Chicken Breast and Veggie Medley Pizza

Oftentimes, we think of Pizza as a 'no-no' when trying to lose weight, or when opting for a healthier lifestyle. Not exactly true! It all depends on what's on the pizza.

Here is one that is pretty healthy (even better than the recipe I posted earlier). It is another great alternative to pizza from your favorite pizza joint, loaded with toppings and a little twist to your traditional pizza.

Ingredients
4 slices of deli style, oven roasted chicken breast - diced
I small tomato - diced (Here is the twist. Use diced fresh tomato instead of tomato/marinara sauce)
1/8 of a small red onion - minced
1/4 of a medium green pepper - diced
8 biscuits (store bought biscuit dough)
2/3 of a cup of shredded reduced fat four cheese blend cheese
salt and pepper

Step 1: Prepare all your ingredients and flatten each biscuit to your desired thickness.



Step 2: Assemble the pizzas in the following order on a baking sheet - Tomatoes, onions, green peppers, chicken, cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; and a quick spray (of cooking spray).



Step 3: Place in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 10- 15 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

* If you are on Weight Watcher's like I am, each one is only 2 points.
** An excellent dish to prepare with the kids. I know my niece or nephew would love building this one with me.

Something New : Jicama

I recently made some changes to my diet, and one of them was to eat a lot more vegetables. I usually get bored of eating the same thing, so I decided to try a new vegetable. My vegetable of choice was the Jicama. Why the Jicama you may ask? Well, as an avid 'food network' watcher who likes to try recipes and ingredients the chefs talk about - when they kept mentioning this vegetable, I knew I had to try it.

Here is what it looks like raw. Most people describe it as looking sort of like a turnip.



I decided to chop it up (sort of like french fries) and then sautee in a sprayed pan with salt, black pepper and a little cayenne to give it a kick. I cooked it for about 5 minutes, turning over a few times to prevent from burning.



Then, I served it with some homemade kidney beans and boiled plantains.



What does it taste like? It's sweet and crispy, and sort of reminds me of a water chestnut and a pear at the same time. It is arguably an acquired taste, but a forkful of the plantain, Jicama and kidney beans, was absolutely delightful.

Don't be afraid to try something new... you just might love it!

7 1/2 minute Tuna Burger

I sort of have a love/hate relationship with canned tuna. A few years ago, I couldn't get enough of it, but then suddenly things changed and a can of tuna would sit in my pantry/cupboard for months. It wasn't like I would forget about it, it just didn't pique my interest or taste buds any longer.

Traditionally, canned tuna is mixed with mayo (and corn if you are British) to make tuna salad, or topped with cheese to make a tuna melt sandwich. However, I am not really a fan of either of these popular choices.

The solution for me was simple. Stay away from canned tuna when grocery shopping! A great solution indeed, since it has been years since I picked some up. Nonetheless, I ended up with a can of tuna in my cupboard a few weeks ago. A friend of mine (bless her) was going back to France after a 10 month stint as an exchange student in the US, and rather than be wasteful, she gladly dumped the contents of her pantry on me. Never one to refuse to lend a helping hand, I accepted these items with open hands. As a result, I ended up with a can of tuna.

The can sat there for a few weeks and then, I became determined to do something with it. I pondered for a long minute and then... it came to me. Maybe I can make a tuna burger? I looked up a few recipes online and didn't really like what I was finding. Most recipes had way too many ingredients. As you may know, I like to keep it simple.

So... after a tweak or two, here is what I came up with.

Ingredients
1 5oz can of tuna (chicken of the sea is excellent)
1 medium egg (whisk separately first)
1 tbsp of flour
1 1/2 tbsps of mined red onions (yellow or white will do just fine)
1 1/2 tbsps of minced green peppers (or red)
A dash of hot sauce or chilli sauce (Nandos garlic peri-peri sauce works great. That is, if you can lay your hands on a bottle)
1/4 tbsp of thyme (or your favorite herb)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation
Drain all the liquid from the tuna. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Divide into two and mold into burger patties (the mixture would be a bit wet , but not to worry).
Heat a skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
Cook patties on each side for about 2 minutes.

Serve on your favorite bun with whatever condiments you love. I spread some fat-free cream cheese (an excellent and healthy substitute to mayo) on a whole wheat bun and placed my patty in the middle.

The aroma of the burgers alone, as they cook, will have you salivating long before you take your first bite. In the words of Rachel Ray, 'Yum-o'!

* Mix up a quick coleslaw with store bought coleslaw mix, salt, black pepper and white vinegar and serve along side.
** Each burger patty is 2 Weight Watcher's points.

Quick 'n Easy Pasta Salad

We are well into the summertime, and for most people that equals barbeque season.

Heading out to a friend's barbie (as the aussies would say)??? It is customary, or at least polite to bring something. Of course, you can pick something up from the store, but if you want to make it more personal, here is a quick and tasty pasta salad to help out.

What you need
1 box of your favorite pasta (I used Farfalle or bow tie pasta in the pic)
1/3 a cup of mayo (1/2 a cup if you like it really creamy)
2 celery sticks (diced very finely)
1/4 of a medium sized red bell pepper (diced very finely)
1/4 of a medium sized red onion (diced very finely)
2 tbsps white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

What to do
Boil pasta until al dente (don't add salt to the water)
Drain and rinse with cold water a few times to cool it down
Add mayo, celery, red pepper, red onion, vinegar, salt and pepper
Mix thoroughly to make sure all the ingredients are properly incorporated
Refrigerate for at least an hour

Then... all you have to do is get ready, and head out to the BBQ.

Don't be surprised as everyone devours your dish and goes for seconds and thirds. Don't worry, it's okay to be a hit for your looks and personality, as well as everyone's favorite side dish.