The Double Down

What’s a Double Down? Bacon and cheese with “special sauce” sandwiched in between two pieces of chicken. A KFC heart attack waiting to happen. Well, if KFC can make it, so can I! My version is healthier, with less calories, fat and sodium. The delicious taste without the guilt. That’s what eating should be about!

Ingredients
8 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/3 cup egg beaters (you will have extra)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (you will have extra)
2 strips turkey bacon
1/3 cup reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/8 cup fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. salt

For the sauce
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
less than 1 Tbs. honey (adjust to taste)

Panko crumbs are Japanese bread crumbs made without using bread crust. It’s crispier than regular bread crumbs and can usually be found in the Asian section of your grocery store. If not, you can order from Amazon.

Pre-heat your oven to 380 degrees.

Cut up your chicken breast into 4 pieces, roughly 1 inch in thickness. Take the flat edge of your knife and use it to press down on the cut pieces. When flattened out, the chicken breast should be about 1/2 inch in thickness. Set aside in a bowl. Add half of the salt onto the chicken. Using your hands, mix thoroughly into chicken.

Place your flour, egg beaters and Panko crumbs in bowls large enough to dip the chicken in. Arrange your bowls in this order: Chicken, Flour, Egg beaters, Panko. CFEP in case you forget. Add the rest of the salt to the egg beaters bowl. Stir to combine.

Before you start dipping, cover an oven-safe tray with aluminum foil and spray with Pam. Place a rack into the tray. Now dip your chicken! When you finish the dipping process, set the chicken on the rack and let sit for five minutes. This will let the excess Panko fall off before you bake.

While the chicken is setting, cut your bacon strips into thirds. Spray a pan with Pam. Grill the bacon in the pan until the bacon begins crisping up and turning slightly brown. Remove and set aside.

Now remove the rack with the chicken from the tray. Shake off excess Panko from the foil and place back on tray. Remove the chicken from the rack and place onto the foil. Now you’re ready for baking! Place the tray into the oven and let bake for 10 minutes on the first side, flip, and bake for 7 minutes on the second side.

While the chicken is baking, make your sauce. You can use store-bought honey mustard but I prefer to make my own. I use a rough 1:1 ratio of Dijon mustard to honey. Start by adding the Dijon to a bowl. Add a bit of honey, not the entire tablespoon at once. Mix thoroughly, and taste. If you want it sweeter and more tangy, add more honey.

When the second side of the chicken is finished baking, remove from oven. Top each piece of chicken with honey mustard sauce and the mozzarella cheddar cheese blend. Place two pieces of bacon on one slice of chicken and one piece of bacon on the opposing slice of chicken. Add more cheese on top of the two pieces of bacon. Flip the chicken with one piece of bacon and place on top of the slice with two pieces of bacon. Press down lightly.

Throw back into the oven and bake for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove and serve hot! Enjoy!

Serves: 2

Per serving: 325 calories, 3.75g of fat, 300mg of sodium.

You might also like:

1. Chicken, Corn & Egg Drop Soup
2. Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes
3. Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom Alfredo

Lettuce Wraps

I have only ever seen duck or fish lettuce wraps in traditional Chinese restaurants but you could make it with any kind of meat: chicken, turkey, beef, pork, etc. I happened to have lean ground pork on hand so that’s what I used but feel free to substitute.

Ingredients
5 oz. ground pork
1 shallot, minced
2 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup bamboo shoots, minced
1/3 cup water chestnuts, diced
3 crimini mushrooms, diced
1 stalk green onion, diced
8 leaves lettuce

Marinade
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1/8 tsp. salt

Sauce
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. oyster sauce
2 Tbs. hoisin sauce
1/2 Tbs. Shaoxing wine
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Method

In a bowl, add the ground pork and marinade. Combine the marinade thoroughly into the pork using a spoon or your hands. Set aside for at least ten minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

When the meat is done marinating, spray a non-stick pan with some Pam and place on high heat. Add the pork to the pan and start stirring. Add the shallot and garlic. Continue stirring. When the meat is halfway cooked, meaning there’s still a lot of pink, add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Continue stirring.

When the pork is almost finished, at least four to five minutes, add the green onions and sauce. Combine the sauce into the mixture and turn to medium heat. Continue stirring for another minute.

Place the lettuce leaves onto a plate so that the leaves look like little bowls.

Turn off the heat and spoon the meat mixture onto the lettuce.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Calories: 531
Fat: 5 grams

You might also like:

1. Chicken with Broccoli
2. Spicy Thai Basil Chicken
3. Mashed Potatoes

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 ½ cup tuna salad stuffing
1/4 cup fat-free cheddar cheese

 

Method

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. I used a toaster oven since I was only making 2 bell peppers.

Fill a pot with water, add a dash of salt, and place on high heat. When water is boiled, add the bell peppers. Bell peppers should not be cut or anything. Cover with a lid and turn to medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes, or until bell peppers are tender. They should be somewhat cooked, but not mushy. Remove from heat and let cool. When the bell peppers are cool enough to handle, cut the top off. Scoop out and discard the seeds with a spoon.

I left the yellow bell pepper full and cut the red along the ridges to form bell pepper skins (kind of like potato skins). Scoop the tuna salad stuffing into the bell peppers.

Cover an oven-safe tray with aluminum foil and place the bell peppers onto the tray. Put the tray into the oven and let bake for 12 minutes. Remove and sprinkle cheddar cheese on each bell pepper, then place back into oven for another 3 minutes, or until bell peppers begin to brown.

Remove and serve. Be careful not to burn yourself while eating. The sauce in the bell peppers is extremely hot!

Serves: 1-2

You might also like:

1. Tuna Salad Stuffing

Tuna Salad Stuffing

I love stuffed bell peppers and normally stuff them with a healthy, flavor-packed tuna salad. I personally use tuna canned in water, but you can use tuna canned in oil. I think it tastes better canned in water but that’s just me. Hope you enjoy the recipe! And yes, I stuffed diced bell peppers into a bell pepper. You can use tomatoes instead. Feel free to add whatever you want to this basic recipe (relish, mustard, hard-boiled egg whites). Let me know if you try it!

Ingredients
7 oz. canned white albacore, drained of water
½ cup yellow onions, diced
2 baby bella mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro, diced
1 scallion, diced
4 Tbs. fat-free mayonnaise
¼ cup red bell peppers, diced
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Juice from 1 small lemon wedge

 

Method

Throw all ingredients into a bowl and mix with a spoon. Break the albacore into smaller chunks and combine thoroughly so that the mayonnaise is evenly distributed. Now stuff away!

Serves: 2 bell peppers and 6 mushrooms

Calories: 300
Fat: 3.5 grams

You might also like:

1. Stuffed Bell Peppers
2. Mashed Potatoes
3. Lettuce Wraps

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

This is my first time using leek, and I must say it tastes pretty good. It tastes similar to green onions, but more potent. Make sure you clean the leek thoroughly before cooking since a lot of dirt collects in between the leaves. My mom showed me her method of cleaning leek. She had me cut off the roots and then separate each leaf. After the leaves are separated, you put them into a big bowl of water, rinsing and scrubbing each leaf clean. You might have to rinse twice, depending on how dirty the leek is. There’s tons of ways you can clean leek, so use whatever suits you best.

Ingredients
2 cup water
1 ¼ cup non-fat chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large leek, white and light green parts, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup yellow onions, diced
2 slices deli ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces
½ cup fat-free milk
¼ cup fat-free cheddar cheese
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

In a pot, spray a few spritz of Pam and place on high heat. Add the garlic and onions. Stir-fry until the onions start becoming translucent. Add the celery and stir for another 30 seconds. If the veggies start sticking to the pan, add a little bit of water (usually a tablespoon is enough). Add the leek and stir-fry for another 20 seconds, or until the celery begins to soften. Throw in the ham and stir until the ham begins to brown (about a minute).

Then, add the potatoes, water and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium low and let simmer until potatoes become soft. Remove half of the soup from the pot and place in a blender. Puree until smooth, and then add back into the pot. If you like your soup really smooth, puree the entire pot.

Turn the heat to medium and add in the milk and cheese. Stir until cheese becomes melted. Flavor with salt and pepper.

Remove and serve hot. Top with freshly ground black pepper and cheddar cheese.

Serves: 2

Calories: 783
Fat: 1.2 grams

You might also like:

1. Chicken & Corn Chowder
2. Chicken Noodle Soup
3. Chicken, Corn & Egg Drop Soup

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken

I only had this dish a few times in Thailand because there were just too many different things to try all the time and even though I can eat a lot, my stomach has a limit. The dish is pretty simple to make but it’s packed with strong flavors and a lot of spice! I love it.

Ingredients
15 leaves Thai Holy Basil, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 red chili peppers, chopped
1/2 cup yellow onions, diced
3 oz. chicken breast, minced
9 oz. white rice, cooked
Pinch of salt and pepper

Sauce
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. fish sauce
Juice from 1 wedge of lime

 

Method

In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

In a pan, spray a few spritz of Pam and put on high heat. Add garlic and onions. Saute until onions begin to brown. Add chicken and chili peppers. Continue stirring until the chicken is almost thoroughly cooked. Toss in the basil leaves and sauce. Stir fry until basil leaves are wilted but not burnt. Add salt and pepper and combine.

Serve over white rice. Add additional fish sauce to taste.

Serves: 1

Calories: 511, including rice
Fat: 2 grams

You might also like:

1. Chicken Pho
2. Spicy Chicken with Scallions
3. Eggplants with Minced Chicken

Ham, Turkey & Swiss Melt

Finally! A lunch recipe! This one is so easy. I like my sandwich meat heated normally. It just tastes more flavorful. I could eat this sandwich almost every day. I don’t, because there’s so many other things to try, but I could. And, my new love. Sourdough bread. Where have you been all my life?

Ingredients
2 slices sourdough bread
2 slices Swiss cheese
3 slices turkey deli meat
3 slices ham deli meat
1 baby bella mushroom, sliced
2 rings yellow onion, diced
Pinch of salt and pepper

 

Method

Place the sourdough bread in a toaster and toast lightly for one to two minutes. You want it firm but not brown.

In a pan, spray a few spritz of Pam and place on high heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to brown. Add mushrooms, turkey and ham. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and mix. Flip the deli meat occasionally so that both sides are heated. Stir vegetables when you flip the meat. Remove from heat when mushrooms are cooked and deli meat becomes slightly browned.

Place a slice of cheese on each piece of bread. Place the onions and mushrooms on one slice, stack the meat, and put the other slice of bread and cheese on top.

To grill, use a clean pan. Heat on high heat for roughly one to two minutes, then turn to medium heat. Place the sandwich on the pan and cover with a lid for 30 seconds. Open lid, press down for 10 seconds, and flip to the other side. Press down, then cover with lid for 20 seconds. Remove lid and press down for 10 seconds. Flip again and press down for 10 seconds.

Remove from heat and serve hot! The cheese should be melted, gooey and delicious!

Calories: 526
Fat: 10 grams

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Penne with Cottage Cheese Alfredo

Since I made Alfredo sauce with cream cheese already, I decided to experiment with cottage cheese. The taste is similar but the texture is a bit different, obviously. Still good, but a bit more tricky. I made this dish three times in order to get it right. Third time’s a charm.

Ingredients
3 oz. Penne pasta, dry
4 oz. chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cup broccoli florets
2 Tbs. fat-free chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup yellow onions, diced
6 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. fat-free mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Alfredo sauce
3/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 clove garlic, diced

Roux
2 Tbs. All-purpose flour
1 Tbs. water

In a pot of water, add salt and put over high heat. Bring to boil, add pasta, and cook according to directions. When finished, strain and set aside.

In a pan, spray a few spritz of Pam and place on high heat. Add chicken breast and stir. When chicken is almost fully cooked, remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pan that you cooked the chicken, add the garlic and onions. Stir until onions begin to brown. Add the broccoli and 2 tablespoons of chicken broth into the pan. Continue to stir. If the pan becomes too dry, add more chicken broth. When the broccoli starts softening, add the mushrooms. Stir until broccoli is cooked but still crunchy. Remove from pan and set aside.

Put all the ingredients for the sauce into a food processor and blend until you get a smooth texture. There will still be lumps of cottage cheese. Just make sure it’s evenly distributed. Set aside.

To make the roux, first heat a clean pan on high heat for 20 seconds. Add the flour and turn to medium heat. Stir until the flour is a light shade of brown. Remove and place into a bowl. Slowly add the water, one teaspoon at a time. Mix with a spoon and dissolve the flour into the water until it becomes pasty but not clumpy. If you need more water, add it slowly and in small amounts.

In a new pan, place on medium heat and add the cottage cheese mixture. Stir frequently until the sauce begins to boil. Add the roux slowly, allowing for the sauce to thicken.

When the sauce becomes thick, add the broccoli, mushrooms, onions, garlic, chicken and parsley. Mix for 10 seconds and then add pasta and salt. Stir for 20 seconds before adding the tomatoes. Combine thoroughly and coat pasta with sauce. Do not cook the tomatoes too long or else they will become mushy.

Remove and top with mozzarella cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Serve hot and enjoy!

Serves: 1

Calories: 796, including pasta
Fat: 3.9 grams

You might also like:

1. Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom Alfredo
2. Penne with Bell Peppers & Mushrooms
3. Chicken with Broccoli

Shanghai Noodles

When I was living in Shanghai, we would always get noodles at 2 in the morning from the street vendors. It was so cheap and delicious. The guy would wheel around a cart with his wok on it and you could pick all these different types of meat and vegetables, and he’d make it really, really spicy. Since I’ve been missing Chinese street food, I decided to make my own version of Shanghai noodles.

Ingredients
4 oz. Shanghai fine noodles
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1/2 small carrot, cut into thin strips
2 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
3 scallions, cut on a slight diagonal
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup yellow onions, diced
3 oz. chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbs. water
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Sauce
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 Tbs. oyster sauce
1/2 Tbs. rice wine

Method

Combine ingredients for sauce in a bowl and set aside.

In a pot of water, add some salt and put on high heat. Bring to boil and add noodles. Cook until noodles are tender and strain. Set aside.

In a pan, spray a few spritz of Pam and place on high heat. Add chicken and stir until chicken is almost fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pan used to cook the chicken, add garlic and onions. Saute until onions begin to brown. Add cabbage and carrots and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until cabbage starts getting soft. This takes me about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms. Stir for 30 seconds and then add scallions. When mushrooms begin to shrivel, add noodles, chicken, salt, pepper and sauce.

Mix thoroughly, coating noodles with sauce. Remove and serve hot.

Serves: 1

Calories: 456, including noodles
Fat: 1 gram

You might also like:

1. Noodles with Peanut Sauce
2. Chicken Chow Fun
3. Chicken Pho

Teriyaki Chicken with broccoli and rice

I love teriyaki chicken. It’s sweet and salty at the same time, what more can you ask for?! I’m pretty sure the way I made it isn’t how they eat it in Japan (do they even eat teriyaki chicken in Japan?) but it tasted pretty similar to what I’ve eaten in restaurants in America. I’d pick this over Yoshinoya any day.

Ingredients
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. chicken breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces or strips
1 scallion, chopped on a slight diagonal
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup water
9 1/2 oz. rice, cooked

Sauce
1/4 cup Mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. Splenda

 

Method

In a bowl, combine the Mirin, soy sauce and Splenda. Stir with a spoon until Splenda is dissolved. Pour the teriyaki sauce into a pan on medium heat. When it starts bubbling, reduce to medium low heat and let simmer. The sauce is finished when it becomes sticky and thickened (about 7 minutes). When the sauce is finished, remove from pan and set aside.

In a clean pan, spray a few spritz of pam and put over high heat. Add broccoli and water and saute until broccoli is cooked but still crunchy. It should be a more saturated shade of green. When broccoli is cooked, remove from pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add garlic and place over high heat. When garlic starts becoming golden brown, add chicken. Stir constantly. When chicken is half cooked, add scallions and 3/4 of the teriyaki sauce. Mix chicken thoroughly with sauce. Continue to stir until chicken is fully cooked. There should be a decent amount of sauce in the pan still.

To serve, place the rice into a bowl. Put the broccoli on one side and the chicken coated with sauce on the other. Pour the leftover teriyaki sauce over the broccoli, onto the rice, and on top of the chicken. Serve hot and enjoy!

Serves: 1

Calories: 770, including rice
Fat: 2.7 grams

You might also like:

1. Chicken with Broccoli
2. Chicken Chow Fun
3. Eggplants with Minced Chicken