Chicken Piccata

This one’s for the lemon lovers (like me). Chicken Piccata is an Italian specialty where chicken breasts are pounded thin and dredged in flour before being sautéed in butter and oil and covered in a sauce made of lemon juice, wine, capers and more butter. It’s not always a healthy choice in a restaurant, but this lighter version (using chicken broth and far less butter and oil) is just as delicious and clocks in at only 188 calories per serving and only 5 Weight Watcher Points Plus! The fresh lemon juice and salty, briny capers give this dish big flavor and it’s a great weeknight meal because it comes together in about 20 minutes.  Low calorie, low fat, low carbs and low points, no matter which you’re tracking, this dish is a healthy home run.

 leftovers

CONTEST CLOSED: KalorieBox Giveaway

I was recently contacted by a new start-up company called KalorieBox, asking if I would like to review their product. I don’t do a ton of reviews, but I was intrigued by the idea so I accepted. KalorieBox is a subscription service that sends their customers a box of different low(er) calorie products to sample each month. The theory is that you may discover some tasty new brands/food items that allow you to make simple swaps for the higher calorie counterparts you may already be purchasing.

As a vigilant nutrition label reader who already purchases a lot of healthy products, I was interested to see if they could surprise me with anything I hadn’t tried.

Here’s what came in my KalorieBox:

Plentils – Margherita Pizza flavor (0.8 oz snack bag): 100 Calories/4.5g Fat/14g Carbs/1g Fiber/2g Protein
I’ve had lentil chips before, though not this brand. I don’t buy them a lot because the texture is a bit Styrofoam-y and there are other chip substitutes that I prefer. These were satisfyingly crunchy though and I liked the zesty flavor better than the seasonings I’ve tried on other lentil chips in the past. The box also came with a coupon for 75 cents off a larger bag.

FitFrappe Protein Drink Mix – Mocha and Vanilla flavors (NI for ½ packet of the mocha): 60 Calories/1.5g Fat/11g Carbs/3g Fiber/10g Protein
This was a pleasant surprise. My first thought when I saw these packets was “Hm, I don’t drink protein shakes.” Then I noticed they were made by Big Train which makes a really delicious chai mix that I love, and I was instantly more optimistic about giving them a shot. You can drink these hot, cold or blended with ice. I decided to drink them hot because it’s starting to get chillier here and bundling up on my couch with a hot mocha drink sounded perfect. You know what? It actually was. The flavor was better than drinking a “light” packet of hot chocolate and it had the added benefit of 10g protein, 3g fiber and 0g sugar in half a packet (recommended mix in quantity for 8 oz of water). The best part was that even though it was sugar free it did not have an artificial sweetener taste. I plan to try the other packet as a shake.

Simply Snackin’ Jerky – Teriyaki Beef w/Pineapple and Teriyaki Chicken with Mangoes & Papayas (NI for the Beef, 1 oz): 60 Calories/0.5g Fat/3g Carbs/0g Fiber/8g Protein
Beef jerky is usually quite lean and a good source of protein, so I already buy it for snacks fairly often. I generally prefer the moister, juicier jerky to the completely dried out, rough kind, and these are definitely of the moist variety. These were slightly lighter than the jerky I had in by cupboard but what really makes these different is that there are bits of dried fruit throughout the meat.  I only have one food allergy and it’s mangoes, so I could only taste the beef version of the jerky. I thought it was okay. I love teriyaki meats and generally I’m a big fan of teriyaki and pineapple together, but for some reason the addition of fruit to my jerky didn’t thrill me.

Hint Water – Mango-Grapefruit (16 oz): 0 Calories/0g Fat/0 Carbs/0g Fiber/0g Protein
As I mentioned above, my one food allergy is mango, so I wasn’t able to try this. I love grapefruit, so that’s a bummer. This water is unsweetened so evidently there is just a faint hint of the natural flavors of grapefruit and mango, which allows for zero calories and no artificial sweeteners. I would definitely try this in a different flavor.

Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce (NI for 2T serving): 30 Calories/0g Fat/6 Carbs/0g Fiber/0g Protein
At first when I got the box I thought “They sent me barbecue sauce? How random.” but after trying it I was really glad. I usually already seek out low calorie, low carb sauces, so the nutrition information (though quite a bit lighter than many sauces out there) wasn’t very different than the brand I already had in my fridge (see comparison photo below). However, I liked the flavor of the Stubb's sauce much better than the one I’d been using. I even used it in my recipe for Slow Cooker Apple Bacon BBQ Chicken! I will definitely buy Stubb’s sauce again. It’s sweet and tangy but with a little kick, and I like that. I found my new go-to barbecue sauce!

Stubb's is on the right, the kind already in my fridge on the left

Altogether it was fun to try some new brands and products and I did find a couple new things I’d buy in the future (like Stubb’s).

KalorieBox offers subscriptions starting at $17/month including shipping and for every box you order they donate a meal to a child in need (which is a nice bonus).

Want to try KalorieBox for free? One lucky winner will win a free KalorieBox, just like I did! I’m giving you FIVE possible entries to win:

Entry: Leave a comment below sharing your favorite healthy swap for a traditionally higher calorie product
Bonus Entry: Become a fan of Emily Bites on Facebook and leave a second comment below (here, not on Facebook) letting me know you did. If you are already a fan, you can say that instead!
Extra Bonus Entry: Follow @emilybitesblog on Twitter and leave a third comment below letting me know you did.
Double Extra Bonus Entry: Follow emilybitesblog on Pinterest to have access to my top picks of the web and leave a post below letting me know you did.
Top Secret Triple Extra Bonus Entry: “Like” the KalorieBox Facebook Page and leave a comment there telling them you’re entering the KalorieBox giveaway on emilybites.com (feel free to tag my Facebook page in the post). Then post a comment below (on this post) to let me know you did.

Note: Please make sure you enter your name and email address when commenting so I will have a way to contact you if you win! Also, be sure to leave a separate comment below for each entry to maximize your chances of winning!

That’s five potential chances for each of you to win! Winners will be selected by random.org on Saturday, December 1st at 10:00 AM EST. Enter below and it could be you – good luck!

Congratulations to April Wilson for winning the KalorieBox giveaway!

A little something I'm thankful for...

I just want to take a moment to let each of you know how thankful I am for you. Yes, YOU, the one reading this. Almost two years ago I decided to start a food blog as a relatively new cook because I love food and I truly believe that it can be made in a healthier way without compromising the flavors that make it craveable. I could never have imagined at the time that now I would have so many of you reading my blog and cooking alongside me. It means the world to me that you're on this journey with me and I take every one of your comments and emails to heart. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe feedback and the stories of your weight loss journeys. It's so inspiring and motivating to hear from you all and I really appreciate that you take the time that you reach out.

Whether you've been with me from the beginning or you're visiting for the first time, thank you. Whether you've made one EB recipe or ten EB recipes, thank you. If you've ever pinned, shared, tweeted or emailed anything on my site to share it with others, thank you. If you're a reader and a lurker but you've never cooked anything from here then what are you waiting for? Try something! But also thank you. :)

I truly, genuinely appreciate every single reader I have out there and I am so grateful to have you. Thank you for following Emily Bites and I hope to continue to provide you with content that keeps you coming back for more!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
Em

"Stuffins" (Stuffing Muffins)

These are so, so good. Like, really good. Not to mention adorable. Plus they have a cool name. More important than that, the tops are crusty and buttery and the bottoms are moist with sweet bursts of cranberry and crunchy bits of celery. Pretty much everyone loves stuffing and a lot of people name it as their favorite part of their Thanksgiving meal. Some stuffing dishes can be really high in calories and carbs and once you start eating it, it can be hard to stop! These stuffins are great because not only are they delicious, they are pre-portioned. At only 80 calories or 2 Weight Watchers Points+ per stuffin they’d make a great guilt-free addition to your Thanksgiving meal or a super tasty side dish any time of year!

 

bread cubes

Slow Cooker Apple Bacon BBQ Chicken

I’m always on the lookout for simple and delicious slow cooker recipes and when I found this one I was really excited. Apples and bacon and barbecue? On chicken? Oh my. The flavors did not disappoint. This dish is equal parts sweet and tart from the apples, tangy and spicy from the barbecue sauce and smoky from the bacon. It’s a warm, comforting dish for Fall and it pairs really well with Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Balsamic Roasted Vegetables (pictured). I had my parents over for dinner last weekend and I made this, fingers crossed, without having tried it first and it was a huge hit. The best part is that it takes only a few minutes in the morning and then dinner is done when you’re ready to eat. It can be difficult to motivate to cook after work this time of year when it’s starting to get dark by the time you leave, so it’s always a relief to arrive home and know dinner is already made!

Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

Roasting vegetables is one of the best ways to maximize their natural flavors. It's also my favorite way to eat them. All you need is a baking sheet, an oven, some olive oil and seasoning and you can transform your favorite veggies into a tray of warm, caramelized deliciousness. Roasting intensifies any sweetness that a vegetable naturally has, so Balsamic vinegar is a really good complement to roasted veggies. I chose the vegetables for this recipe based on personal favorites and also to have an array of colors, but you can certainly use other vegetables if you prefer. This recipe would make for a mouth-watering Thanksgiving side dish, but is really simple and delicious for any day of the year.

pre-cooked

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Happy November! Hopefully we’re all on the same page as to what that means…it’s time to think about (read: obsess over) Thanksgiving food! If the prospect of a holiday that centers around eating a gigantic delicious meal until you collapse into a food coma (along with gratitude, family and football, of course) is stressing you out or has you considering throwing in the proverbial healthy towel, have no fear. There are plenty of delicious lighter dishes that will fit perfectly into your Thanksgiving meal!

I’ve always loved sweet potatoes. At our Thanksgiving my mom always bakes them and I mash a little light butter into mine with my fork and I’m a happy camper. I know a lot of people add brown sugar or marshmallows and serve them as a sweet dish, but I’ve always preferred savory mix-ins. The naturally sweet flavor of the potatoes combines really well with tangy goat cheese, salty butter and earthy sage. The result is a creamy, rich, decadent side dish that you can serve with pride. Sweetening the pot is the news that sweet potatoes are low on the glycemic index, full of fiber and provide essential nutrients like vitamins A and C. Your Thanksgiving meal really can taste great and do your body good at the same time.

Chicken Marsala

I love chicken and mushrooms, so Chicken Marsala has long been a dish I’ve ordered at Italian restaurants and always enjoyed. I’d never tried making it at home, so when I came across this recipe I was excited to see it looked quick to make and easy to lighten up. This is a great weeknight meal because it takes around 30 minutes to make from start to finish and it’s really tasty. I didn’t put a lot of sauce on the plate in my photo because I didn’t want it to be hard to see the chicken in the picture, but in reality there is plenty of sauce to accompany the chicken and mushrooms. The chicken cooks perfectly lightly coated in flour with just enough oil to cook it to golden brown without it tasting greasy. I served this with wild rice and green beans, but mashed potatoes, pasta, and asparagus are also wonderful complements to the Marsala wine sauce. I’m a sucker for meals that look like they took a lot of effort but were quick and easy, and this is one of those meals!