FitSugar

Fast Food Breakdown: Chicken

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 03:30:00 -0800

When you're on the road, sometimes the occasional stop at a fast-food drive-thru can't be avoided. If you're not into ordering a hamburger and French fries because of the saturated fat and high calories, then chicken could be your choice for a lean protein. Choose your chicken wisely, though; not all your choices are necessarily lean. Check out how these popular fast foods compare.

Chicken	Calories	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Protein (g)
McDonald's McChicken Sandwich	360	3	35	830	14
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich	420	2	70	1190	32
McDonald's Crispy Chicken Classic Sandwich	530	3.5	50	1150	28
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Club Sandwich	530	6	90	1470	40

To see the rest read more.

Chicken	Calories	Saturated Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Protein (g)
McDonald's Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich	630	7	75	1420	36
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich	470	3	80	1500	36
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Ranch BLT Sandwich	580	4.5	60	1460	32
McDonald's Southern Style Crispy Chicken Sandwich	400	3	45	1030	24
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Ranch Snack Wrap	270	4	45	830	18
McDonald's Grilled Chicken Honey Mustard Snack Wrap	260	3.5	45	800	18
BK Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich	490	4	55	1220	26
BK Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich	430	8	70	1640	32
BK Spicy Chick'n Crisp Sandwich	630	5	30	810	12
BK Original Chicken Sandwich	630	7	65	1390	24
BK Chicken Tenders (6 pc)	270	3.5	35	730	14
BK Chicken Fries (6 pc)	250	2.5	30	820	14
Wendy's Crispy Chicken Deluxe	400	5	50	980	20
Wendy's Chicken Club	540	8	75	1360	34
Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill	320	1.5	70	950	28
Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich	440	2.5	60	1300	28
Wendy's Chicken Nuggets (10 pc)	460	6	70	1040	24
Wendy's Grilled Chicken Go Wrap	260	3.5	45	760	17
Taco Bell Chicken Burrito Supreme	380	5	40	1370	20
Taco Bell Spicy Chicken Soft Taco	170	2	25	580	10
Taco Bell Chicken Fiesta Taco Salad	780	5	70	1830	37
Taco Bell Spicy Chicken Soft Taco	170	2	25	580	10
Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla	520	12	75	1420	28

I think my blood pressure just shot through the roof from seeing those sodium counts. Yikes. Some of these menu items have more than half the amount you should have in an entire day (2,300 mg). Feel free to enjoy these in a pinch, but I definitely wouldn't be chowing on a McChicken Sandwich every day.

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Lite'n It Up Feature: Chicken Breasts With Mustard-Caper Sauce

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 07:30:00 -0700

I love browsing through the blogs in the Lite'n it Up Group when I need a new healthy recipe idea. User rlveronica recently posted this yummy recipe she found (and tried) in one my favorite magazines, Fitness.

To get the recipe yourself, and to see what she (and her parents) thought about it, just read more

Chicken Breasts with Mustard-Caper Sauce from rlveronica:

My parents didn't like it because:
1. I used cous cous instead of regular rice that they always eat
2. I didn't put any salt or olive oil in the cous cous so it would be that much healthier
3. It didn't make them "full" - see they think full is food coma or the -itis status

Whatever... me and my sister thought it was good!

Chicken Breasts with Mustard-Caper Sauce
Start to finish: 22 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (about 2 pounds total)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
• 1/4 cup drained capers
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 4 1/2 cups cooked hot couscous

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to skillet; cook each side about 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and keep warm.

Add broth, capers, rosemary, and thyme to skillet; cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet, for 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in the mustard and honey. Pour sauce over chicken and serve with couscous.

Nutrition facts per serving: 314 calories, 40g protein, 31g carbohydrate, 2g fat (1g saturated), 2g fiber

Source

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Yum, I can't wait to give this a try. Thanks for posting!

Do you have any healthy recipe ideas? Share them in the Lite'n it Up Group. You can also browse all the yummy recipes that other users have already shared-I'm eager to try the southwestern stuffed acorn squash that was posted recently.

Whole Wheat Penne With Chicken, Chard, and Peppers

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

I love chard! It is leafy and green - what's not to love? During the Summer months, I like to avoid turning on my stove, so I found this oven-less recipe for a main dish featuring red swiss chard; it's lowfat, so I thought I should share it.

Using whole wheat penne really increases the amount of fiber and nutrition in any pasta dish. Plus, this dish is colorful, featuring green, red, and orange, so you know you are getting a variety of nutrients and antioxidants (pigment in produce is generally created by antioxidants). If you happen to not be a fan of chard (which I honestly cannot imagine), you can make this dish with spinach too.

To see this tasty recipe, just read more.

Whole Wheat Penne with Chicken, Chard and Pepper
adapted from Culinary.net

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch swiss chard (leaves and stems separated - chop stems)*
1 cup chicken broth
1 box whole wheat penne pasta
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)

Directions

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken then add onion, pepper, chopped chard stems and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes.
Fill large pot with lightly salted water and bring to boil.
Add chard to skillet, sautée until thoroughly until wilted.
Add chicken broth and remaining salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
While broth is heating, cook penne. Drain and return to pot.
Add chicken mixture to hot penne and toss. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cheese and chopped parsley.

*Chard tip: The easiest way to prepare chard is to simply rip the leaves from the stems. Then you can chop the stems and the leaves separately.

Serves 4-6

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Label Able: Certified Humane

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 17:15:00 -0700

If you are conscious about what goes into your body and you have respect for all creatures great and small, you need to be on the lookout for this Certified Humane food label. This label that makes it easier for conscious consumers to choose egg, dairy, meat, or poultry products that were produced with the welfare of the animal in mind.

A team of veterinarians and animal scientists created the Animal Care Standards to ensure that farmers, producers, and processors keep their animals in conditions that meet high standards of animal care.

If you see a product with this "Certified Humane" label, you know that the animals:

Were allowed to engage in natural behaviors.
Had sufficient space, shelter, and gentle handling to limit stress.
Had ample fresh water and a healthy diet without added hormones or antibiotics.

Humane Farm Animal Care is the independent non-profit organization that conducts regular inspections to make sure businesses are upholding these high standards.

Fit's Tips: Check out this list to find out which businesses and restaurants you want to support. Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs and Echo Farm are proudly on the list.

Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 02:00:00 -0800

Pete and Gerry's Organic Eggs are organically produced in the fresh air of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. So what makes them organic?

Their hens eat organic grain beginning on their second day of life. They don't give their hens antibiotics or medications. And no pesticides or herbicides are used in the production of the grain that they eat.

What else makes these eggs great? The grain their hens eat is made of certified organic flaxseed, which contains high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. The Omega-3 in the hen's diet is passed on to their eggs - each egg contains about 200mg of Omega-3. Two of their eggs contain as much Omega-3 as you'll get in 1.5 ounces of fish.

Their hens are raised in cage-free barns, where they can choose where they will lay their eggs and where they want to be. Their hens are also given access to the outdoors.

Their motto? "Happy chickens lay better eggs." I believe it. These are delicious, and I feel good buying them, knowing their hens are treated with kindness and respect.

Looking for a new way to eat your eggs? Check out these Square Eggs.

McDonald's Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 02:30:00 -0800

Whether or not we like to admit it, we all have to brave through a McDonald's meal every once and awhile (think road trips and quick meals for the kids). If you're like me and try to make the best out of it, you're going to go with a chicken meal. But how do you choose?

You probably want to go for the:
Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken (12.7 oz.) with the Newman's Own Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (1.5 fl oz.): 380 calories, 12.5 grams of fat, 1570 mg of sodium and 37 grams of carbohydrates.

For other options read more
But if you just don't want a salad you may as well have the:
Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich (8 oz.): 420 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1240 mg of sodium and 41 grams of carbohydrates.

You should definitely steer clear from the:
Premium Crispy Chicken Club (8 oz.): 680 calories, 29 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 1830 mg of sodium and 64 grams of carbohydrates.

Fit's Tip: To go the most healthy route, order the Asian Chicken salad without the dressing. This cuts out 90 calories, 2.5 grams of fat and 14 grams of carbohydrates.

That's Nutty

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Nov 2006 17:30:00 -0800

Nuts! Fish!? Seeds?!? Omega 3s can cause some culinary confusion. If you're looking to get more of them in your diet here's a few simple ways:

Walnut Oil: I use this in salad dressings regularly using equal parts walnut oil to olive oil. Then I add a little white wine vinegar and some Dijon mustard. Plus, I throw some toasted walnuts onto the salad. Be sure to refrigerate your oil after you open it.
Flax seeds: My favorite way to sneak flax seeds into my diet is Uncle Sam Cereal. It is simply toasted whole wheat flakes and flax seeds. Taste wise the cereal would benefit with some added fresh fruit. Plus my kids love it, which I love since the cereal hardly has any sugar in it!
Canola Oil: Canola oil is great to cook with and is the best oil when making a stir fry. It tastes much lighter than olive oil which makes it suitable for baking as well.
Source

Cookbook Review: Quick From Scratch Chicken Cookbook

FitSugar — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:00:00 -0700

The latest book from Food & Wine, Quick from Scratch Chicken Cookbook ($25), might be dedicated entirely to chicken, but it is by no means boring. We all know that chicken is a wonderful lean protein, but cooking a boneless, skinless breast can become awfully dull. This cookbook is the antidote to monotonous chicken. With lovely photos accompanying every recipe, it is easy to become inspired flipping through its pages. Many of the recipes seem healthy, but the cookbook doesn't include any nutritional breakdown of the recipes, which is my only criticism of this book. Since chicken is such a versatile protein and can be cooked a variety of ways, the cookbook is organized around all the different cooking techniques making it easy to find recipes to try. Being summertime, I was drawn to the section devoted to grilling. I made the Tandoori chicken, and it was a hit. My girls loved it and it impresses dinner guests repeatedly. The major bonus is it's easy.

Check out the recipe when you read more.

Grilled Chicken Tandoori
Quick From Scratch Chicken Cookbook by Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 chicken (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 8 pieces
with skin removed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons cooking oil

Directions

Light the grill. Using a sharp knife, cut shallow incisions in the chicken pieces at about 1/2-inch intervals. In a large, glass dish or stainless-steel pan, combine the lemon juice, water, salt, and turmeric. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Let the chicken pieces marinate for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and cayenne. Add to the chicken and lemon mixture; turn to coat. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
Grill the chicken over moderately high heat, basting with oil, for 10 minutes. Turn and cook, basting with the remaining oil, until just done, about 10 minutes longer for the breasts, 12 for the thighs and drumsticks.

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When I make this dish for my family, I omit the cayenne pepper - my daughters' young palates can't tolerate the heat - the end result is still quite tasty. You can also make kabobs with this recipe using four to five chicken breasts. If you're interested, pick up a copy of the cookbook from Amazon.

Source

Chicken Soup for the Soul

FitSugar — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 12:00:00 -0800

Recent reports claim that chicken soup is truly good for the sick soul.

So next time you're feeling sick, try this recipe from Dr. Stephen Rennard, Chief of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center:

1.5 lb chicken
3 large onions
1 large sweet potato
3 parsnips
2 turnips
12 large carrots
6 celery stalks
1 bunch parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Clean chicken, put in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil. Add onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips and carrots. Boil for 1.5 hours. Skim fat off as develops. Add parsley, celery and cook an additional 45 minutes. Remove the chicken, put vegetables in a food processor, chop until very fine and add back into broth. Serve.

So why is it good for a cold or the flu?
Chicken broth will help to unclog a clogged nose and will also work to keep you from coughing and help thin out a head "thick' with congestion.
Vegetables are full of vitamins and antioxidants.
Chicken contains amino acids which work to loosen mucus.

Fit's Tip: If you're like me and not the cooking type when you're feeling a bit under the weather, make it now and freeze it so when you are sick all you have to do is dethaw.

Healthy Dinner Idea: Chicken With Snap Peas and Spring Herbs

FitSugar — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:30:00 -0800

I am always looking for new ways to cook chicken because as much as I love chicken, it can get pretty darn boring. I recently tried out this recipe for Chicken With Snap Peas and Spring Herbs and it was a tasty change to my boring chicken meals. I added a small side of brown rice and it was the perfect amount of food.

To get the recipe for yourself, just read more

Chicken With Snap Peas and Spring Herbs

(Via Eatingwell.com)
Makes 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 35 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon flour, divided
1 pound thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces sugar snap peas, cut in half (2 cups)
1 14-ounce can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed
1/4 cup sprouted beans, optional (see Ingredient note)
3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon or dill
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white-wine vinegar

Whisk broth, mustard, salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons flour in a small bowl until smooth.
Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches, adjusting heat as necessary to prevent burning, until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.
Increase heat to high; stir the broth mixture and add to the skillet along with snap peas, artichoke hearts and sprouted beans. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the snap peas are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the vegetables, and simmer until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in herbs and vinegar.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 248 calories; 6 g fat (1 g sat, 4 g mono); 63 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 29 g protein; 7 g fiber; 605 mg sodium; 603 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Magnesium (20% dv), Potassium (17% dv), Iron (15% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 4 very lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 fat

TIP: Sprouted beans, not to be confused with bean sprouts, are beans that have just barely sprouted?they look like a bean with a tiny fiber attached (rather than the more fleshy-looking sprouts commonly used in Asian cooking). Eat raw in salads or add to cooked dishes; they're an excellent source of fiber and protein. Look for them in the produce section near other sprouts.

Source

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Have any healthy recipe ideas to share? Post them in the Lite'n It Up Healthy Recipe Group.