Pineapple Chicken Salad Pitas

4/5*

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
• 1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained
• 4 (6-inch) whole wheat pitas, each cut in half
• 8 Romaine lettuce leaves

Preparation

Combine first 11 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well. Line each pita half with 1 lettuce leaf; fill each half with 1/3 cup chicken mixture.

Creamy Butternut Squash Risotto

2/5* (Good, but alot of the same flavor to be the main dish. Mac-n-Cheese-ish)

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 (12-ounce) package frozen pureed butternut squash (such as McKenzie's)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• Grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine rice and oil in a 1 1/2-quart microwave-safe dish, stirring to coat. Microwave, uncovered, at HIGH 3 minutes.

2. Add broth and 1 cup water to rice mixture; microwave, uncovered, at HIGH 9 minutes. Stir well; microwave, uncovered, at HIGH 6 minutes. Remove from microwave; let stand 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

3. While risotto stands, heat squash in microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until warm. Add squash, salt, pepper, and cheese to risotto. Stir well to combine. Garnish with additional cheese and thyme sprigs, if desired.

Grilled Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Pizza

4/5*

Ingredients

• 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• Cooking spray
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and chopped (about 10 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled herbed goat cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium heat.

2. Unroll dough onto a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray; pat dough into a 12 x 9-inch rectangle. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray.

3. Place dough on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 1 minute or until lightly browned. Turn crust over. Rub with garlic; sprinkle with tomato and cheeses. Close grill lid; grill 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup orzo mixture and about 7 shrimp)

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked orzo
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 7 teaspoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp
• 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Place orzo in a medium bowl. Stir in parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and keep warm.

2. While orzo cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Melt 1 teaspoon butter in pan. Add remaining shrimp to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until almost done. Transfer to plate.

3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in pan. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in shrimp, juice, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until shrimp are done.

Southwestern Cobb Salad

4/5* (Would be great as a large side salad to share)

Ingredients

• Vinaigrette:
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Salad:
• 3 slices center-cut bacon
• Cooking spray
• 8 ounces skinless, boneless turkey breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup refrigerated fresh pico de gallo
• 1/2 cup diced avocado
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

1. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add oil, stirring constantly with a whisk; set aside.

2. To prepare salad, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Increase heat to medium-high. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle turkey with salt. Add turkey to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until done.

3. Arrange 2 cups lettuce on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 2 teaspoons bacon, 5 tablespoons turkey, 2 tablespoons pico de gallo, 2 tablespoons avocado, 2 tablespoons queso fresco, 1 tablespoon onions, and about 1/3 cup beans. Drizzle vinaigrette evenly over salads.