Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Chili is one of my favorite dishes and this recipe has received the highest rankings on CookingLight.com!  I am looking forward to giving it a try.

6 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground sirloin
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 cups Merlot or other fruity red wine
2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add sausage, onion, and the next 4 ingredients (onion through jalapeño) to pan; cook 8 minutes or until sausage and beef are browned, stirring to crumble.

Add chili powder and the next 7 ingredients (chili powder through bay leaves), and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, tomatoes, and kidney beans; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaves. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese.

Note: Like most chilis, this version tastes even better the next day.

Yield:  8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups chili and 1 tablespoon cheese)

CALORIES 375 (29% from fat); FAT 12g (sat 4.6g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.1g); IRON 5mg; CHOLESTEROL 59mg; CALCIUM 165mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.7g; SODIUM 969mg; PROTEIN 28.9g; FIBER 8.2g

A lighter and delicious version of a classic!  Courtesy of CookingLight.com.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
5 teaspoons butter, melted
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Place broth in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 15 seconds or until warm. Stir in butter and garlic. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and paprika in a medium shallow bowl; set aside.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, oregano, and pepper. Top each breast half with 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Roll up each breast half jelly-roll fashion. Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down, in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining broth mixture over chicken. Bake at 350° for 28 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden.

 Nutritional Information:
Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 rolled chicken breast half)

CALORIES 297 (30% from fat); FAT 9.9g (sat 4.4g,mono 3.6g,poly 1g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 125mg; CALCIUM 94mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.8g; SODIUM 619mg; PROTEIN 45.5g; FIBER 0.5g

Start cooking before work and you’ll have a great dinner when you get home!  Courtesy of SparkRecipes.com.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions:

1. Add chicken to slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken.
3. Pour salsa and soup over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
5. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
6. Serve with rice.

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 157.2
Total Fat: 3.3 g
Cholesterol: 63.4 mg
Sodium: 654.2 mg
Total Carbs: 6.7 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 24.3 g

Ground chicken, black beans, and a handful of seasonings make these soft tacos a family favorite. Courtesy of AmercianHeart.org.

Ingredients:
12 6-inch corn tortillas
1 pound ground chicken or turkey, ground without skin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
15-ounce can low-sodium black beans, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes (optional)
1/4 cup shredded lettuce (optional)
1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
6 tablespoons salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 250°F.

Wrap tortillas in foil. Place in oven while preparing chicken mixture.

In a large skillet, cook ground chicken, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink. Place mixture in a colander and rinse under hot water. Drain well. Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Return mixture to skillet.

Stir in beans, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until heated through, about 5 minutes. Spoon mixture over half of each corn tortilla; fold over. Add tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and salsa if desired.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving):
195Calories
2.0 gTotal Fat
0.5 gSaturated Fat
0.0 gTrans Fat
0.5 gPolyunsaturated Fat
0.5 gMonounsaturated Fat
44 mgCholestrol
205 mgSodium
25 gCarbohydrates
6 gFiber
1 gSugar
22 gProtein

A healthy alternative to the deep fried version.  Courtesy of Shape.com.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup corn flakes or toasted rice cereal, crushed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon curry powder (optional)
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
½ cup allpurpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
1 to 2 pounds chicken breast tenders or boneless breasts, cut into 1“inch strips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Mix bread crumbs, cereal, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and curry (if using) in a large mixing bowl or casserole dish. Drizzle oil evenly over the breading, then mix in.

2. Arrange three shallow containers, one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the bread crumb mixture. Individually dip chicken tenders into flour, then eggs (letting excess run off), then breading mixture. Arrange breaded chicken pieces on the cookie sheet.
 
3. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until crisp and brown all over.

Nutritional Information:
223 calories, 7 g fat, 16 g carbs, 24 g protein, .3 g fiber, 491 mg sodium