Things to eat #2: Quinoa

What exactly is quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah")? At first look, many think quinoa is a grain- a substitute for rice or pasta. Although technically a seed, quinoa is much more than a carbohydrate replacement for your meals.

Quinoa is loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Even though it does pack 40 grams of carbohydrates into one cup, quinoa only has a glycemic load of 18. The glycemic load is an estimation of how much the food will raise your blood sugar levels. A glycemic load of 10 or less is considered low, 11-19 considered medium, and 20 or greater is considered high. For comparison, a cup of rice has a glycemic load of 22 and a cup of pasta has a glycemic load of 45 (that's before you add the sauce). Qunioa is also a special food in that it contains all 8 essential amino acids, something hardly ever seen other than in meat. And to top it all off, quinoa is gluten-free. Diabetics, vegetarians, and gluten-sensitive individuals can all rejoice! 


Cooking quinoa is as easy as 1-2-3. One, wash the quinoa over running water using a fine strainer. Two, toast the quinoa in a pot using olive oil (you can also use coconut oil or a small touch of butter) over low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Lastly, add water or stock (2 cups to one cup of quinoa), bring to boil, and cover. After 15 minutes, pig tail-shaped sprouts will pop out of each seed, indicating its readiness to be eaten.


There will be more recipes featuring quinoa to come!

Shrimp & cauliflower grits

Ingredients: 1 lb shrimp (16-20 per pound or bigger), 1/2 cup baby portobello mushrooms (diced), 1/2 small onion (diced), 1 red bell pepper (diced), green onion for garnish, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 jalepeno (diced), paprika, white pepper powder, 1 head of cauliflower, 1 cup chicken stock (low-sodium), 1/2 cup flour

This featured recipe is a Southern classic and certainly one of my all-time favorite meals. The problem, for me at last, is that whenever I order this dish at a restaurant I feel like the server ladles a cup of drawn butter on it just prior to bringing it out to me. Southerners will be quick to tell you that shrimp & grits are just not shrimp & grits without butter and I would have to agree. Still, there has to be a way to enjoy this amazing food marriage without slipping into a food coma. In the recipe below I replace butter with a healthier source of fat (olive oil) and use cauliflower instead of actual grits. Cauliflower can be incredibly smooth like mashed potatoes when blended. The natural buttery taste of cauliflower also make it so that your taste buds don't miss a beat of this Southern classic.

In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Make sure the shrimp are peeled and cleaned. Lightly dredge the shrimp in some flour and add to the heated pan. The light coat of flour will make the shrimp crispy and awesome. Cook for about 1 minute per side. Sprinkle some salt & pepper, paprika and white pepper onto the shrimp while it is cooking. Remove the shrimp once it is orange all the way through, but do not discard the oil from the pan. Add the chopped onion, jalepeno and red bell pepper to the pan. Cook until the onions are translucent. Next, add the garlic and mushrooms. If the mixture seems a little dry, feel free to add 1/2 cup of chicken stock or water. Cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the chopped green onions. Serve the mixture along with the shrimp over the cauliflower grits (recipe shown below) and dig in!

Cauliflower grits:
Cut the cauliflower florets from the stem. Boil or steam the cauliflower florets for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Place the cooked florets into a blender, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 cup of low-sodium chicken stock and salt & pepper to taste. Blend until smooth.

(This recipe makes 3-4 servings)

The devil went down to Tucson...

Ingredients: 6 hard boiled eggs, 1 small avocado, 1/2 lime, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup cilantro (finely chopped), cumin, pickled red onion (recipe shown below)

Now that Easter is over, the chocolate bunnies devoured and you're still trying to wash the dye off your fingertips, you are faced with the same question year after year... What in the world are you supposed to do with the pastel-colored eggs in your fridge? Here is a quick and easy recipe to give the ol' deviled eggs recipe some Southwest flare.

First, peel the eggs and cut them in half. Remove the yolk and place into a separate bowl. Out of the 6 eggs, I only used 3 of the egg yolks. This cuts the cholesterol in half. Combine the avocado, cilantro and the olive oil (to help make the filling creamier) with the egg yolks and mash everything together until it is smooth. Add cumin, salt & pepper to taste. Put the filling back into the egg white halves and dust with some more cumin on top. Garnish with the pickled red onions from the recipe below and you're done!

Pickled red onion:

Combine 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of white distilled vinegar, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of any pickling spice you so choose (I used coriander, crushed red pepper, black peppercorns and 2 bay leaves) into a small pan. Bring the contents to a boil, add one red onion (cut however you want) to the pot and turn off the heat. Transfer the contents of the pot into a glass jar or glass bowl and allow to cool. It's best to make this in advance so the onion has time to soak up all the deliciousness.

Crispy baked veggie wontons with tangy pear ponzu sauce

Ingredients: 1 pack wonton wraps, 1 medium onion (finely chopped), 1 cup shitake mushrooms (finely chopped), 1 cup carrots (finely chopped), 1 cup chives (finely chopped), 1 clove garlic (finely chopped), 1 cup rice noodles (cooked and finely chopped), 2 cups vegetable stock (low sodium), 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium), 1 asian pear (regular pear will also work), 1 lime, 1 tablespoon green onion (finely chopped), 1 tablespoon cilantro (finely chopped)

Wonton wraps can be difficult to find at your local grocery store. They are usually refrigerated in the produce section, but make sure to ask an employee for help if you cannot find them. If the grocery store only carries egg roll wraps then cut each egg roll wrap square into four. The wontons shown in the picture were made in a similar manner using all-natural egg roll wraps.

Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to boil. Add the rice noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the noodles from the pot and strain the excess water. Place the strained noodles in a large mixing bowl and use scissors to cut the noodles into ½ inch pieces.

In a medium pan, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook until translucent. Next, add the chopped shitake mushrooms, garlic and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes. The mushrooms may soak up all the oil in the pan. In such a case, just add some vegetable stock to the pan to keep the ingredients from burning. Lastly, add the chopped chives into the pan, mix with other ingredients and turn the heat off. Let ingredients cool and combine with rice noodles in large mixing bowl.

In a small pot, reduce the vegetable stock over medium-high heat until there is about ½ cup of fluid left in the pot. Combine with other ingredients in large mixing bowl.

Fill a small bowl with water. Take a wonton wrap and fill with about 1 tablespoon of the cooked ingredients in the large mixing bowl. Dip your finger into the water bowl and wet the edges of the wonton wrap. Fold the wrap in half into a triangle and work out any excess air. Make sure to press firmly on the outer edges to give it a good seal. In the image shown, the two side edges of the triangle were wet and pressed together to give the wontons a fun twist. Feel free to invent new and exciting shapes with your family. Repeat the wrapping process with the remaining wraps. To freeze the wontons, place them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place the wontons on the sheet without touching each other and place in freezer. This will help keep the wontons from sticking together. After they are frozen, you can remove the wontons from the sheet and place in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer.

To cook the wontons, preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a pan with olive oil. Use a brush or your fingers to lightly coat the wontons with olive oil as well. Place in oven for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Tangy ponzu dipping sauce: peel and core one asian pear (or regular pear) and add to blender with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, one tablespoon of soy sauce, and the juice of one lime. Blend until smooth. Pour into medium bowl and add the finely chopped cilantro and green onions.

Makes 4 servings, each serving contains approximately:

125 calories, 25 calories from fat, 3 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 

5 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 2 g protein

Compare with a serving (2 rolls) of veggie spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce from Panda Express:

230 calories, 60 calories from fat, 7 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 655 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 

4 g fiber, 22 g sugar, 4 g protein

Data obtained from www.pandaexpress.com on November 23, 2011. 

Inspiration for a better life

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Things to eat #1: Brussels sprouts

Ingredients: Brussels sprouts, olive oil, balsamic vinegar









It seems that Brussels sprouts have gotten a bad rap as of late. People often complain about their bitter end notes and some even say they taste like sulfur. To be perfectly honest I have eaten Brussels sprouts in the past that taste both bitter and sulfur-like, but that's because they were cooked incorrectly. When cooked right, Brussels sprouts can be sweet and delectable. More importantly, you can unlock the many health benefits of Brussels sprouts if you learn to prepare them properly.

How can Brussels sprouts be beneficial to your health?
1. Lower your cholesterol: the high soluble fiber content in Brussels sprouts bind bile acids in your digestive tract and excretes them. Your liver makes bile acid from LDL ( the bad form of cholesterol) to help digest fat. The more bile acid you get rid of, the more your liver will make and the lower your LDL will be. It's simple.
2. Antioxidants: it's got 'em (vitamins C, E and A)... Next.
3. Fight cancer: once thought to be toxic, glucosinolates (Brussels sprouts are loaded with them) are now considered by many to fight and prevent cancer, and protect your heart from unwanted inflammation.

The best way to release all the health benefits of Brussels sprouts is by steaming them. They are a relatively dense vegetable and therefore it's hard to cook them through without overcooking the outer layers. Overcooking Brussels sprouts is what gives them the bitter and sulfur-like taste that turns most people away. Below is a quick and easy recipe for making the perfect Brussels sprouts. No excuses, start incorporating these miniature cabbage look-a-likes into your diet!


Steamed Brussels sprouts in olive oil & balsamic reduction:

Fill the bottom of a steamer with 2-3 cups of water. Place steamer on stove and turn to high. If you don't have a steamer, you can purchase a steamer insert for pots for relatively cheap from Target or Wal-mart. You can also place a plate (preferably one with a little depth) into a large pot and fill the pot with water so that the plate sits on top of the water. As you may have already figured out, the point is to allow the Brussels sprouts to cook (via steam) so that it never touches the water. This will help the Brussels sprouts retain as much nutritional value as possible.

Wash the Brussels sprouts and remove any wilted or yellow leaves. Do not cut the stems off. The stems will help the Brussels sprouts hold their shape while cooking. Once the steamer starts steaming, place the Brussels sprouts into the steamer for 5-7 minutes or until they are cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the sprouts! They should still retain a dark green appearance when they are finished.

Shock the Brussels sprouts in a colander by adding ice. Once the sprouts are cool to touch, cut the stems off and cut each Brussels sprout in half. Toss in a bowl with some olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste.

Balsamic vinegar reduction: Heat about 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small pot over medium heat. Reduce the balsamic vinegar to half its original volume or until it thickens to your desired consistency. Drizzle over the Brussels sprouts and serve.

Applesauce wheat muffins

Ingredients: 1 ½ cup flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder (low sodium), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup wheat germ, 2 medium eggs, 1 cup applesauce, unsweetened, ½ cup low-fat milk, ¼ cup oil, 1 tablespoon olive oil


These applesauce muffins are very dear to my wife's heart. Her mom made them for her growing up and they are just as delicious as they are nutritious. What I love most about these muffins is their versatility. They can be eaten for breakfast or served with a light coat of frosting as cupcakes. Try them out and see for yourself!

Preheat oven at 350°F. Lightly coat a muffin pan with olive oil.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar and wheat germ). In a separate medium bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (eggs, applesauce, milk and oil) until the mixture is blended smoothly.

Mix the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl containing the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth. Be careful not to over-mix the ingredients. Pour the mixture into the muffin pan and cook in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the muffins have cooked through.

Makes 12 servings (1 muffin each), each serving contains approximately:

150 calories, 50 calories from fat, 5 g fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 110 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 5 g protein

Compare with a serving (1 muffin) of apple bran muffin from Starbucks:

350 calories, 9 g fat, 64 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 6 g protein

Data obtained from www.starbucks.com on December 12, 2011. 

Thin-crust caprese pizza

Ingredients: 1 pound pizza dough, 2 Roma tomatoes (thinly sliced), 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, 8 ounces fresh low-fat mozzarella cheese (sliced), 1 cup prepared low-fat marinara sauce (low-fat), ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar (optional)

Today's pizza recipe is a fantastic option for Valentine's Day with your loved one because it is easy to execute and it looks impressive. Trust me, you don't need a fancy brick oven to make delicious pizza. I usually save myself some time and hassle by purchasing pizza dough from a local pizza joint. If you're not someone who is comfortable soliciting local businesses for dough (pun intended) then I suggest the pizza dough at Trader Joe's for just over a buck. If the dough was previously refrigerated then it is important to allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to make the pizza-rolling process easier. The recipe that follows makes four personal-sized thin crust pizzas so invite another couple over this Valentine's Day or save the extras for lunch the next day. This recipe is also great for family dinners, especially if there are kids in the family. Pizzas are a fun way for the family to get creative. Explore new combinations of fresh toppings and sauces.

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Lightly coat two baking pans with olive oil.

Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. On a clean counter space, sprinkle some flour and roll the dough out as thin as you can.

Place the rolled-out dough onto the pans (two pizzas per pan). Ladle about ¼ cup of marinara sauce onto each pizza. Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and distribute evenly amongst the pizzas. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices and distribute evenly. Place the pans into the oven one at a time for 8-10 minutes per pan or until the cheese starts to bubble and the crust is golden. It's important to only have one pan in the oven at a time to keep the temperature of the oven as high as possible. Remove the pan from the oven and place some chopped basil over the pizzas. Feel free to drizzle some balsamic vinegar over the pizzas for some extra tang. Even better, reduce 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar in a pot over medium heat until the reduction starts to get thick. Then drizzle the balsamic reduction over the pizzas. But that's just my version of this classic Italian dish, now go explore yours. 

Makes 4 servings (one personal pizza each), each serving contains approximately:

340 calories, 25 calories from fat, 8 g fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 11 g protein

Compare with a personal-sized cheese pizza from Peter Piper Pizza:

462 calories, 104 calories from fat, 11.5 g fat, 33 mg cholesterol, 759 mg sodium, 70 g carbohydrate, 3.4 g fiber, 3.3 g sugar, 21.1 g protein

Data obtained from www.peterpiperpizza.com on November 23, 2011. 

Salmon burger

Ingredients: 1 lb fresh salmon, 1/2 yellow onion (minced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tablespoon ginger (minced), 1 teaspoon dill, 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce, 1 egg, 1/2 cup 0% fat yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, zest of 1/2 a lemon, 2 green onions (finely chopped), 4 pita pockets, spinach and bell peppers.

I absolutely love, love, LOVE seafood. One of my favorite catches is salmon. It's loaded with DHA (food for the brain) and omega-3 fatty acids (food for the rest of the body). In my opinion the best way to eat salmon is raw, on a bed of rice and garnished with soy sauce and wasabi. Unfortunately, I live in a desert that happens to be landlocked so the availability of sashimi-grade salmon is scarce at best. As a result of my limited selection, I have been more creative with my approach towards seafood. Turning fresh salmon into burgers is a great way to enjoy the wonderful health benefits of the sea. This is also a good recipe if you have kids who are picky with their food. Kids eat with their eyes even more so than adults. Parents might find more luck in getting their kids to try healthy foods deemed unappetizing by kids (ie. fish) by converting them into something they are more accustomed to like burgers.

Tzatziki sauce: 1 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt (strained to remove excess liquid), juice of 1 lemon, fresh dill, 2 cloves garlic (finely minced), 1 cucumber (de-seeded , sprinkle a pinch of salt over the cucumber to draw out extra moisture, wipe off extra moisture with a paper towel and finely chop) and salt & pepper to taste. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Allow the ingredients of the sauce to get to know each other and have a party in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours prior to serving.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk 1 egg with 1/2 cup of 0% yogurt until smooth. Cut the salmon into 1/2 inch cubes and add to bowl. Add the minced onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, dill, bread crumbs, lemon zest and green onions. Allow the mixture to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Lightly coat a large pan with olive oil and put over medium-high heat. Divide the salmon mixture into four equal portions. Form each portion into a ball and place in the heated pan. Use a spatula to push down on the ball-shaped salmon mixture to form patties. Allow the salmon patties to cook for 5-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Careful not to break apart the patties while flipping. Once they are on the pan, just let them cook without messing with it until they are ready to be flipped. When they are done cooking, remove them from the pan and let them rest on a plate with a paper towel on top to soak up the extra grease. The salmon burgers can also be cooked on a grill.

Lastly, assemble the salmon burger! For the burger shown in the picture I sauteed roughly chopped mini-bell peppers in olive oil with some garlic and salt & pepper to taste. I also topped the burger with some spinach to pack some iron to this loaded masterpiece.

Health tip #2 : Mortar & pestle

This one goes out to my pharmacist friends who have long kept the mortar & pestle a secret to themselves. Not only is it good for compounding medications, the mortar & pestle is a MUST HAVE kitchen utensil. I use it to make salsas for game days and grind spices for finger-lickin' rubs. But most importantly, grinding up fresh ingredients in a mortar & pestle is a healthy and flavorful way to marinade meats before tossing them on the grill. This Super Bowl Sunday, show your friends and family who the master of the grill really is with this simple marinade.

Rosemary Garlic Marinade:
In a mortar & pestle, grind up 4 cloves of garlic and leaves from two sprigs of rosemary. Adding a touch of salt & pepper may help break down the garlic and help with the process. Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes (feel free to add more if you're a caspasin junkie). Add 1-3 tablespoons of olive oil to the mix and allow the flavors to break the ice with each other for 30 minutes or so before adding the marinade to the meat (this recipe works great with poultry, pork and beef). This recipe should make enough marinade for 1-2 pounds of meat.

Take this health tip and recipe and go make it your own! For some Asian flare, add some soy sauce and ginger. Nix the rosemary and add some cumin, jalapenos, cilantro, and lime juice and you're on your way to making some killer carne asada. It's really that simple!

Now go and get your mortar & pestles! I was able to find the Hard Marble Mortar & Pestle shown in the pic at Ikea for $9.99. For an upgrade, go with the white Marble Mortar & Pestle from Crate&Barrel for $34.95. Whichever one you choose, your investment is sure to pay dividends.

The perfect sweet tooth fix

Ingredients: ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 ripe bananas (mashed), 1/8 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 egg beaten, 1½ cup old fashioned oats, ½ cup whole wheat flour, ¼ cup wheat germ, 1 teaspoon baking soda, tiny dash of salt, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg

Hi, I'm Ron's wife (from here on out known as Wifey in this blog) and today's recipe was created by me when I was in desperate need of a sweet tooth fix. I will sometimes make an appearance because while my husband is naturally an excellent cook (he can coax flavor out of anything), I like to think I (as least in part) inspired the healthy side of things. When I was pregnant with Baby I started requesting healthy eats (veggies, extra iron and fiber), but with the same great taste I had gotten used to. He happily obliged.  But I also love to mix up the occasional concoction. Here is a recipe I tried yesterday by essentially combining anything in the pantry that looked yummy and mostly healthy. Of added interest they can even be prepared while carrying Baby in his front pouch carrier. Let’s call them… 

When You Simply Need Something Sweet Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with oil. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and all wet ingredients in another. Then add together. Toss in just a few chocolate chips or roughly chop part of a dark chocolate bar, add raisins, dried blueberries, walnuts, almonds…whatever your heart’s desire. Place a heaping spoonful of the cookie dough onto the oiled cookie sheet. Leave at least an inch and a half between cookies. Place cookies into oven for 8 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown. Remove from oven and place cookies onto cooling rack.

Panko-breaded crab cakes

The recipe featured today is the ULTIMATE go-to dish for bachelors... and bachelorettes. A little over two years ago I invited a special lady over for dinner on our first date. People who have tasted my food know that I rarely make the same dish twice because I like to experiment with new flavors and techniques. These crab cakes however, are perfect the way they are. Naturally, this was the first thing that came to mind when I wanted to impress the special lady who eventually became my wife. I highly recommend these crab cakes for dates, anniversaries or any day that ends in "y" (ie. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc...). My only caution is to only make these crab cakes for someone you truly care about because it may just seal your fate.

Ingredients: 1 pound canned lump or claw crab meat, ½ cup yogurt, 3 large egg whites, 1 cup panko bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ cup green onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a pan with olive oil. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, egg whites, Dijon mustard, olive oil, green onion and ½ cup of the panko bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly. Next, add the crab meat to the wet mixture. In the picture shown above, canned claw crab meat was used instead of lump crab meat because claw meat typically costs half as much yet tastes the same. Give the mixture a light toss. Be careful not to break up the crab meat. 

Pour the other ½ cup of panko bread crumbs on a plate. Form the crab mixture into 8 equal-sized cakes. Place the cakes one at a time through the panko bread crumbs so that it is evenly coated on both sides. Place the cakes on the pan coated with olive oil. Place the pan in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the cakes and place back in the oven for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown. Serve with a side of lemon or over your favorite salad.

Makes 4 servings (2 crab cakes each), each serving contains approximately:

204 calories, 39 calories from fat, 4 g fat, 125 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 

1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 35 g protein

Compare with two servings (one crab cake each) of jumbo lump crab cakes at Ruby Tuesday:

790 calories, 58 g fat, 2074 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 35 g protein

Data obtained from www.rubytuesday.com on December 23, 2011. 

Health tip: Yogurt

Yogurt serves the purpose of mayonnaise and sour cream in sandwiches and sauces without the fat. I like to use Fage 0% yogurt for its high protein content and the fact that Costco now carries this product. Make the switch today and save yourself the guilt... and a few extra sets at the gym. 

Crispy oven-fried chicken tenders with yogurt honey mustard

Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, 1 cup panko bread crumbs, fresh dill and paprika spice, 2 egg whites, ¼ cup 1% milk, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons honey, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, ½ cup non-fat, all-natural plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 385° F. Lightly coat a pan with olive oil.

Whisk egg whites and milk together in medium-sized bowl. Place panko bread crumbs in separate bowl. Cut each chicken breast into 6 strips. Dip each chicken breast strip into the egg white and milk mixture. Transfer the drenched chicken breast strip to bowl of panko bread crumbs and coat evenly on all sides. Place the coated chicken breast strip on pre-oiled pan. Repeat process for each strip of chicken breast. Drizzle a little olive oil over each strip of breaded chicken. Sprinkle a dash of salt, ground pepper, paprika and fresh dill onto the chicken strips. Place pan in oven and cook for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Yogurt honey mustard dipping sauce: combine Dijon mustard, yogurt, honey, Worcestershire sauce and some fresh dill into small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Store in refrigerator until chicken is ready to serve.

Makes 4 servings (3 chicken tenders each), each serving contains approximately:

125 calories, 25 calories from fat, 2 g fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 107 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 

1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 14 g protein

Compare with a serving (3 chicken tenders each) of Chicken Select® premium breast strips at McDonald’s:

380 calories, 210 calories from fat, 23 g fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 750 mg sodium, 
21 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 23 g protein

Data obtained from www.nutrition.mcdonalds.com on November 21, 2011. 

Chicken salad sandwich

Ingredients: 2 chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup of finely chopped celery, 1 cup of red grapes cut in half, ½ cup of non-fat all-natural plain yogurt, 1 green apple cut into ½ inch cubes, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch cubes, ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional), ½ minced small onion (optional), lettuce and tomato slices (garnish), whole-grain or whole wheat bread.


Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a pan with olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan. Trim off excess fat from chicken breasts, place on pan and season with your favorite fresh herbs. Cook the chicken in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Allow chicken to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Cut cooked chicken breasts into ½ inch to 1 inch cubes.

Combine chicken cubes, celery, grapes, yogurt, apple, red bell pepper and Worcestershire sauce in a large bowl. Onion and walnuts are optional. Allow salad to chill in refrigerator. Serve with sliced tomatoes and lettuce on whole-grain or whole-wheat bread.

Makes 4 servings, each serving contains approximately:

264 calories, 32 calories from fat, 3 g fat, 32 mg cholesterol, 370 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 

24 g fiber, 15 g sugar, 21 g protein