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lighter healthy pretzel-crusted mustard chicken breast

Lighter Pretzel-Crusted Chicken

March 1, 2012 ·

Like most people it seems, I am always on the look out for healthy, easy and delicious ways to cook chicken. This Lighter Pretzel-Crusted Chicken is all of the above, is figure-friendly, family-friendly, and also easily halved to yield 2 servings.

No oil or butter helps make this a lighter and healthier version of a breaded chicken. Chicken breast cutlets, or tenders, are dipped in an egg white and honey mustard mixture and then “breaded” with crushed pretzels. A little cheese helps the pretzels adhere, and some seasoning rounds out the flavors quite nicely. Served with a side salad or crudites, Lighter Pretzel-Crusted Chicken is as good, and good for you, as it is easy, and comes in around 200 calories. Enjoy!

Lighter Pretzel-Crusted Chicken

This is one of our frequent go-to dinners for when we need something quick, easy and healthy.

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 4-ounce chicken breast cutlets (about ¼" thickness) or 1 pound chicken breast tenders
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons honey mustard or Dijon mustard
1½ cups pretzels, crushed (yields approx. 1 cup)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
Olive oil cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
In a shallow bowl, whisk egg whites and honey mustard.
In another shallow bowl, mix pretzels, cheese, onion powder, and garlic powder.
Dip a chicken breast in egg mixture. Then dip the chicken in the pretzel mixture, pressing the coating to help it adhere and making sure both sides get well-coated. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Spray tops of chicken lightly with cooking spray. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until pretzel coating is browned and chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve immediately.

Notes

Adapted from Eat Better America

Filed Under: Favorites, healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: baby/toddler, chicken, dinner, easy, low fat, pretzels, quick

Raisin Bran Muffins

February 21, 2012 ·

These Raisin Bran Muffins come from a cookbook called Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual, by Klutz Press. I received this book as a gift when I was about 10 years old. The book is obviously geared toward kids with recipes using basic ingredients ~ some with silly names or interesting concepts (for example Tuna Cones, i.e. tuna in an ice cream cone. Hmm…)

Anyway, these Raisin Bran Muffins were always a favorite and probably the most made recipe from that book. They taste just like you would expect – raisin bran in muffin form. I thought they would be a fun treat to make for Adam, only this time I decided to enhance the recipe with some vanilla, cinnamon and extra raisins. I had no idea how much he would love them! Adam is lukewarm about raisins alone, but the raisins in these muffins he loves. Go figure.

Raisin Bran Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

2 cups raisin bran cereal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir raisin brain cereal, flours, sugar, raisins, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Mix egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla until combined. Add to the dry ingredients and fold gently until combined (do not over mix).
Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Put muffins on a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Kids Cooking: A Very Slightly Messy Manual by Klutz Press

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: baby/toddler, bran, brunch, buttermilk, easy, low fat, muffins, quick, raisin, snack

healthy whole wheat buttermilk chocolate pancakes

Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes

February 14, 2012 ·

Happy Valentine’s Day! I could not think of a better way to honor this day with you than dishing up a plate of these Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes. Along with a cup of joe and a dish of fresh berries, these pancakes make a wonderful breakfast treat and are not as bad for you as you might think. A healthy stack comes in around 200 calories, is low in fat, made with 100% whole wheat flour and high in fiber. I’d say that’s not bad!

These pancakes are nice and light, making them perfect for breakfast, though they can certainly be dressed up for dessert as well. They are not overly sweet, which I like because you can easily adjust the sweetness to your preference with your choice of toppings. We actually enjoyed them plain, but a sprinkle of powdered sugar and some fresh berries is also delicious. Chocolate sauce, whipped cream and chocolate chips would definitely takes these over the top (making them more dessert-like and less healthy, of course). The options are endless, which is always part of the fun. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Chocolate Pancakes

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
½ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons brewed coffee (I used some from my morning decaf)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I used light butter)
Cooking spray
Strawberries (optional, for topping)
Powdered sugar (optional, for topping)

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and butter.
Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and fold until blended (there may be some lumps). Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
Preheat non-stick skillet over medium and then spray with cooking spray. Pour batter in skillet by the ¼ cupful and cook until bubbles appear (about 3 minutes). Flip and cook on the other side until done (about 2-3 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with fresh berries and powdered sugar, as desired.

Adapted from Kiwi, Jan/Feb 2011

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, healthy, kid-friendly, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: baby/toddler, brunch, chocolate, easy, low fat, pancakes, quick

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

February 6, 2012 ·

In anticipation of Valentine’s Day, I will be featuring a few chocolate recipes this week. Of course a little breakfast chocolate is the perfect way to start off any week. These muffins are more than just a little breakfast chocolate though. They are chocolate on chocolate. A chocolate muffin studded with chocolate chips topped with chocolate chips. What could be better? Well, they come in under 200 calories and are low fat – a true breakfast treat!

The original recipe uses red wine vinegar and water, which I thought was intriguing. Red wine vinegar in baked goods? I had to try it! I did, and it was good. BUT…I have since revised the recipe to replace the vinegar/water with buttermilk. Nothing compares to the flavor and texture that buttermilk gives to baked goods, and in these muffins that is no exception. I also replaced some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat in order to bump up the nutrition level a bit.

For a little variety, it is fun to change up the chips with different flavors (peanut butter chips anyone?) but I always find myself coming back to the mini chocolate chips. Mini chips give the illusion of more chocolate per bite since there are more bits throughout. A little more for less kind of thing.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners (or spray muffin tin with cooking spray).
In a large bowl, mix flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and egg. Stir in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, gently folding until just combined.
Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle tops with remaning 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: brunch, buttermilk, chocolate, easy, holiday, low fat, muffins, quick, snack, valentine's, whole wheat

vegetarian black bean tortilla soup with corn that is vegan and gluten free

Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

January 12, 2012 ·

We have had the good fortune of enjoying unseasonably warm weather over the past few weeks, and it has been fabulous. In fact, I even considered firing up the grill. Of course a brisk, windy day, along with temperatures in the single digits, set me straight. I went back to craving wintery comfort foods, and this Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans is the epitome of wintery comfort food. It’s warm, a little spicy and filled with vegetables.

From the original recipe, I used tomatoes with chiles, added more vegetables and increased the chili powder. This soup reheats beautifully, though over time the broth gets absorbed making it almost like a chili. I like it that way, but if you prefer your soup more soupy, I recommend adding some broth or water when reheating. Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans is a healthy and delicious soup, and perfect to enjoy this winter!

Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced (or grated)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cans (14½ ounces each) diced tomates with green chiles, including juices
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
4-6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
10 ounces frozen corn
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add tomatoes (with juice), beans, broth, spinach and corn; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips, cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Serve soup with lime wedges and more chips.

Notes

Adapted from Everyday Food Light

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, soup, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: beans, black beans, chili, corn, dinner, easy, garlic, lime, low fat, lunch, onion, quick, vegan

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

November 4, 2011 ·

Adam’s nap cycle is pretty predictable. He typically naps for 2-3 hours each day, but occasionally goes through week-long periods of 1 hour naps. Sometimes it’s due to teeth, sometimes it’s due to growing, and sometimes who knows. We have been through it enough to know that it passes in about a week. So when we found ourselves through week 2 of short naps, it was a little disconcerting (and tiring) for all. Fortunately, we did made it through the latest short-nap phase, and these Pumpkin Apple Muffins are a result of those extra 2 hours I was not expecting.

I have been working on a recipe for Pumpkin Apple Muffins for quite a while. When I found myself with extra apples from other recipes and several cans of pumpkin puree, it was clearly time to execute my vision. The combination of my two favorite fall flavors was just so appealing. The result is a moist, flavorful muffin that is a perfect blend of pumpkin and apple.

After Adam’s blissful 3 hour nap, I decided we should split a muffin for snack. Before he could even finish his first bite, Adam said ‘more muffin.’ Over and over, ‘more muffin for Adam’ until he finished nearly 3/4 of our muffin. His enthusiasm says it all…these are fantastic!

Pumpkin Apple Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 eggs (or 1 egg and 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water – see note)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 medium apple, cored and shredded (any variety)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups in a standard muffin tin. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda until combined.
In a separate medium bowl, mix pumpkin, oil, eggs, applesauce and apple until combined.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and gently fold until combined. (note: batter will be thick)
Divide batter evenly amongst 12 muffin cups.
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes and then move muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: I only had 1 egg, so I used ground flaxseed as a substitute. 1 egg = 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed plus 3 tablespoons water. Mix flaxseed and water in a bowl and let sit for about 2 minutes. Add just as you would an egg.

Adapted from Low Fat Cooking @ about.com

Filed Under: breakfast, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: apple, baby/toddler, brunch, low fat, muffins, pumpkin, snack, toddler

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

August 22, 2011 ·

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins are a healthy muffin that tastes good too! They are made without any butter or oil, yet the are moist and delicious due to the zucchini and banana.

New magazine day is one of my favorites days of the month. Since I subscribe to several magazines, this translates into several favorite days a month! Actually, I think Mike might like new magazine day more than I do. Especially when after just one quick perusal, it looks like this…

10 flags after just a quick glance. Not bad, eh? Just wait until I get a chance to be more thorough!

It was hard to choose what to make first, but there was clearly no better way to kick off zucchini week here than Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins! Good thing too, because these might be the tastiest muffins ever! I know, I know, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. But this time I mean it!

After one bite, you will never guess that these are healthy and low fat! Sure there is zucchini and banana, but I’m sure you’ve noticed a lot of times muffins find some way to become glorified cupcakes. Not these. There is no butter and no oil added to these muffins, yet they are incredibly moist and delicious. For an additional nutrition boost, I subbed in some whole wheat flour. I also replaced whole milk with buttermilk since it seems everything is made better with buttermilk.

This week I will be featuring several zucchini recipes throughout the week. I hope you will all enjoy them as much as we have!

Zucchini, Banana, and Flaxseed Muffins

Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup ground flaxseed (flaxseed meal)
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ cups coarsely grated zucchini (I used 1½ zucchinis)
1 mashed ripe banana (approx ⅓ cup)
¾ cup buttermilk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
nonstick cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat 12 standard muffin cups with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, flaxseed, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
In a small bowl, stir zucchini and mashed banana together. Add to flour mixture and stir to combine.
In medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir gently until combined (do not overmix).
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Notes

Adapted from Everyday Food, September, 2011