5.05.2013

Piled High Oven Baked Turkey Sandwiches

This piled high oven baked turkey sandwich is made of so much win, I've had it for lunch for the past three days. I may or may not have be developing a bit of a problem. Fresh sourdough bread from a local Amish Bakery, hormone free turkey breast, deli provolone cheese (also free of chemicals and preservatives) and a smear of avocado in place of mayo is not only palate pleasing, but completely guilt free. You can find most of these ingredients in your local health food store. Have I mentioned you can throw it together in less than 10 minutes? That's my kinda meal right there.


 
 
What you'll need:

2 slices fresh sourdough bread
deli turkey breast, about 2 oz.
1 slice provolone cheese
1 TBSP. mashed avocado

Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 425°F. Place both slices of bread on a cookie sheet, and spread 1 TBSP. mashed avocado between the two slices. Pile 1 oz. of turkey on each slice. Top with 1 slice of provolone cheese. Bake 7-8 minutes or until turkey is heated through, cheese is melted, and bread is toasted.



5.04.2013

Amazing Chicken Parmesan for under 400 Calories!

As I've mentioned previously, our family has been on a journey to health for awhile now. It's taken some adjusting, but has been such an amazing transition into creating a healthier home environment and a new family dynamic.

One of the many changes, and also one of the most important ones, is the food we put into our bodies. We've eliminated most processed foods and are now eating a diet full of whole, healthy options. I've been sprucing up our family's favorite recipes, and this next one has instantly become a new favorite. I've replaced our usual spaghetti with spaghetti squash (even my daughter LOVED IT) and baked the chicken instead of frying it. I did use full fat provolone cheese (didn't have any mozzarella), because well, I LOVE CHEESE, and because of the replacements made, I feel there's plenty of wiggle room in this dish for just a few extra calories. ;) I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!




What You'll Need:
Main Dish
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, approximately 6 oz. each (cooked weight)
4 slices deli provolone (or Mozzarella) cheese
1 packet Shake 'n Bake
1 jar Mrs. Miller's Chucky Italian Pasta Sauce (all natural/low fat/no preservatives/cholesterol free)
4 TBSP. grated parmesan Cheese, separated

Side Dish
1 medium-large spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise

Instructions:
Spaghetti Squash
Pre-heat oven to 375°. Place spaghetti squash face down on a cookie sheet. Bake for 40 minutes until squash is easily removable with a fork. Use a pot holder to remove squash from pan (It will be VERY hot!), then use a fork to first gently scrape out all seeds, and discard. Using the same method, shred out the middle of each half of spaghetti squash until only left with a "shell" of the outer skin. *NOTE* This should be an extremely easy process - the squash should practically fall out as you scrape. If your squash is difficult to remove, place it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until fully cooked.

Chicken Parmesan
Shake 'n Bake your chicken breasts as directed on the package, following cooking directions. Once chicken is fully cooked, place one slice provolone cheese over each breast and return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Warm pasta sauce over medium heat until heated through.
 
Top each dish with 1/2 cup pasta sauce and 1 TBSP. grated parmesan cheese.

Each serving includes 1 cheesy chicken breast, 1 cup spaghetti squash, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and 1 TBSP. grated parmesan cheese.

Typical Chicken Parmesan: 1,090 Calories/49g Fat/79g Carbs/3,390 mg Sodium
*based on nutritional data for Olive Garden's dinner portion of Chicken Parmesana

Amazing Chicken Parmesan: 362 Calories/8g Fat/17g Carbs/4g Sugar/478mg Sodium
*Based on nutritional data from myfitnesspal.com.  Nutritional values may vary based on varied brands or amounts.