Here’s a tasty recipe my wife and I adapted last night. It’s cheap and relatively easy to make. It is also fairly modular in that it can fit into pretty much any meal plan. If you’re on a low-carb type plan, just add your favorite veggies to the side. We added spinach and (since we don’t mind a few whole-grain carbs) a package of Near East’s Roasted Pecan and Garlic Whole Grain Blend.

A couple notes here – 1) If you’re not so much into the vinegar taste, you could cut that with something sweet, like honey or maple syrup, or you could add a bit of your favorite stock; 2) At the end of simmering, you could also stir in a bit of flour to thicken the sauce. Try it for yourself and leave a comment below telling us how you liked it and if you did anything differently to adapt it to your tastes.

Ingredients

• 3 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 1.25 lbs.), cut into halves
• 1 14.5-oz Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 Cup Red Wine (we used a Copolla Shiraz)
• 3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1/2 Medium Onion, cut into rings
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Large Portabella Caps, cut into cubes
• 1 tsp Basil
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1 tsp Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

• Season Chicken Breasts with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 Tbsp Olive Oil in large pot.
• Saute Onion, Garlic and Chicken Breast over med-hi heat until chicken is brown and onion is clear.
• Add Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Herbs, S & P, Wine, and Vinegar, bring to boil.
• Reduce heat to med-lo and simmer for about 30 minutes.

For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.

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Nothing’s better on a cold evening than chili. This is my version with turkey breast and half a beer. I like to serve it with a little grated cheese and whole grain crackers, though the cheese and crackers aren’t figured into the calorie count here. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 28-oz Can and another 15.5-oz Can Diced Tomatoes
• 3 15.5-oz Cans Beans (use a couple different kinds if you like)
• 1.25 lbs Ground Turkey Breast
• 4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 1 Medium Onion
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 6 oz of Your Favorite Beer (mine’s Sierra Nevada Pale Ale)
• 1-1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Red Pepper
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Tbsp Ketchup (optional for a little added sweetness)
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

• Heat1 Tbsp Olive Oil in large pot.
• Mix 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1 tsp Cumin, and Salt and Pepper with Turkey and cook several minutes until done. Remove meat from pot.
• Mix 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1 tsp Cumin, Salt and Pepper, and Garlic with Onion and cook until Onion is translucent.
• Place Turkey back into pot, pour half of 12-oz beer into pot and bring to a boil.
• Cook for several minutes until about half of beer is reduced.
• Add Beans, Tomatoes, Bay Leaves, 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder, 1 tsp Red Pepper, and Ketchup if desired.
• Bring to a boil, then let simmer on medium for at least 40 minutes.

For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.

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This twist on traditional paella uses turkey sausage instead of chirizo and long grain brown rice to up the health factor. It’s a great dish!

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Brown Rice, uncooked
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp Oregano
• 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cubed
• 4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 qt Chicken Stock
• 2 Lemons, zested
• 1 Medium White Onion
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb Turkey Sausage
• 10 oz Shrimp, peeled, deveined
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

• In a medium bowl mix together 1 Tbsp olive oil, paprika, oregano, and salt and pepper. Stir in chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate.
• Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in paella pan, large skillet, or pot over med heat. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and rice. Cook, stirring to coat rice with oil, for 3 minutes.
• Stir in bay leaf, parsley, chicken stock, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 25-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in separate large skillet over med heat. Stir in chicken and onion. Cook 5 min. Stir in bell pepper and sausage. Cook 5 min. Stir in shrimp. Cook 2-3 min.
• Serve meat mixture over rice.

For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.

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This seafood dinner option tastes GREAT, but it does have a little more fat in it than most of the recipes you’ll find here. One way to reduce that is to go with Reduced- or Non-Fat Feta Cheese. I like it as is, so I try to fix it in on a day I know I’ve been really good.

Ingredients

• 2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp Basil
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 10-oz Package Frozen, Peeled, Deveined Shrimp, thawed
• 1 6-oz Package Feta Cheese
• 8 Black Olives, halved
• 1/2 Lemon
• Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to Taste
• 3 Cups Cooked Rice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees
• Heat oil in large skillet over med-hi heat
• Add onion and saute until soft
• Stir in tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, basil, oregano, parsley, sesame oil, salt, and pepper and cook 4 to 5 minutes
• Remove vegetables from skillet with slotted spoon, so as to reserve liquid
• Cook shrimp in juices until pink
• Spread vegetables in bottom of 8″ by 8″ by 2″ baking dish, add shrimp and juices, then sprinkle feta on top
• Arrange olives on top of feta and squeeze lemon juice over all
• Bake 10 to 15 minutes and serve over rice

For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.

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This vegetarian dinner option takes a little more work than most of the other recipes on this site, but it’s worth it!

Ingredients

• 10 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
• 1 Cup Reduced Fat Grated Mexican Cheese Mix
• 1/2 of a 14-oz Container Soft Tofu
• 1/2 of a 15-oz Container Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
• 4-oz Can Green Chiles, drained
• 15-oz Can Black Beans
• 2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• Several Splashes of Hot Sauce
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• Salsa of Your Choice

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Cook noodles as directed on packaging
• Mix all remaining ingredients in medium-sized mixing bowl
• Use a spoon to spread black bean mixture onto one side of each noodle
• Carefully roll each noodle from one side to the other like a sleeping bag
• Place rolls seam side down into a baking dish (spread a bit of oil or use cooking spray to prevent sticking)
• Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through
• Top with salsa and a bit of cilantro

For a printable PDF version of this recipe, click here.

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