Creamy Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Gemelli

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Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium only, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 quart and 1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
2 bay leaves
12 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed
1 pound gemelli pasta, cooked until al dente
Chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken when browned and reserve.

Add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until evenly distributed. Gradually stir in the chicken stock and cream. Add the bay leaves, chicken and mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours.

Serve over cooked gemelli pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.

Ratatouille Polenta Bake

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Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (½ cup)
1 medium bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 small unpeeled eggplant (1 pound), diced (2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (1 cup)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 can (14 ½ ounces) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 tube (16 ounces) plain polenta (plain or flavored)
2 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
¾ cup finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook onion and bell pepper in skillet for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, breaking up with spoon; reduce heat to low. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spray rectangular baking dish, 11 x 7 x 1 ½ inches, with cooking spray. Cut polenta into ¼-inch slices. Arrange over bottom of baking dish, overlapping and cutting to fit where necessary. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spoon vegetable mixture evenly over top.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parsley. Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash and Barley Casserole with Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients
Cooking Spray
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 15-oz. can chicken broth
1 cup (about 1/2 pound) cubed cooked or leftover chicken breast
2 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Coat a 4-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the barley, sage and black pepper and stir to combine well. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes. Add the chicken and squash and continue to simmer for 15 minutes more or until all of the broth is absorbed and the squash is tender. Add an additional 1/4 cup of broth if the mixture seems too dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

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Serves 8

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 ribs celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup quinoa
3 large carrots, grated (11/2 cups)
11/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided
4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Preparation

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

If you enjoy the sweet pleasant smell of pumpkin pies baking in the oven, these Pumpkin Pie Muffins will make you feel like you can have pumpkin pie for breakfast or a snack, any day of the year. This recipe includes all of the lovely spices that are characteristic of pumpkin pie including cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg and while they are baking, they will fill your kitchen with the aromas of the holiday season.

Nutritional Spin

Pumpkin provides a rich source of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant, and research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Beta-carotene also offers protection against some degenerative aspects of aging.

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbs. unsulphered molasses
¼ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup low fat buttermilk
¼ cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Here is a quick and easy to prepare seafood dish that can be served with one of your favorite rice, couscous, grits or quinoa recipes. Shrimp are the star ingredient here and are accompanied with tomatoes and fresh parsley and dill. A toping of crumbled feta cheese adds a nice tangy and salty finish to this satisfying meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
Two 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, with their juices
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
1 Tbs. finely chopped dill
1 ¼ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 425 degree F. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices thicken.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, dill, shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with feta over top.

Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and the cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Zucchini and Clams

Pasta dishes can be the ideal solution for planning a quick meal for any day of the week. The nutritional value of this meal is enhanced by using whole-wheat penne pasta, which gives you additional grams of fiber, and the freshness of zucchini which is rich in vitamin C and also contains useful amounts of folic acid, potassium and vitamin A. The clams that are included in this recipe are optional, based on your preference.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb whole-wheat penne pasta

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium zucchini (8oz. each), cut in half lengthwise and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick-half-moons

4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, plus strips for garnish

1 (6-ounce) can minced clams, with their juices (optional)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh basil

3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Preparation

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook according to the package directions until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely tender and just starting to brown (about 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft and fragrant, another 1-2 minutes. If using, add the canned clams and stir thoroughly. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat.

Stir in the lemon zest, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the zucchini mixture, along with the cheese, basil and parsley. Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Toss to combine, adding some of the reserved pasta water if necessary to moisten the pasta and serve immediately, topped with lemon zest strips.

Chicken Piccata

This is a classic Italian dish that I like to prepare over the weekends to have for my lunches during the week. If you are a fan of chicken, and enjoy the fresh and tangy flavors of lemon and capers, this easy to prepare meal will become one of your all time favorites. Included in this version of Chicken Piccata are artichoke hearts, which are high in dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, folic acid, magnesium, copper, manganese, niacin, vitamin B6 and phosphorous.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, halved
1/3 cup capers, drained
Salt and ground black pepper

Preparation

Place chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound with a mallet until approximately ¼-inch thick. Season well with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, lemon zest, paprika and onion powder. Mix well. Add chicken and toss to coat. Remove chicken from flour mixture and shake off any excess flour.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute approximately 3 minutes per side, until brown and cooked throughout. Add lemon juice, chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked throughout and the sauce thickens. Add artichoke hearts and capers to the mxture and simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.