Baked Pesto Chicken (from momswhothink.com)

This one is probably less of a kid pleaser due to the pesto, but I serve it with angel hair and my daughter will eat it up. Again, it's the noodles she can't resist.

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup basil pesto
2 plum tomatoes
shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover cookie sheet with foil.
2. Put pesto and chicken in bowl. Toss until chicken is covered.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Place slices of tomato on top of chicken and sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake another 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition estimates:

Amount Per Serving

Calories 252 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10.0g 15%

Saturated Fat 3.2g 16%

Cholesterol 105mg 35%

Sodium 143mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 3.5g 1%

Dietary Fiber 0.7g 3%

Sugars 2.5g

Protein 35.5g

Fettuccine Alfredo - cut out from some magazine somewhere

H will eat just about anything if it has noodles, but she goes crazy for this dish. I've made it several times and it tastes like an indulgent treat and not yogurt-y at all. Recipe below will make 4 servings. The prep is a little bit of a bitch, unless you can find pre-shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese. I never can.

8 oz fettuccine (whole wheat if you can stomach it)

1 tablespoon butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Pinch of ground nutmeg

3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

Salt & pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to boil and prepare fettuccine as indicated on package. While pasta cooks, melt butter in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook two minutes. Combine cornstarch and nutmeg in a small bowl; whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Pour mixture into saute pan, raise the heat, and bring sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the cheese until melted. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in yogurt until smooth. Toss cooked fettuccine with sauce. Season with salt and pepper and top with the remaining cheese.

Estimated nutrition information:

Amount Per Serving

Calories 302 Calories from Fat 86

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.6g 15%

Saturated Fat 5.3g 26%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 68mg 23%

Sodium 421mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates 35.5g 12%

Sugars 1.9g

Protein 18.2g

Chicken Fajitas - Adapted from the Zone

This one is pretty good and I can usually get H to eat the chicken, tortillas, and fixins. She spits out the peppers & onions though, but I like them. You do have to marinate the chicken ahead of time, so it takes a little bit of planning ahead. Once the marinating is done, it only takes about 30 minutes to make. Overall, it's a relatively simple meal to pull together. The recipe below will make about 4 servings.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 tablespoons salsa

2 tablespoons lime juice (the original recipe called for 8 tablespoons, but I found it waaay too tart for my liking. But if you like it tart, then add more)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 cup (or more) water

1 green pepper, cut into quarters, seeds and membranes removed

1 red pepper, cut into quarters, seeds and membrane removed

1 small yellow onion, sliced and microwaved on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring after one minute

8 tortillas

fajita fixins (whatever you like - I usually go with guacamole and tomatoes. Whatever you add just make sure to add to the calorie count)

Slice chicken breasts cross-wise into ~1/2-inch strips. Place in a glass dish with salsa, lime juice, salt & pepper and enough water to cover. Cover and refrigerate ~ 8 hours.

Remove marinated chicken from fridge. Into a large skillet, over high eat, pour liquid from chicken and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the chicken strips and using a wise wooden spatula, toss frequently. When chicken turns opaque, but is not yet thoroughly cooked, add the peppers and onion. Continue cooking and tossing the mixture. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and it begins to sizzle. Give one more toss and remove from heat. Serve with tortillas and fixins.

Estimated Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving

Calories 353 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 10.0g 15%

Saturated Fat 2.6g 13%

Cholesterol 101mg 34%

Sodium 316mg 13%

Total Carbohydrates 28.9g 10%

Dietary Fiber 5.0g 20%

Sugars 4.2g

Protein 36.8g