Thursday, April 24, 2008

Spicy but not salty
--Cajun Lemon Chicken Strips



Cajun Lemon Chicken Strips
American Dietetic Association Cooking Healthy Across America Copyright 2005

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon cayenne

Spray a 9-inch square dish with the cooking spray. Add the chicken.

Blend the remaining ingredients in a small bowl; pour over the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat both sides. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour, but overnight is fine.

Grill 6 to 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through or bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. If grilling, discard the marinade. If baking, the chicken can be baked in the marinade.

Serves 8. Per serving: 140 cal 1.5g fat, 65mg chol, 120mg sodium, 4g carbs, 0g fiber, 26g protein
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Once again, I thought something was missing in this recipe and something was - salt! Of course. This cookbook is put out by the American Dietetic Association and all of the recipes are written by registered dietitians, I believe. These recipes are healthy from all angles, which includes being lower in sodium. This had lemon juice and ketchup so it wasn't flat, it just didn't have that oversalted taste that I'm so used to. That is a good thing, by the way. My blood pressure has been really good since starting this gestational diabetes diet but I know it's something I need to work on since it was starting to creep up before I got pregnant this time. I need to start watching my sodium intake a bit more.

I got absolutely nowhere last night when I sat down to plan next week's menu. I drew a complete blank. I'm getting a bit tired of healthy eating to be honest but I have little choice right now. I'm just plain getting tired.

Blast From The Past: Crumb-Coated Dijon Chicken from September 2006. That's a personal favorite and I think I'll add it to next week's menu. That's a start. I have everything to make it too.

Question of the Day: Do you pay attention to sodium intake?

2 comments:

DancesInGarden said...

I don't watch sodium specifically, and I come from a family that basically places a salt lick on the table so people can eat it at their will ;). But we (and I) tend to make things from scratch rather than use mixes or buy frozen, so I figure it is a wash. I tend not to over-add salt while cooking, and just add a bit to my plate if I want it. DH and DD have plainer tastes, so it works out better this way.

I am sorry you are getting bored eating healthier. I know it makes it harder to plan menus. ((hugs)).

Sara said...

My Dr put me on high blood pressure meds earlier this month, so I've been trying to watch it more. I never realized how much salt I used.