Zesty Pork Chops with Salsa

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick vegetable cooking spray

1/2 tsp vegetable oil

1 (6-oz) lean pork chop, boneless

1/4 cup medium salsa

2 tsp canned, diced green chilies

Pinch of cumin

2 tbsp frozen corn

1/4 cup long-grain brown rice, cooked according to package directions without salt or fat

1 tbsp onion, chopped

1 tbsp red bell pepper, chopped

1/8 (15 1/4-oz) can red kidney beans,drained

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
In a small skillet sprayed with nonstick vegetable cooking spray, heat 1/2 tsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chop and cook for 3 minutes on each side to brown. Combine salsa, green chilies, cumin, and corn in skillet. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. In another skillet sprayed with nonstick vegetable cooking spray, over medium-high heat, add onion and red bell pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add kidney beans, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooked rice and mix well. Serve pork chop with rice mixture.

**I also had a small dinner roll**
Serves 1. ( i have been doubling so that tim can get a taste too)

***I did not have beans, onion or bell pepper so i omitted those. I also recommend cutting the fat off the pork chops and using that instead of oil.***

**These were very tasty and had a great bite

*Tim took for lunch today so his review is forthcoming.

Chicken Kabobs with Fettuccini

Yesterday's dinner

INGREDIENTS

1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

2 tbsp water

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1(4-oz) chicken breast, boneless, skinned,cut into 1" pieces

1/2 medium onion, cut into 2 wedges

1/2 medium zucchini cut crosswise into1/2" slices

3 medium mushrooms, stems removed

2 large cherry tomatoes

1/8 (13 3/4-oz) can water-packedartichoke hearts, drained, chopped

1 tbsp low-fat sour cream

Pinch of salt (i am not allowed salt so i didn't add this)

Pinch of pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
In a bowl dissolve the bouillon granules in 2 tbsp water. Add the balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp olive oil, basil, and oregano. Set aside. Thread the chicken, zucchini, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes onto metal skewer, alternating chicken and vegetable pieces. Place in a baking dish. Pour the balsamic vinegar mixture over kabob. Cover and marinate for 20 minutes (turn occasionally). Transfer kabob from baking dish to a broiler pan and broil 6 inches from the heat source for 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken is done (turn once under broiler). Toss fettuccini noodles with artichoke hearts and low-fat sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Serves 1.
484 cal

2 oz fettuccini noodles, cooked according to package directions without salt or fat

***this was very tasty and i confess i didn't put my veges on the skewer as simply i don't' like those veges and i prefer cold tomatoes so not sure if it was close enough to the recipe but it was good none the less ***

**I used pre-cooked chicken and cut the baking time in half**

*Tim said it was okay but he doesn't like white meat*

Crispy Baked CHICKEN

Okay armed with a list of ingredients that i will need to start this new "healthy" lifestyle. I stopped by Vons grocers last night and wondered the stored looking for the things that i would need. Fruit, veges, spices, seasonings, bread, meat, seeds and a few other things and water ... now i am not a big spice cooker so i am going to be learning as i go along.
I found a great website (http://www.changingdiabetes-us.com/Tools/MenuPlanner/Setup.aspx )that will help me meal plan based on the amount of calories that the doctor said i can have.
Armed with my renewed I CAN DO ATTITUDE and a recipe that has items that i can eat.
I decided to bake this CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion powder
Dash of paprika
Dash of pepper
Dash of salt
Dash of dried Italian seasoning
1 egg white
1/2 tbsp water
1, 6-oz boneless, skinned chicken breast
Nonstick vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup long-grain brown rice, cooked according to directions without salt or fat

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS
Crispy Baked Chicken Crispy Baked Chicken
Preheat oven to 350°F. Crush crispy rice cereal in a bowl and add garlic
powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning. Mix well.
Whisk egg white and water in a shallow bowl and coat chicken breast with
egg mixture then coat chicken in crushed cereal mixture. Place on a baking
sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake uncovered for 1
hour or until done. Serves 1.

***my thoughts, i used precooked chicken (i had some boiled and stored in the freezer) so the cooking time wasn't as long as 1 hr, it didn't seem to effect the topping. I did omit the onion powder as all i had was onion salt (i think that it would have been better with the powder)
I also sliced the chicken breast in half and cooked for 2 and it was quit filling.*** **tim thought that it was a tad dry (he usually only eats the dark meat) but he said it was good**