Thai Chicken Pizza

EW (Test Kitchen)

Serve this Thai twist on pizza as is or with optional toppings, such as thinly sliced basil, cilantro, chopped peanuts and/or crushed red pepper on the side. Make it a meal: Round out the menu with Tropical Cucumber Salad.

Servings: 6 servings
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Health: Low Sat Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium, Heart Healthy


Ingredients:

20 prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (see Shopping Tip)
1/4 smooth natural peanut butter
3 water
2 reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 rice vinegar
2 minced fresh ginger
1 garlic , minced
1 canola oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken breast , trimmed and diced
1 red bell pepper , diced
4 scallions , thinly sliced
2/3 shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese


Steps:

1: Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2: Roll out or stretch dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 16-inch oval. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake on the bottom rack until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.

3: Meanwhile, whisk peanut butter, water, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and garlic in a small bowl until well combined.

4: Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, scallions and 1 tablespoon of the peanut sauce to the chicken; toss to combine.

5: Remove the crust from the oven; spread evenly with the remaining peanut sauce. Top with the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with cheese. Return the pizza to the oven and bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11 to 13 minutes.

Nutrition: (Per serving) Calories - 355 Carbohydrates - 42 Fat - 9 Saturated Fat - 2 Monounsaturated Fat - 1 Protein - 20 Cholesterol - 29 Dietary Fiber - 3 Potassium - 151 Sodium - 447 Nutrition Bonus - Vitamin C (45 daily value), Vitamin A (15 dv).

Look for balls of whole-wheat pizza dough, fresh or frozen, at your supermarket. Choose a brand without hydrogenated oils.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins Simmons, Marie
The secret to the sparkling flavor of these delicately crumbed muffins is the strips of lemon zest finely ground into the sugar. Enjoy the muffins warm right from the oven.
Servings: 1 dozen muffinsTotal Time: 40 minutesEase of Preparation: EasyHealth: Low Calorie, Low Sat Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium, Heart Healthy, Healthy WeightIngredients:1 each lemon 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip) 1/3 cup canola oil 1 each large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup white whole-wheat flour or whole-wheat pastry flour (see Shopping Tip) 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (not thawed) raspberries Steps:
1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 large (1/2-cup) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2: Use a vegetable peeler to remove the zest from the lemon in long strips. Combine the zest and sugar in a food processor; pulse until the zest is very finely chopped into the sugar. Add buttermilk, oil, egg and vanilla and pulse until blended.
3: Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in raspberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups.
4: Bake the muffins until the edges and tops are golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm.Nutrition: (Per muffin)Calories - 185Carbohydrates - 27Fat - 7Saturated Fat - 1Monounsaturated Fat - 4Protein - 4Cholesterol - 18Dietary Fiber - 2Potassium - 42Sodium - 245
Wrap each in plastic and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove plastic, wrap muffin in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds.
No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole wheat. Whole-wheat pastry flour can be used as a substitute here. Both can be found in the natural-foods section of the supermarket or online from King Arthur Flour, bakerscatalogue.com.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Weinstein, Bruce & Scarbrough, Mark
Here's a new take on an American classic. Tahini (sesame paste) makes the cookies sophisticated for adults and lower in saturated fat, while brown sugar and chocolate keeps them ever so delicious for the whole family.
Servings: about 45 cookiesTotal Time: 1 hourEase of Preparation: ModerateHealth: Low Calorie, Low Carb, Low Sat Fat, Low Sodium, Heart Healthy, Diabetes Appropriate, Healthy WeightIngredients:2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking) 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup tahini (see Ingredient note) 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut into pieces 2/3 cup granulated sugar or 1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 each large egg 1 each large egg white 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped walnuts Steps:
1: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2: Whisk oats, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat tahini and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended into a paste. Add granulated sugar (or Splenda) and brown sugar; continue beating until well combined-the mixture will still be a little grainy. Beat in egg, then egg white, then vanilla. Stir in the oat mixture with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
3: With damp hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the batter into a ball, place it on a prepared baking sheet and flatten it until squat, but don't let the sides crack. Continue with the remaining batter, spacing the flattened balls 2 inches apart.
4: Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the pans cool for a few minutes before baking another batch.Nutrition: (Per cookie)Calories - 101Carbohydrates - 13Fat - 5Saturated Fat - 2Monounsaturated Fat - 1Protein - 2Cholesterol - 7Dietary Fiber - 1Potassium - 0Sodium - 45
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.

Sweet-&-Sour Chicken Drumsticks EW (Test Kitchen)
Chicken drumsticks stay deliciously moist when grilled—even with the skin removed. Minty sweet-and-sour dipping sauce adds a refreshing twist to "ordinary" grilled chicken. Make it a meal: Serve with brown rice and slices of fresh pineapple.
Servings: 4 servingsTotal Time: 40 minutesEase of Preparation: EasyHealth: Low Calorie, Low Carb, Low Sat Fat, Low Sodium, Heart Healthy, Healthy WeightIngredients:1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup water 3 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar , divided 1/2 teaspoon salt , divided 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 8 each chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds), skin removed, trimmed 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Steps:
1: Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Broiler Variation, below.)
2: To prepare dipping sauce, combine orange zest, orange juice, water, honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and coriander in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch and the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Add to the saucepan and return to a boil, whisking until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in mint.
3: Sprinkle drumsticks with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the drumsticks until crispy on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total. Serve the drumsticks with the dipping sauce on the side. Broiler variation: Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler to high. Prepare sauce (Step 2). Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle drumsticks with salt and pepper (Step 3), then broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total.Nutrition: (Per serving)Calories - 255Carbohydrates - 16Fat - 8Saturated Fat - 2Monounsaturated Fat - 3Protein - 29Cholesterol - 93Dietary Fiber - 1Potassium - 315Sodium - 389Nutrition Bonus - Selenium (27 daily value), Vitamin C (15 dv).
To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Dont use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Turkey & Tomato Panini EW (Carolyn Malcoun)
A creamy spread full of Parmesan and fresh basil cozies up to turkey and summer-ripe tomato slices for a savory hot sandwich that will quickly become a go-to mealtime solution.
Servings: 4 servingsTotal Time: 25 minutesEase of Preparation: EasyHealth: Low Calorie, High Fiber, Low Sat Fat, Low Cholesterol, Heart Healthy, Healthy WeightIngredients:3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon lemon juice Freshly ground pepper to taste 8 slices whole-wheat bread 8 ounces thinly sliced reduced-sodium deli turkey 8 each tomato slices 2 teaspoons canola oil Steps:
1: Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.
2: Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and pepper in a small bowl. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the mixture on each slice of bread. Divide turkey and tomato slices among 4 slices of bread; top with the remaining bread.
3: Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.Nutrition: (Per serving)Calories - 272Carbohydrates - 36Fat - 4Saturated Fat - 1Monounsaturated Fat - 1Protein - 10Cholesterol - 27Dietary Fiber - 5Potassium - 118Sodium - 680Nutrition Bonus - Fiber (20 daily value), Calcium & Iron (15 dv).