A tropical sweet delight, Crispy Coconut Chicken is the perfect healthy dinner dish. Indulgent yet lean, this is one dish even your most finicky eaters will go crazy for.
Serves four.
Chicken:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup whole wheat panko crumbs
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup flour
1 large egg
1 large egg white
Sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste
PAM cooking spray to grease
Coconut Rice
2 cups Basmati white rice
1½ cups cream of coconut
½ tsp Sea Salt
Rice
In large saucepan, bring six cups of salted water to a boil. When boil is reached, reduce flame to medium before adding one-half cup of cream of coconut, allowing to dissolve before adding in rice. Allow rice to cook uncovered for approximately 15 minutes at a rolling boil.
Crispy Speck and Fried Egg Arugula Salad
Beyond the nutritional pluses, this salad is seriously easy to prepare. Crisp up the speck, dress the arugula, and fry up your eggs — in just 20 minutes you’ve got a complete meal that’s all sorts of savory delicious. There’s just something about the EVOO dressing that plays wonderfully against the bitter arugula and salty speck. It packs just the right punch from every angle.
Ingredients
Serves four.
4 cups arugula
4 large eggs
6 oz. cubed speck
1 1/2 tbsps plus 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tbsps lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
Salt and coarse black pepper to taste
Cheesy Greek-Style Baked Quinoa
This is a pretty little dish, isn’t it? I just love how all those Mediterranean goodies look mixed together. We’ve got some tomato, spinach, and artichoke action going on here, and this combination with the quinoa creates a seriously hearty side dish that can easily double as a main course.
Ingredients
Serves four.
2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 1/4 cup fat-free feta cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella or cheddar
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts (in oil)
1 cup chopped spinach
1 cup diced cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp crushed or minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp onion powder
Sea salt and course black pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare the quinoa as directed. While quinoa cooks, dice cherry tomatoes and chop spinach leaves, then set aside. Next, in food processor combine feta, skim milk, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley — blending until smooth.
Creamy Chipotle Shrimp
I’ve long loved chipotle for its special smokey spice. I’m partial to the real peppers, but a chipotle-flavored hot sauce would work just fine with this recipe, too. And, if you’re not a cream cheese person, feel free to use sour cream or greek yogurt to make your marinade. But, whichever route you take, you absolutely must top this with panko and cheddar cheese. It’s crispy, it’s crunchy, it’s cheesy. It’s perfection, basically. And, bonus points: This dish is low-fat, low-carb, and loaded with protein.
Ingredients
Serves four.
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 1/2 cups canned corn
1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese
2 tbsps chipotle peppers in adobo
1/4 cup whole-wheat panko crumbs
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsps extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp lime juice
2 tsps cilantro
Sea salt and black pepper to taste