Nutritious and Delicious

I used to equate "health" food with adjectives like bland, boring, and just plain bad tasting.

In fact, whenever I thought about eating healthy, visions of boiled seasonless chicken danced in my head, my stomach would turn at the thought of consuming something so gross, and I would make a much more exciting choice for my tastebuds like french fries or ice cream... or both together at the same time. (confession: I used to love to dip my french fries in a chocolate Wendy's frosty. I just have a weird love of strange food combinations)

But I have discovered this doesn't have to be. Getting a little creative in the kitchen and finding flavorful recipes with healthy ingredients helps to create dishes that are not only delicious but won't wreak havoc on your fitness goals.

My husband and I just returned from a vacation in Cancun where we ate all the carbs we wanted, drank all the sugary soda and spiked drinks we wanted and did not hit the gym once. In fact, the ONLY physical activity we had all week long were walks on the beach and swimming in the waves... ahh... it was so hard to come home....

Upon our return (and indulging in our last cheat day of big greasy burgers and cheesy pizza) we both made a vow to start eating healthy again. But the thought was less than appealing after a week of bad food binging.

So I found this recipe in Real Simple magazine and decided to try it out for dinner. It was so yummy! Proof that nutritious and delicious can come together into something amazing for your mouth :)

Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Broccoli and Potatoes


1/2  bunch broccoli cut into florets
1  lb red new potatoes (about 10), halved
3  Tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers
2  ounces Feta, crumbled (1/2 cup)
8  thin chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1  Tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

heat oven to 400 F with the racks in the upper and lower thirds. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the broccoli and potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast on the bottom rack, tossing once, until golden brown and tender, 18-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the red peppers and Feta. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Dividing evenly, roll up the red pepper mixture in the cutlets (about 1 heaping teaspoon each) and fasten each closed with a toothpick.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large overproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, seam-side up, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the chicken, transfer the skillet to the top rack, and roast until cooked through, 14 to 16 minutes more. Remove the toothpicks. Serve the chicken with the vegetables, sprinkled with the parsley.