Easy Summer Dinner: Panko Crusted Chicken & Garden Salad

Every once in awhile I want to change up an old recipe and try out a healthier version.  Sometimes it takes a few attempts to perfect the recipe and sometimes - you nail it on the first try!  The latter was tonight! : )

I cut a skinless 7 oz chicken breast into strips, shaking them in a plastic bag to coat them lightly with whole wheat flour (about 1/2 cup).  Taking them out of the bag, I brushed them sparingly with one egg white and 2 Tbsp of water whisked together, removing them to a mixing bowl holding 3/4 cup of seasoned panko crumbs, coating the chicken pieces thoroughly. 

In a medium cast iron skillet, I'd heated 4 Tbsp of rosemary EVOO (which, I'm proud to say, I made myself from my own little herb garden) and placed the chicken pieces together in the skillet for about 3 minutes on the 1st side, 2 minutes on the second, creating a nice brown, crunchy coating on the chicken.

Removing the chicken pieces with tongs, I placed them on a paper towel to remove any excess EVOO (there wasn't much) and cool a bit while I whipped up 1/4 cup each of Dijon mustard and fresh honey, squeezed a lemon over the chicken and about a tsp into the dressing, adding 1 Tbsp of light Hellman's mayo and whisking all together. Perfect honey mustard for dipping the chicken into!

My Lexington Farmers' Market trip had provided me with fresh baby greens and tomatoes and fresh mushrooms so I quickly rinsed all and arranged them in a bowl with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

Dinner in about 15 minutes total from start to finish and enough left-over chicken to have as part of lunch today! All good and all healthy! : )

Bon appetit!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Thank You HEALTH Magazine! : )

I was delighted to find a package waiting for me last week when I returned home from work one evening!  Inside was the new book The Carb Lovers Diet: Eat What You Love, Get Slim for Life from Health Magazine's Editor in Chief, Ellen Kune, and Frances Largeman-Roth, RD, also of Health.  I'd won this a few weeks ago during Health's first Twitter party about healthy swaps which had been a lot of fun and I picked up some good, healthy tips over the course of the evening! : )

Not only did the book arrive, but a copy of this month's Health magazine AND a surprise bronze bag/pocketbook was in the package -- so nice!


Recipe on pg 132 of Carb Lovers Diet
 I haven't read the book yet but I have thumbed through it and it looks great.  It includes a food plan in the book which incorporates "CarbLovers approved" foods I already eat like Kashi bars and Boca burgers with recipes. There is a section with CarbLovers workouts. too, that are easy to follow and have photos to go along with each move (this is always a great thing about Health Magazine, they make it simple to do what they are telling you with clear photos)!  Carb Lovers Diet looks like a great overall plan so I'm willing to give it a read and a shot! : )  I *do* like carbs, I must admit!

Many thanks to Health Magazine for the great book, bag and mag I received! I've been a Health subscriber for years now and always look forward to the new issue arriving in my mailbox. 

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

How do you lose 100 pounds? You eat HEALTHY! :)

Did you know that July is National Blueberry Month? A full month is devoted to those little delicious blue antioxidant berries that I love year round but especially when they're 'in season' in New England.  I just found out about the July designation the other day when Boston Globe's Sunday Magazine featured the Geddes Blueberry Farm in Gilmanton, NH. (The article is definitely worth a read and then maybe a trip to scenic Gilmanton if you, like me, have an interest in supporting local farms and small farmers by buying locally.)

That same interest in supporting small, local farms has led me many times to family owned Verrill Farm in Concord, Mass. On Friday I saw a tweet from John (the Farm's great marketing guy!) @VerrillFarm who posted about their Blueberry Pancake Breakfast scheduled for the following morning.

"Hmm," I thought, "I love blueberries - I'm going!" and tweeted back pretty much just that to John.  My tweet was seen by Kathy of @Bos_Sportswoman and she asked about details of the event and within moments we had plans to meet on Saturday morning at the farm to attend!

Thunderstorms and threatening skies didn't stop us from spending a great July Saturday morning together. The Verrill Farm Blueberry Pancake Breakfast was in full swing when I arrived... tents had been erected to shelter patrons from any lingering raindrops (and then the bright sunshine of later), a Dixie Land Jazz Band played, and oh-so-delicious pancakes loaded with fresh succulent blueberries, fresh farm bacon and sausage, with real maple syrup were enjoyed by all attending!

Not only did I get to catch up with John of Verrill Farm a little bit, but I was able to meet and spend time with "the infamous Annie", Kathy's soon to be 9 year old adorable daughter!  After our pancake stacks, Annie chased butterflies and explored, and took a few pix with her Mom's camera before we all decided to embark upon the offered tractor ride... complete with hay bale seats!

It was fun to see Kathy again after FitBoston and spend the morning with a kindred spirit... she was taking photos and checking Twitter during the morning just like I always do.  It is great to connect locally with someone so upbeat and fun and healthy!!  We talked marketing and blogging and CSAs and healthy eating... I feel like I've known her for years! : )

We wandered through the Farm Stand before heading home and I ended up buying two new veggies to try: Tequila Sweet Peppers and a new variety of beets which I have plans to make Monday evening.

I highly recommend the trip from Boston to Verrill Farm in Concord.  It is an easy quick drive (right off of Route 2) and you'll be happy with all their "farm stand" has to offer, beyond just the vegetables.

Here's to healthy living, eating whole foods and supporting local farms and small farmers... and to new friends to enjoy a great Saturday morning with!
Bloom where you are planted! :)
Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal
PS:  I'll be posting all Saturday morning's photos on the HealthyLoserGal Facebook page! :)