CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Bulgur is a low calorie alternative to rice, and it has lots of fiber and protein, so I replaced Basmati rice with bulgur in this recipe to make it light and nutritious. I'm not big on Indian food but this version of chicken tikka masala speaks to my Turkish palate.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
4 tbsp Patak's Original Tikka Masala curry paste
4 tomatoes 
1 cup Fage Total Greek Yogurt (Zero Fat)
2 cups bulgur
1 small onion
1 tbsp olive oil
Black pepper

Dice two tomatoes and one fourth of a small onion. Puree them using a hand/kitchen blender. Add a pinch of black pepper to taste. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a pot. Add the sauce, two cups of bulgur and 3 cups of boiled water. Cook for about 20 minutes on medium heat or until tender.
Remove the skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken and carve the breast meat. Break it into smaller pieces using your fingers. Mix one cup yogurt, two pureed tomatoes and four tablespoons of tikka masala curry paste. Add pieces of chicken and stir in a pan for 15 minutes over medium heat. Serve one cup of chicken tikka masala over one cup of bulgur pilaf.

Calories: 554 Protein: 56   Carbohydrates: 50    Fat: 15 Fiber: 10     Sodium: 920 

CHICKEN ASPARAGUS SOUP

I created this recipe using whatever is in the fridge. The result was a great-tasting soup with nutritious ingredients. Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid and a good source of Vitamin C. Zucchini (the secret ingredient here) is also cited as an excellent source of vitamin C. There's nothing like a healthy homemade winter soup!

* An excellent source provides 40% or more of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance.

Chicken Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:
12 oz 99% fat free chicken breast tenders
1 bunch of asparagus spears
2 small zucchinis
4 tomatoes
1 glove garlic
1 small onion
1 tbsp olive oil
Black pepper

Puree zucchinis, tomatoes, garlic, quarter of a small onion and a pinch of black pepper using a kitchen blender or a hand blender. Heat olive oil in a medium pot. Add the mix and the chicken breast sliced in cubes. Cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Trim asparagus spears and cut in one inch slices. Add to the pot and cook for three minutes. Do not overcook because you want the asparagus to be crisp and not mushy. This soup serves three and you can find the calorie values per serving (without salt) below.

Calories: 360 Protein: 33 Carbohydrates: 24 Fat: 17 Fiber: 8 Sodium: 573

BULGUR PILAF WITH BEEF AND BEANS

Another random creation, my take on bulgur.  Even I was surprised to see how tasty it turned out.

Bulgur Pilaf with Beef and Beans

Ingredients:
2 cups bulgur
1 pound beef stew meat
1 pound green beans
4 small tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper
1 small onion
2 tbsp olive oil
Black pepper
Salt

Dice two tomatoes and half of a small onion. Puree them using a hand blender or a regular blender. Add a pinch of black pepper and salt to taste. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a pot. Add the sauce and beef stew meat. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Wash and cut off tips of the green beans. Then cut the beans into smaller (about an inch) pieces and add to the pot. Cook for 15 minutes or until the beans become tender.
Dice two tomatoes and one fourth of red bell pepper. Puree them using a hand blender or a regular blender. Add a pinch of black pepper and salt to taste. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a pot. Add the sauce, two cups of bulgur and 3 cups of boiled water. Cook for about 20 minutes on medium heat or until tender.
Place two cups of beef stew on a cup of bulgur. Here are the calorie values for no salt added version:

Calories: 809    Protein: 64  Carbohydrates: 85  Fat: 25  Fiber: 27  Sodium: 130

CHICKEN PESTO ROLLS

Chicken Pesto Rolls

Ingredients:
8 Foster Farms boneless skinless chicken breast tenders
16 asparagus spears
2 oranges
2 slices Thomas whole wheat bagel thins
1 tablespoon Santini pesto sauce

Cut chicken breast in thin strips, spread pesto on each strip and roll. Pierce each chicken roll with a toothpick. Spray a pan with canola oil and fry up the rolls on their sides until they are light golden brown. Trim asparagus spears and cook them in boiling water for about five minutes or until tender. Slice toasted bagels into four and an orange into three wheels. Serve on the side of four ounces of chicken and eight asparagus spears.

Calories: 342    Protein: 35   Carbohydrates: 44   Fat: 6   Fiber: 10   Sodium: 776

VEGGIE PATTIES

I know this may seem like a crazy combination of ingredients to some of you, but trust me, it tastes good.

Veggie Patties

Ingredients:
1 MorningStar Farms® Veggie Sausage Patty
1 Mission 96% fat free whole wheat tortilla
3 Brussel sprouts
4 asparagus spears
½ lemon

Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Cook Brussels sprouts in a pot of boiling water mixed with the juice of ½ lemon for 5 minutes. Trim asparagus spears and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Microwave a veggie sausage patty for 45 seconds. You can find Morning Star frozen patties at Costco. I like them because they are high in protein and low in carbs. One patty is only 80 calories. Lay a tortilla on a plate, place burger patty and veggies on top. You can slice the patty, add ½ cup low fat Mexican cheese blend and make a wrap as well.

THINK THIN DESSERT

I created this recipe using high protein ingredients including a protein bar. It’s very filling and you can even replace lunch with this.

Think Thin Dessert

Ingredients:
1 Think Thin Brownie Crunch
7 oz Fage Total Greek Yogurt (Zero Fat)
2 Strawberries
½ cup Blackberries
2 Eti Burcak biscuits (Byblos carries this brand)
3 hazelnuts

Crush biscuits and place them in a wine glass. Add blackberries. Dice strawberries and mix in a bowl with yogurt. Stir well until its color turns pink. Slice protein bar into small cubes. Layer yogurt mix and Think Thin cubes in the glass. Top with three hazelnuts.

Calories: 440    Protein: 38   Carbohydrates: 50   Fat: 13   Fiber: 8   Sodium: 102

CHICKEN TACOS

Soft Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken
1 Mission 96% fat free whole wheat tortilla
2 large avocados
2 limes
4 tomatoes
1 small onion
Black pepper

Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocados from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocados. Add half of a chopped onion and the juice of two limes. Season with black pepper. In another bowl, mix the other half of the chopped onion with diced tomatoes. Remove the skin from a store-bought rotisserie chicken and carve the breast meat. Break it into smaller pieces using your fingers. Place four ounces of chicken, one cup of tomato/onion mix and a tablespoon of guacamole on a whole wheat tortilla. Enjoy!

Calories: 334    Protein: 34   Carbohydrates: 36   Fat: 8   Fiber: 5   Sodium: 518