Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast

Makes 8 servings

A new take on chicken breast.

Ingredients

2 ounces parmesan cheese

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking spray

Directions

1. Coarsely grate the parmesan cheese. (It should yield about ½ cup.)
2. Put the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound it out to an even thickness of about ½ inch. Rub the top side of the chicken pieces with half the mustard, then sprinkle with half the cheese, pressing lightly so it adheres, and season with half the pepper. Flip the chicken pieces over and repeat on the other side.
3. Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over a medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook, without moving it, until the cheese forms a deep brown crust on one side, 3-5 minutes, then use a spatula to flip the chicken and cook until browned on the other side and cooked through, 3-5 minutes more.

Nutrition per serving (1/2 piece): Calories: 1100, Fat: 3.5g, Carbohydrates: 0.5 g, Protein: 17.5 g.

Recipe adapted from: EllieKrieger.com. http://www.elliekrieger.com/recipe/parmesan-crusted-chicken-breast/.

Cauliflower ‘Rice’ with Cumin and Saffron

Makes 4 servings

An interesting rice alternative

Ingredients

Generous pinch saffron threads

Hot water

1/2 large head cauliflower (net weight about 1 pound)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Crumble the saffron threads into a small, stain proof bowl. Add a tablespoon of hot water so the saffron soaks while you prep the rest of the dish.
2. Cut the cauliflower into three large pieces, each with some stem attached. Hold each piece by the stem; grate the other side of the cauliflower on the large-holed side of a box grater to form ricelike pieces until you have about 4 cups. (Reserve the stems and any remaining cauliflower for another use, such as a soup.)
3. Alternatively, you can cut the half-cauliflower into florets, removing as much of the stem as possible, and grate them in the food processor using its grater-disk attachment.
4. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seed and cook for about 1 minute, stirring frequently, until toasted and fragrant. Add the grated cauliflower and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the vegetable is tender.
5. Stir in the saffron and its water and the salt until well distributed; cook for 1 minute. The cauliflower does not have to be evenly colored. Serve warm.

Nutrition per serving (1 serving): Calories: 60, Fat: 4g, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 2g.

Recipe from: EllieKrieger.com. http://www.elliekrieger.com/recipe/cauliflower-rice-with-cumin-and-saffron/