Chicken Cacciatore with Cheesy Polenta

This recipe defines the word "savory."   I always make a big batch, regardless of whether I'm feeding two or six, and put the rest in the fridge or freezer to take with me for meals at the hospital.  In fact, I very rarely eat a meal at work that I didn't bring from home.  It allows me much better control over not only what I eat, but when I eat it.  The last thing you want to see is a full moon transformation because I can't break away to get to the cafeteria for food.  Things get ugly when I'm hungry.

Chicken Cacciatore (Catch-A-Tory) with Cheesy Polenta

2 boneless breasts of chicken

Thanks to the Florida sunshine,
I can have fresh herbs all year long.

1 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
6 cups chopped fresh tomato or 2 can of diced tomatoes
3/4 cup dry white wine*
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 cups fresh baby portabella mushrooms, sliced or whole
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried or 3 tsp fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried or 3 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp dried or 3 tsp fresh oregano

*Use a decent wine, not cooking wine.  Pour yourself a glass, too.


1.  Cube chicken, cook in olive oil in large skillet.

Those are some good looking
 fresh veggies!

2.  Combine all of the other ingredients in a large bowl, then add to skillet with chicken.
3.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
4.  Serve over cheesy polenta (recipe below)

Cheesy Polenta

 2 1/2 cups skim milk
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 stick I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup corn meal
1/2 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Bring milk, water, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to a boil in medium saucepan.  

Add corn meal, whisking constantly, until well blended.  Reduce heat to low and cook 8 to 10 minutes, whisking often, until thickened.  

Remove from heat then stir in cheeses, mixing well.  Spoon into bottom of bowl, then top with Chicken Cacciatore.

Cheesy Polenta Nutritional Info:

170 calories

42 calories from fat

2 grams saturated fat

11 mg cholesterol

1 gm fiber

10 gm protein

21 gm carbs

5 gm sugars

Chicken Cacciatore Nutritional Info:

160 calories

29 calories from fat 

0 saturated fat

11 mg of cholesterol

4 grams fiber

9 grams protein

16 grams carbs

9 grams sugar

Guacamole Night

I love avocados!  Full of healthy fats (yes, such a thing exists), tasty and quite filling, they have become a regular part of my food repertoire.   Usually I'm slicing them up and adding them to a salad, but every now and then I like to splurge and have an entire meal fashioned with them.

Avocados are a good source of Vitamin E, C and several B vitamins and provide your body with necessary fats without the bad effects of saturated fats.  They also help your body absorb the fat soluble nutrients in the foods that you eat with them, so make sure you load up your guacamole with tomatoes to get an extra boost of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps to reduce your cancer risk.

Now I will admit to the guilty pleasure of eating my guacamole with chips.  I chose multigrain chips to try to help lessen the crappy food factor, but let's face it, a chip is a chip.  I use the "Scoops" variety, so I can increase my guac to chip ratio and consume a little less chip with each bite.

What makes this the World's Best Guacamole?  The freshness.  There's nothing better than mixing up your own concoction and eating it right out of the bowl you made it in.

The WORLD'S BEST Guacamole

2 ripe avocados

1/2 cup diced onion

3/4 cup diced tomato

1 tbsp lemon juice or the juice of one lemon

1 tsp minced garlic

jalapeño pepper to taste

a couple of shakes of salt, to taste

Mash the avocado with a fork then combine with the other ingredients.  

Nutritional information per 1/2 cup serving:

140 calories

9 total grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat

87 calories from fat

14 grams carbs

2.5 grams protein

0 mg cholesterol