a minimum of 3 hours or overnight). Just before serving, sprinkle half of the chopped parsley in a circle on a sheet of plastic wrap. Unwrap the cheese ball/log and place onto the parsley. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top and press to help the leaves adhere. Carefully roll any uncoated areas in the loose parsley, and smooth the shape if needed. Place on a serving plate and surround with sliced vegetables of your choice. Makes 16 servings.

Per serving: 42 calories, 1 gram fat, 1 gram sat fat, 0 gram trans fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 219 mg sodium, 2 grams carbohydrates, 0 gram fiber, 5 grams protein, 67 mg calcium. Point Value = 1 point