Delicious Reading: Skinnytaste.com

It has happened to me several times over the years: the crushing moment where I look at the number on the scale after taking too long of a break from weighing myself. I had to step up twice in the span of a week at two different doctor’s appointments made in honor of my 40th birthday, and the offending number was the same at both offices, which made me unable to dismiss the first as a fluke. I had to admit the comfort and stress eating I had been doing over the past six months had caught up with me. And I was mad.

Instead of drowning my sorrows with a heaping spoonful of Nutella, I got on the Weight Watchers website. WW has had several incarnations over the decades. A nice change from the Weight Watchers of the past is the emphasis on eating as many fresh fruits and vegetables as you want and as little processed food made “light” through artificial ingredients as you can. More of a lifestyle than a diet, their philosophies jived with my health communication background. No food was off limits. The focus was on clean eating, portion control and staying active. Still, I worried about being able to stay on the plan and keep my family happy at dinnertime, too. My Aunt Teresa, who recently joined WW, upon finding out I had joined, immediately texted me: “First thing you should do is go to skinnytaste.com — all of her recipes have the Weight Watcher points calculated and everything I’ve made of hers has been delicious.”

So, of course, I did.

There, I found Gina Homolka, the author, photographer and recipe developer of Skinnytaste.com and the cookbook of the same name. Her goal is to provide delicious, healthy, low-fat, family-friendly recipes. Her ability to deliver on this goal has earned her more than 3 million unique visitors every month and a best-selling title. What sets her apart from other diet recipe bloggers is her commitment to seasonal, clean, whole foods and maintaining good portion control. Every recipe comes with nutritional information and a specific serving size. She truly does keep busy families in mind, as many of her recipes are designed for the Crock-Pot or to be made in less than 30 minutes.

So far, our family has tried her Crock-Pot Chicken Taco Chili, Maple Dijon Drumsticks, Shrimp Zoodles (noodles made by spiralizing a zucchini) Parmesan and her Turkey Chili Mac. She posts new recipes every week and I already have several more on my list to try, including Veggie Lasagna Stuffed Portabellos and Black Bean Brownies (worth a try!). Our favorite so far has been the Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe I am sharing here. The sauce was so simple and tasty. My husband didn’t realize it was “light” and commented it was like eating at a fancy restaurant.

I have a fairly modest weight loss goal and the pounds are coming off very slowly, but I feel better about what we are eating and more mindful of how I am treating myself. Even if you aren’t trying to slim down, I think you will enjoy the full flavors and ease of preparing the dishes from Skinnytaste.

Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu from Skinnytaste.com

Servings: 4; Size: 1 piece chicken; Points +: 6; Smart Points: 5

Calories: 258; Fat: 10 g; Saturated fat: 3 g; Protein: 37 g; Carb: 6 g;

Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 1 g; Sodium: 578 mg; Cholesterol: 109 mg

Ingredients:

4 thin boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, 4 ounces each

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup all-purpose flour*

1/2 teaspoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

2/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 thin slices low-sodium deli ham

4 slices light Swiss cheese, such as Alpine Lace (3 ounces total)

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. *Place the flour in a shallow dish. Lightly dredge the chicken with flour on both sides, shaking off the excess, reserving the flour.

In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon of the reserved flour; whisk until smooth.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the butter and add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and half of the chicken. Cook 2 minutes on each side, until slightly golden, then transfer to a dish. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and remaining chicken and cook 2 minutes on each side. Set aside on a dish with the other pieces of chicken.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the chicken broth mixture. Whisk, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan, then simmer 2 minutes to reduce slightly. Return the chicken to the skillet, top each piece with a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss, cover the skillet and simmer medium-low for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese melts.

To serve, use a spatula and transfer the chicken to each dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over each piece.

About Brooke

Brooke Clubbs is a Jackson mom of three, a freelance writer and a communication studies instructor.