My Favorite 'Cut' Recipes

Sorry, I think I promised to get you these recipes about a week and a half ago.  Over promise, under deliver.  We're home from vacation and watch out - the blog posts will be hitting your Google Reader like crazy.  (I might be setting myself up again with that statement.)

So here are a few sample recipes from Jillian Michaels' "Making the Cut" that I found not only bearable, but tasty.  Some are for lunch, some are for dinner - I think you can figure it out.  I am only putting these three on the blog because I don't want a call from Jillian's lawyers.  You'll have to buy the book if you want more of these delectable dishes.

Moroccan Chicken with Wild Rice - a new dinner favorite at our house
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 box Near East Wild Rice

Spray chicken breasts with cooking spray.  Combine oregano, allspice, cumin, cloves, and garlic in a large bowl.  Add the chicken breasts and cover with the herb mixture.  Cook in a skillet in the olive oil for about thirty minutes or until chicken is done.

Prepare rice according to package directions.  When ready, divide rice among 4 plates, and place one chicken breast on each plate.

Serves 4
Nutrition Info per serving: 309 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 32.7 grams of protein





Spinach and Ricotta Chicken
Filling
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 freshly ground black pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 large egg

Chicken
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 350.  To prepare filling, combine all filling ingredients.  To prepare chicken, cut a slit in the top of each breast to make a long pocket.  Place each chicken breast in a 9x13 inch baking dish, slit side up.  Spread mixture evenly between all chicken breasts and cover pan with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes, basting chicken with wine every 10 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

Serves 6
Nutrition Info per serving: 265 calories, 7.3 grams of fat, and 40.5 grams of protein



Chicken-Apple Crunch Salad
2 cubes cooked chicken breast
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/3 cup fat-free mayo
1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine first five ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl combine mayo and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk.  Add mayo mixture to chicken mixture, tossing well to coat.

Serves 4 (serving size is 1 cup)
Nutrition Info per serving:  180 calories, 2.6 grams of fat, and 22.4 grams of protein
Great lunch item that you can make on a Sunday night and have two or three days early in the week.