All Kinds of Nuts

Part of the encouragement boost in following Flat Belly Diet! are the success stories scattered throughout the book. On page 312 you'll meet Evelyn Gomer who, by her own admission, loves all kinds of nuts. Me, too. But I suspect she was referring only to the food kind. Peanuts, almonds, cashews, etc... all great MUFAs.

Evelyn and I have other things in common. Neither of us had a clue what a MUFA was until we started reading the book. On page 30 there is a section titled Good Fats versus Bad Fats. Pretty similar to the good (HDL) versus bad (LDL) cholesterol. Bottom line is that healthy fats remain liquid at room temperature while the bad ones are solid or semi-solid at room temperature.

There are three kinds of good fats: Monosaturated Fat (MUFA), Polyunsaturated Fat and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. And two kinds of bad fats: Saturated Fats and Trans Fats. It's important to note that dietary fat is actually an important energy source for our bodies. But eating the bad kind is pretty hard on your body and your health. It's worth investing some time reading up on fat so that you understand those nutrition labels at the grocery store.

Meanwhile here's a great main dish recipe with a MUFA boost for good taste and good health. This one has a little spicy bite. Yummy.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE

1 clove garlic, finely grated

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 - 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)

4 thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets (about 1 pound total weight)

2 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomato (dry packed)

1/2 cup low sodium fat free chicken broth

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Using a medium skillet over medium low heat, saute garlic, dried tomato and pepper flakes in one teaspoon of oil for about two minutes. Remove from heat, cool ten minutes then toss garlic mixture in a small bowl with cheese and well drained spinach. Set aside.

Lay chicken pieces flat on a work surface (an acrylic chopping board is a safe bet). Evenly divide the spinach mixture on each chicken piece and spread to about 1/2 inch of the outside of the meat. Roll each stuffed cutlet, ending with the narrower tip. Secure each roll with a toothpick.

Add remaining oil to the skillet. Add chicken rolls and brown the meat on all sides over medium heat (about 10 minutes). Add broth the cover and cook another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer rolls to a platter, cover to keep warm. Dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon white wine and add slowly to broth in the skillet. Let boil to slightly thickened. Whisk in lemon juice toward the end. Cut rolls into diagonal slices. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with pine nuts. Feeds four. 320 calories per serving.

With 400 calories per meal as a target, that leaves room for a cup of steamed baby carrots as a side plus half a cup of fresh raspberries for dessert!