Chicken Parmesan with Easy Marinara Sauce

Healthy Chicken Parmesan w/ Easy Marinara Sauce

This is my very simple version for making chicken parmesan.  I tend to not bother with creating a breaded piece of chicken and just like to coat the chicken with grated parmesan cheese, pan fry it a bit, then finish it in the oven with my Easy Marinara Sauce.  I decided to call it healthy because it is removing the extra breading, it's not overly fried and then you can control the amount of cheese you add to the top when you bake it.

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless Chicken breasts (use boneless skinless thighs if you prefer)
Olive oil
1 ½ c. Grated parmesan cheese (reserve some for serving)
1/2 c. shredded cheese (your choice- part skim mozzarella is good, a low fat cheese can also work)
Italian seasoning (contains basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, minced garlic, crushed red pepper)
Salt and pepper

Directions

1.    Heat frying pan w/ 2 TBL olive oil over medium-high heat.
2.    Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
3.    Prepare chicken breasts- drizzle w/ another 2-3 teaspoons olive oil and coat each side with salt, pepper,  Italian seasoning and about 1 cup of the parmesan cheese. 
4.    Place chicken in hot frying pan and cook for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3 minutes.  If the chicken is not looking golden and cooked, cook a little longer on each side.  The bits of parmesan cheese on them should get crispy.
5.    Transfer chicken to baking dish, pour marinara sauce over and sprinkle with parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  Place in oven and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes.  Cheese should be very melted and bubbly.

Marinara Sauce

1 tbl olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 medium carrot, finely diced
2 ribs of celery, finely diced
1/2 onion (yellow or red, whatever you like), finely diced
1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes (can be the kind seasoned with oregano and basil, or not)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
6 oz of water or broth (just fill the tomato paste can)
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (contains basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, minced garlic, crushed red pepper)
2 tsp. sugar (or equivalent sugar substitute)

Instructions:
1.    In medium pot heat oil over medium heat, add garlic, carrot, celery and onion.  Stir frequently and cook down until they are soft and begin to caramelize.
2.    Add the Italian seasoning, stir and cook a few minutes more until the seasonings are fragrant.
3.    Add cans of tomatoes, sauce and paste. Fill paste can w/ water or broth (I use water) and add just some of it to pot. Stir to incorporate the paste into the sauce. If it seems too thick, add more water.  Simmer for 5 minutes.
4.    Add sugar, stir and taste, if too tart for your taste, add more sugar.
5.    Cover the pot and let the sauce boil. The sauce can still boil even on a lower heat; this can keep it from boiling over in the pot and/or splattering when you lift the lid. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.

Optional:  ½ cup Marsala wine added just after spices

Italian Chopped Salad

Italian Chopped Salad
From e-mealplanning.com adapted from many versions
The adaptations of this recipe are endless; the basic concept is a salad made of antipasti items, so you can make your salad using your favorites.

1 head Romaine lettuce chopped into 1 inch squares
¼ lb sliced salami, chopped
1 ½ cup drained, rinsed, chopped artichoke hearts (15 oz can)
1 15 oz can kidney beans or 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (or add half of each)
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese
1/3 cup chopped red onion
8 oil-packed sundried tomato halves drained and chopped

Toss everything together and add dressing or serve the dressing on the side.

Dressing
You can make a simple dressing of 4 tbl vinegar of your choice (red wine is good) with 3tbl olive oil whisked together with a little salt and fresh ground pepper.  Or use your favorite bottled vinaigrette.

Glazed Pork Chops

Apples and Pork Chops is an age-old pairing, and I love it in the fall with this sweet and tangy glaze.  I made this one evening after a trip to some apple farms, I brought home some fresh cider and was making apple sauce while making dinner.  I adapted the recipe from an issue of Cooks Illustrated that I had and it's been my favorite way to fix pork chops or pork tenderloin ever since.

The sauce with optional diced apple.  When I do this I put the apple first, let them cook a bit, then add the sauce and cook it down some more.

Add the browned chops back in and let them cook in the sauce for 2 minutes.

This goes well with mashed potatoes for a fall comfort food, or something like roasted cauliflower and steamed green beans.

Glazed Pork Chops
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, October 1, 2006

Ingredients
Glaze
1/2cup distilled white vinegar or cider vinegar
1/3cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Optional- 1 tablespoon chunky apple sauce or 1 finely diced apple (I like Fuji). 

Chops
4 boneless, center-cut pork loin chops, 5 to 7 ounces each, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
 Or pork tenderloin sliced in 1 inch thick slices
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Instructions
Combine the glaze ingredients in medium bowl; mix thoroughly and set aside. Pat chops or tenderloin pieces dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil and butter in heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to skillet and cook until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chops and cook 2 minutes longer; transfer chops to plate and pour off any oil in skillet.  Add glaze mixture and using a spatula, be sure to scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan and stir into sauce.  From the plate where the pork is resting, pour in any accumulated juices.  Bring glaze to a boil and let it get frothy and begin to reduce.  Optional- mix in a heaping spoonful of chunky apple sauce.  Wisk constantly until glaze thickens.
Add pork back to skillet and turn them to coat. Simmer for 2 minutes on each side.  Transfer chops back to platter, browned side up, and spread remaining glaze over chops. Serve immediately.

Cheap and Easy Turkey Stir Fry

Cooking hot and fast is the key with a stir fry.  This recipe should be considered merely a guideline for you to use whatever combination of vegetables you want.   This was inspired by my friend Kate at Savour Fare and her recipe, 10 Minute Thai Style Turkey.  It’s decidedly less fancy than Kate’s version, (but hers is simply delicious!) using ingredients you may already keep on hand, but it should serve as inspiration for your own personal creation.

Cheap and Easy Turkey Stir Fry

Ingredients

2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vegetable or canola oil
2-3 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 green onion, diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 zucchini sliced and then cut into match stick size pieces (julienne)
1 carrot julienne sliced
½ lb French green beans (these are the thin kind, fresh or Trader Joe’s sells them frozen and they’re great)
1 clove crushed garlic
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbl hoisin  or teriyaki sauce (flavors are different, just use what you prefer)

Directions

A little fancier than you have to do using mushrooms, zucchini, carrots and bell peppers

In large skillet or wok, heat oils and crushed garlic over medium heat until fragrant.  Add turkey, thoroughly break up and cook until browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.
Turn heat up slightly to medium-high, add vegetables and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add turkey back, combine thoroughly, add onion and hoisin sauce, continue to stir to incorporate keeping heat up so a slight bit of carmelization occurs.  Add parsely and soy sauce, stir for one more minute and then serve with steamed brown rice with extra soy sauce on the side.

Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Glaze and Vegetable Stir Fry

This recipe is flexible and easy to make more than needed in order to have leftovers.  There is very little added fat.  It’s great to pack for lunch the next day or just make extra chicken for slicing and using in salad later in the week.  The sauté of vegetables is essentially a guideline; broccoli, zucchini and carrots are easy, usually accessible year round and inexpensive.  But you can use whatever veggies are seasonal and make you happy when you eat them.

Ingredients
4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) or whatever chicken portion you prefer
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons honey
¼ c. balsamic vinegar

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to preferred taste. 
Prepare grill and be sure grates are oiled.
Heat the honey in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it becomes thin.  Add balsamic vinegar and let boil and reduce for 3-5 minutes.  Be careful, it can splatter while boiling; keep a close eye on it.  Remove from heat.

Place chicken on hot grill, grill for about 4 minutes until grill marks have formed, and then flip over.  Baste with glaze and grill for another 4 minutes.  Flip over and baste again, the flip one more time and apply more glaze.  Be sure they are cooked through, then remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

Stir Fry

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Salt-free seasoning like Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute
1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 head broccoli, chopped
2 medium zucchini, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan on medium-high heat, add olive oil and garlic and heat stirring for 1 minute.    Add carrots and cook, stirring a few times for 2 minutes.  Add broccoli and zucchini, stir to combine and cover pan and let steam for 2 minutes.  Remove lid, add seasoning and continue to stir until vegetables are just beginning to wilt.  Add balsamic vinegar and stir to coat vegetables and begin to caramelize.  Remove from heat and serve.