Recipe Makeover - Fettuccine Alfredo

One of my go-to recipe sites is Kraft Kitchens Canada. They offer great ideas for meals and snacks. I got this recipe makeover for Fettuccine Alfredo from them and it is delicious. You and your family will not miss all the extra calories & fat.

Bueno Apetito!

Ingredients:

300 g (1/3 of 900-g pkg.) fettuccine, uncooked
1 lb. (450 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-1/4 cups 25%-less-sodium chicken broth
4 tsp. flour
1/3 cup (1/3 of 250-g tub) PHILADELPHIA Light Cream Cheese Spread
3 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Light Parmesan Grated Cheese, divided
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. pepper

Method:

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 7 min. or until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet. Mix broth and flour in same skillet. Stir in cream cheese spread, 2 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese, the nutmeg and pepper; cook 2 min., stirring constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in chicken.

DRAIN pasta; place in large serving bowl. Pour chicken mixture over pasta; toss to coat.

Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese.

Heart Healthy Fish & Chips

We really are so lucky to live in Richmond, either in or a short drive from Steveston, BC - hands down, home to some of the best fish & chip restaurants on the planet.

As much as it would be nice to frequent these restaurants, we know that eating anything deep fried too often is not a good heart healthy choice.

Dietitians of Canada: Women's Health and Nutrition position paper suggests consuming two to three fish meals per week, along with a low-fat diet, for heart health. Although all fish aren't high in omega-3s, they still can contribute important amounts of these fatty acids if they're eaten regularly.

With this recommendation in mind and this recipe in hand, you can still have your regular fix of fish & chips, by just revisiting the preparation method to make it a healthier choice.

To Prepare the Fish:

1. fish fillet (any type - halibut, cod, salmon are all great choices and easily found at the grocery store).
2. flour
3. egg (lightly scrambled you can use white only if you wish)
4. bread coating (you can use Corn Flake crumbs, breadcrumbs, finely chopped nuts, even a packaged Shake & Bake coating)

Mix together the bread coating with salt & pepper to taste. Dip fish fillets into the flour, shake well to remove excess, then into egg, and finally into the bread coating mixture until evenly coated. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment. Cook 12-15 minutes until cooked through and golden.

To prepare the Chips:

1. Potatoes, Yams or Sweet Potatoes - or a combination thereof.
2. Olive Oil

Scrub and slice potatoes, yams or sweet potatoes into wedges. Toss lightly with olive oil. Arrange wedges in single layer, sprinkle with salt. Cook 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.

So we you get your next craving for fish & chips, remember to give this a try, your heart and your waistline will thank you.

In good health,

Susan

Doing the Dinner Dance

It's a source of contention for all of us, whether you're a stay at home mommy, work from home mommy, work out of the home mommy or combination thereof. Dinner time is a source of stress for us all.

Since school began a few weeks ago, I have been trying very hard to get the family on a strict meal schedule. It's been a mandate of mine to have us eat as a family as much as possible. In the world where we live this is easier said than done. My husband has a wacky schedule which more often than not does not put him at home when the dinner bell tolls. I still try my best to have the boys and I sit together to eat, TV off, distraction free. Being a stay at home mom I have the extra time available to me to shop & meal plan, I type this with a smile on my face in that being said, its rarely the case, I am usually with the rest of you... doing the dinner dance at 4:30, frantically searching through the fridge & cupboards thinking "what on earth am I going to make for dinner tonight?"

A friend of mine turned me onto Kraft 5 Dinners, 1 Bag. With the help of these handy lists and 1 grocery bag full of items, you are able to quickly & easily prepare 5 nights of healthy meals for your family and relatively quick! The meals are all basic yet tasty and I have found some new favorites for our house. You can choose from the Healthy Living Bag, Chicken & Seafood Bag, Chicken & Pork Bag, or Chicken & Beef Bag to mix & match some great new selections. The recipes can easily be switched up to use organic ingredients or lower fat options.

Take a moment to check it out, instead of next time doing the dinner dance, I hope that you are doing a happy dance.

In good health,

Susan