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Ingredients:
1 lb ground skinless turkey breast
1 small chopped onion
2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
5 oz. frozen chopped spinach
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup low or no sugar whole grain cereal flakes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 egg and 1 egg white
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste
Non-stick cooking spray

Heat oven to 375F degrees. Place spinach in a strainer and run some cool water over the pile and let it hang out to finish thawing over a bowl or sink. Get a baking sheet and line it with foil, spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

Spray a medium skillet with non-stick cooking spray and cook the onions, garlic and mushrooms with the 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. Once this cooks down and the liquid from the veggies evaporates, remove the mixture from the pan and spread it out on a plate to quickly cool. Set it aside for later.

In your food processor, place the cereal flakes, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, and dry mustard and blend until it has turned into fine crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, place all of the ingredients in a plastic Ziploc bag and beat it with a rolling pin. Pour the crumb mixture into a large bowl. Beat the eggs slightly and add to the crumb mixture. Squeeze all of the water out of the spinach and add to the bowl along with the cooled veggies and mozzarella. Finally, add the turkey and mix with your hands…it’s the only way to get everything blended.

Form meatballs that are about 2 ½ oz each. If you have an ice cream scoop, it makes the perfect size ball. Spray it with non-stick cooking spray and you’ll get a nice release. Try and get your meatball as “tight" as possible. Place on your prepared cookie sheet. Spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray and bake for 22 minutes. If you choose to make your balls smaller or larger, adjust your cooking time and use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness. (The USDA recommends ground turkey be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F). Let the meatballs sit for a minute and then devour!

You can also change it up a bit. Perhaps, lose the spinach and mushrooms and replace it with red and green bell peppers. Use a Mexican seasoning blend and jack cheese to create an entirely different flavor profile. Or, if you feel like going Oriental style, you could replace the spinach, mushrooms and onions with blanched mung bean sprouts, chopped green scallion and some grated fresh ginger. A splash of soy sauce instead of the Worcestershire and use an Asian spice blend. I don’t think that I’d use any cheese for this version! You could serve these with some steamed brown rice.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup apricot nectar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 pound total)
1-teaspoon cornstarch blended with 1-tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces fresh apricots, sliced
2 scallions, sliced (optional)

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apricot nectar, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, ginger and garlic. Measure out 1/2 cup, transfer to a medium saucepan and set aside. Add the chicken to the mixture remaining in the bowl, tossing to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours.

2. Preheat the broiler. Broil the chicken 6 inches from the heat, turning halfway through for 12-minutes or until cooked through.

3. Meanwhile add the cornstarch mixture and salt to the saucepan of reserved apricot nectar mixture. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring. Add the apricots and cook for 2 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened and the apricots are fork-tender. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned on the top, garnished with the scallions. Serves 4.

Per serving: Calories 222; fiber 1g; Protein 28g; Total Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 1g; Cholesterol 66mg; Sodium 351 mg.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. For each person increase ingredients by ½. This is phenomenally delicious! (Chicken breasts could be used in place of the game hen).

Ingredients:
1 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-pound Cornish game hen, halved
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Non-stick cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil

4 shallots, chopped
2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
2/3 cup dry red wine
2/3 cup frozen raspberries
1 teaspoons (or more) sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Directions
Preheat oven to 500°F. Sprinkle hen halves with thyme, salt and pepper. Spray heavy large skillet with non-stick spray, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add hen halves, skin side down, and coo****il brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer hen halves to baking sheet (do not clean skillet). Place in oven and roast until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add shallots and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add broth, wine, raspberries, 1 teaspoon sugar and allspice. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, scraping up browned bits and crushing raspberries, about 12 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper; add more sugar, if desired. Serve hen halves with sauce.

This is a rich dish that should satisfy even the worst good-food cravings. Try it using pork cutlets or turkey cutlets. (The ingredients here are for two servings: please increase accordingly to serve more people).

Ingredients:
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 chicken breast halves, cut and pounded to cutlets (see above)
2 Tablespoons canola oil (do not substitute cooking spray)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon capers, drained
2 Tablespoons butter
1 lemon, sliced
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:
Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, then dust with flour. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil, swirling to coat pan.

Sauté cutlets for 2-3 minutes on one side. Flip the cutlets over and sauté the other side for 1-2 minutes, covering the pan. Transfer cutlets to a warm plate; pour off and discard fat from pan.

Deglaze the pan with wine and add the minced garlic. Coo****il garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly gone, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, lemon juice and capers. Return the cutlets to the pan and cook on each side 1 minute. Transfer back to the warm plate. Finish the sauce by adding the lemon slices and butter to the pan, shaking to help the butter melt. Once the butter melts pour the sauce over the cutlets. Garnish with the fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.

One 4-ounce serving of chicken with 2-tablespoons of sauce contains 353 calories, fat 20.6 grams (10 grams saturated), 36 grams protein and 6 grams carbohydrate.

Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons flour
1 onion cut into ½-inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, slivered
1 large butternut squash (2½ pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups canned no-salt-added chopped tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup apple juice
2 tablespoons of no-salt-added tomato paste
½ teaspoon each dried sage and salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Directions:
1. In a large nonstick Dutch oven or flameproof casserole, heat 1½ teaspoons of the oil over moderate heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add half of the chicken to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes or until lightly browned on both sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken and 1½ teaspoons oil.
2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté for 7 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the squash, stirring to coat. Add the chopped tomatoes, broth, apple juice, tomato paste, sage, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 7 minutes.
3. Return chicken to the pan, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the squash is tender. Serves 4.
Nutrition information: Calories 388; Fiber 7g; Protein 38g; Total Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 1g; Cholesterol 82mg; Sodium 662 mg.