Chicken Parmesan Roll-Ups with Stuffed Ricotta Spinach

Hello, yummy! This dish was not only great in nutritional value, but was also fairly low in WW Points+ and absolutely delicious as well. Seriously, pictures and words can't even begin to do this dish justice. It's basically a combination of classic Chicken Parmesan with my recipe for Cheesy Lasagna Roll-Ups. Definitely one of my favorite recipes that I have made since I have started cooking (and my family really enjoyed this one too)! You ABSOLUTELY have to try this one yourself (and you know I mean it when I give a rave review like this one)... Enjoy!

CHICKEN PARMESAN ROLL-UPS with STUFFED RICOTTA SPINACH

Servings: 4

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 3+ for one roll-up, 7+ for two roll-ups (assuming 2 oz of chicken per roll-up)

Note: Nutritional values below do not reflect chicken or spinach and are for two roll-ups (1/4 dish) (3+)

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken cutlets (about 2-3 oz each), pounded
• 1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 TBSP Parmesan cheese
• 3 TBSP egg beaters (or egg whites)
• 2 oz frozen spinach (or to taste)
• 3 TBSP part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup WW Italian blend cheese
• 1/2 cup Light Ragu sauce, no sugar added
• Optional: salt/pepper/Italian spices to taste

Directions:

1. Cook spinach according to package directions (if frozen) and place in the freezer to cool.
2. Take each cutlet and place between two pieces of tin foil and hammer chicken until flat.
3. In one bowl, combine 1/3 cup Panko and 1 TBSP Parmesan cheese.
4. In another bowl, pour 2 TBSP egg beaters (or egg whites).
5. In a third bowl, combine 1 TBSP Parmesan cheese, 1 TBSP egg beaters, 3 TBSP ricotta cheese, and 1/4 c WW Italian cheese.
6. Remove spinach from the freezer and remove all excess water using paper towels.
7. Add dried spinach to the third bowl of cheese/egg mixture.
8. Fill each chicken cutlet with a spoonful of the cheese/egg/spinach mixture and roll up.
9. Dip chicken in the bowl with plain egg and then roll in the Panko/cheese mixture.
10. Repeat steps 8-9 until all chicken has been filled and coated (see picture to the right).
11. Bake chicken for about 22 minutes at 360° F.
12. Remove chicken from the oven and top with one spoonful of sauce and WW Italian cheese (from the remaining 1/4 cup).
13. Allow chicken to cook for about 3-5 more minutes (or until cheese begins to melt).
14. Enjoy!

 (button on right side of page)

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Chicken

Protein-packed sauce that makes a wonderful topping for melt-in-your-mouth chicken... Enjoy!

MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH CHICKEN

Servings: 5

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 1+/oz of chicken, 2+ for 1/5 serving of sauce/mixture

Note: Nutritional values below are for 1/5 serving of sauce/mixture (chicken not included)

Ingredients:

• 2-5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I used FAGE 0%)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Optional: 1/2 tsp seasoning salt, pepper to taste (see below)

Directions:

1. Combine Greek yogurt and Parmesan cheese, along with garlic powder.
2. Coat chicken throughly with mixture.
3. Bake at 375° F for about 45 minutes (watch to make sure chicken does not burn).
4. Enjoy!

Crockpot Chicken Broccoli Divan

I'm going to keep this one short... Who doesn't love a good crockpot meal? Enjoy!

CROCKPOT CHICKEN BROCCOLI DIVAN

Servings: 6

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 3+ for 1/6 serving, 1+/oz of chicken = about 7+

Note: Nutritional values below are for 1/6 serving of sauce only (does not include chicken or broccoli)

Ingredients:

• 2-5 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bag of frozen broccoli cuts
• 1 can of Healthy Request Cream of Chicken soup
• 3 TBSP mayonnaise
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 c WW Mexican blend (or cheddar) cheese

Directions:

1. Place chicken in the bottom of the crockpot and layer with 1/2 package of frozen cut broccoli (serve the rest later with dinner).
2. Combine soup, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a separate bowl and add mixture to the crockpot.
3. Top with WW Mexican blend or cheddar cheese and cook in crockpot for about 4-5 hours on low.
4. Note: if cooking in the oven, bake for about 45 minutes or so on 350°F.
5. Enjoy!

Crockpot Italian Chicken

Contrary to popular belief, this recipe is actually different from the Italian Parmesan Chicken dish I made last month (and this one was far more delicious in my opinion). Just make sure you don't cook your chicken too long... For only three ingredients and a few minutes of prep time, it's a fantastic go-to dish. Enjoy!

CROCKPOT ITALIAN CHICKEN

Servings: 3

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 1+/oz of chicken and 3+ for 1/3 serving of sauce/mix = about 7+ total

Ingredients:

I only used a "half" of each of the ingredients... feel free to use a "full" serving of each if you would like (I was just trying to cut down on fat/sodium).

• 2-4 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 can Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4 oz (1/2 pkg) Philadelphia Cream Cheese (1/3 less fat)
• 1/2 packet Kraft Italian Anything Mix

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a Crockpot and cook on low for 3 hours (or high for 1 1/2 hours).
2. Pretty simple isn't it? Enjoy!

Crockpot Lemon Chicken

Let me preface this by saying two things: 

1. No, this is not like the Chinese take-out type of lemon chicken, but more of an "herb" chicken.
2. I did not actually follow the recipe I found for this dish... (that can be found here at Chef-In-Training). I was running behind on dinner that night, and didn't take the time to make the entire dish the "proper way" (if there is a "right way" in cooking). The original recipe actually has you taking the liquid mixture from the crock pot and heating it over the stove with some corn starch to create a thicker sauce. It may then be topped with slivered almonds. I didn't have time for all that, so what you see above was what we got.

Alright, now that I've said those two things... I will add one more thing: I don't know if I cooked this chicken too long again or what, but it was very tender. I wasn't a huge fan of the texture, and ended up dipping the chicken in the applesauce on my plate (which surprisingly was a good idea). So I would suggest maybe serving with some on the side (just a thought). Enjoy!

CROCKPOT LEMON CHICKEN

Servings: Enough for 3 people to have some leftovers... so let's say 4-6?

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 1+/oz of chicken, 1+ for sauce = about 5+
Note: Nutritional values below reflect only the sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 TBSP honey dijon mustard
• 2 TBSP margarine, melted
• 1/4 tsp rosemary
• Optional: sprinkle of garlic powder/salt

Directions:

1. Heat margarine/butter in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave for a few seconds, until softened/melted.
2. Add 1 cup chicken broth and 1/4 cup lemon juice to the bowl and stir.
3. Stir in 3 TBSP honey dijon mustard and rosemary (and optional garlic powder).
4. Combine all ingredients in the crock pot (coating the chicken) and cook on low for about 3 1/2 hours.
5. Enjoy!

Zucchini Pasta Bowl

If you were to walk into Noodles & Co. and order something off their menu (unless it's the Kid's Menu), it will more than likely come as a huge portion loaded with calories, and therefore WW Points Plus (yeah, even the small bowls are loaded with calories... maybe it's because I always fall prey to their awesome Wisconsin Mac & Cheese). 

Or, you can save yourself some cash and make your own healthier pasta dish at home for around 400 calories. Win.

CREDIT

This dish is living proof that cooking is about 80% presentation (mind you 4 out of 5 statistics are made up on the spot... and 4 out of 5 dentists would recommend Colgate toothpaste). While I didn't really do anything "special" with this dish, presentation CAN change the way that someone perceives what they are eating. My family almost always used to make simple spaghetti, put beef in a pan, add sauce, top it over spaghetti, and put a veggie on the side of the plate. If you grew up in any American household that ate pasta, you know what I'm talking about (if not, look to your right).

But when you cook healthier spaghetti (Barilla Plus offers versions with a bit more protein from lentils, beans, etc), use no sugar-added sauce, substitute the meat for ground turkey, and add some veggies (and mix it all together in a bowl) you get a whole new ball game. The dinner magically becomes healthier for you and looks a bit more fancy in the process. Not only does what you're eating LOOK good, but it TASTES good, too!

ZUCCHINI PASTA BOWL

Servings: Depends on amount of pasta made (assume about 2 oz/person)... 1 bowl = 1 person

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 9+ per bowl 

(1 c cooked pasta, 1/2 cup sauce, 2 oz ground turkey, cup of zucchini, 2.5 TBSP Parmesan cheese)

Ingredients:

• Barilla Plus Spaghetti
• Light Ragu (No-Sugar Added) Pasta Sauce
• Lean Ground Turkey
• Zucchini (I used three)
• Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Heat ground turkey on the stove until brown, adding sauce when cooked (I actually kept them separate for measuring purposes so I knew the portions of what I was eating).
3. Cut up zucchini and cook over the stove until tender.
4. Add 1 cup of pasta, 1/2 cup of sauce, about 2 oz of meat, and 1 cup of zucchini to a small bowl. Top with some Parmesan cheese and stir.
5. Done! As my piano teacher used to say, "easy as cake." Okay, not really... but did some one say cake? Hmmm... sounds like it's time for some Almond Cupcakes. Enjoy!

Sausage & Sauerkraut

Imma be honest with ya'll up front. This dish has ZERO nutrition. It's comprised of sodium, salt, sodium, and more salt. Oh, and some fat (not the kind that's good for you). That's it. So if you are trying to "lose weight" or cut down on those unhealthy things in your life/reduce your sodium intake, I suggest you try 80% of the other recipes on this blog. 

That being said, this is one of my family's favorites for its simplicity (um, hello TWO ingredients and a microwave) and taste. 

My best suggestion is to only have a few spoonfuls of sauerkraut to help cut down on salt intake (everything is good for you in moderation, and it's suggested that you can actually have about 2000-2500 mg a day, which is quite a bit) and to only take one serving size (2-3 oz) of meat. While that may seem small, this dish is packed with flavor... so I would suggest that you go ahead and pair it with some fresh veggies or another light dish like a salad (or be bold, and pair them with my Homemade Mashed Potatoes like I did). While I probably wouldn't suggest making this the night before a weigh-in or the day before meeting with a trainer, you shouldn't feel guilty for splurging every once and a while!

SAUSAGE & SAUERKRAUT

Servings: 3-5

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 5+ for 2 oz. serving of sausage, 0+ for sauerkraut

Ingredients:

• Polska Kielbasa sausage
• Can of sauerkraut

Directions:

1. Open can of sauerkraut and place into a small baking dish.
2. Cut Polska Kielbasa sausage into small 2 oz links (about 7 small chunks from the whole sausage) and add them to the dish.
3. Microwave for 5 minutes.
4. Voila! How easy was that?!

Italian Parmesan Chicken

Give it a go and tell me if you like it or not. My family LOVED it, I not so much (I am not one for zesty foods, and much more prefer my Parmesan Ranch Chicken... they are very similar recipes, though).

ITALIAN PARMESAN CHICKEN

Servings: About 4 (depends on amount of chicken)

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 1+/oz of chicken, about 1-2+ for spices (nutrition below was for 1/4 mixture)

 = about 6+

Ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 TBSP egg beaters (or one egg white... can also omit this and use water to help moisten the chicken)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup Panko
• 1/2 packet Good Seasonings Zesty Italian mix
• 3/4 cup WW Italian blend cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and coat a cooking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Note: I did not cut the chicken into strips as we had it frozen, although I would highly recommend that this dish be served in small pieces and not as a large chunk of meat, so slice chicken into small length-wise strips.
3. In a small bowl, combine Panko, garlic powder, Italian mix and some of the cheese.
4. Dip chicken into the egg and then coat in the spice mixture.
5. Place in the pan to bake for about 40-45 minutes at 350° F (if whole chicken, may need to lower cooking time/adjust for strips) or until center of meat is no longer pink.
6. Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Shells

My Nana ate her entire plate of this dinner (if you knew her, you would know how rare of an occasion this is). And if the master chef says its good and continues to talk about how delicious it was the following day, you know this dish has to be pretty darn fantastic. Needless to say, I'll probably end up making this recipe more than once in the future (just like how my mom requested my Parmesan Ranch Chicken over again this week). This recipe is basically from Weight Watchers, although has been slightly adapted... Enjoy!

CHEESY CHICKEN STUFFED SHELLS

Servings: Makes about 12-18 shells total (3-6 people)

Nutritional Information:

WW Points Plus: 3+ per shell

Ingredients:

• About 12-18 jumbo pasta shells 
• Note: It may be wise to boil/cook more shells than you think you may need in case they break!
• About 1½ c pasta sauce/canned tomato sauce
• 2 large egg whites, gently beaten
• 1¾ c part skim ricotta cheese
• 8 oz. roasted skinless boneless chicken breast
• 2/3 c frozen spinach (chopped) thawed (drain all excess water)  
•  2 tsp garlic powder
•  ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp basil
• ¾ c part-skim mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• ¼ c grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cook shells in boiling water according to box directions. Rinse with cold water and set aside for later use.
3. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and coat the bottom of the pan with some of the pasta sauce (about ½ c or so) and set aside.
4. Using a food processor (or knife), cut/chop the chicken until into small pieces.
5.  In a separate bowl, combine egg whites, ricotta, chicken, spinach, garlic powder, basil, and oregano. Stir in ¼ c of mozzarella and 2 TBSP of parmesan cheese.
6. Fill each shell with mixture and place filled shells in the baking dish on top of the sauce. Spread remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until cheese begins to melt.
7. Enjoy!

Mom's Meatloaf

This picture just doesn't do this meal justice... it was delicious. While this is a basic recipe, I will sheepishly admit that it was in fact my first time making this dish. So I've included it on Cooking Cadenza should another new chef (like myself) need a recipe (or the nutrition info) for a quick and simple meatloaf.

MOM'S MEATLOAF

Servings: 8

Nutritional Information:

The first time I made this recipe, I used lean (80%) ground beef. And wow was there a TON of grease. The next time I put this meal together for my dad's birthday, I used extra lean (90%) ground beef. Values below reflect the two various fat contents... Sure, the 90% has a little more sodium/cholesterol. But I feel like the additional protein and lack of disgusting dishes to clean up afterwards makes up for it.

WW Points Plus: 7+ for 80% (lean),  6+ for 90% (extra lean)

Ingredients:

• About 24 oz (about 1.5 lbs) (extra) lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c oatmeal
• 1/2 c ketchup
• 1/8 c onion
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until ketchup, egg, oatmeal, and spices have thoroughly coated the meat.
3. Place all ingredients into a medium sized dish and bake in the oven for about an hour or until the edges begin to brown.
4. Enjoy!