Thursday, September 23, 2010

When Southern goes Slim



In terms of food, it doesn't get much more southern than chicken pot pie. And your typical flavors of the south are usually pretty unhealthy. Think fried green tomatoes, grits, biscuits and gravy, fried okra, etc. Even foods that are naturally healthy such as vegetables are often prepared with tons of cream or butter, yielding a diet disaster. This is why the south has the highest rates of obesity, which I could go on and on about, but I will save that for another time. Sometimes a southern belle just needs some comforting southern food. But does that mean that you must slack on your healthy eating habits? Of course not- just lighten things up a bit. My chicken pot pie recipe is so easy to make and tastes just as wonderful as any other pot pie that I have ever tasted. I generally use almond milk in all of my recipes in place of regular milk. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with skim milk because it is a great source of calcium and vitamin D, great for bone health among many other things. I just love the smooth,creamy flavor of almond milk and 1 cup has just 40 calories (Almond Breeze is the best brand in my opinion). I used Carbquik bake mix in place of the Bisquick, but Carbquik has to be ordered on the internet. If you are watching your carbohydrate intake, it might be a good investment as it has 90% less carbs than Bisquik. It also has 14g of fiber and 6g of protein per serving. I order it from Netrition and often use it to create low-carb recipes including pizza crusts and coffee cakes. No matter which mix you choose for the topping, this is a healthy, hearty dish full of veggies and lean protein.

Chicken Pot Pie
serves 4

Ingredients
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 12oz. before cooking)
1 can Veg-All
1 can 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Bisquick heart-healthy bake mix (or Carbquik)
1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (or skim milk)
1/4 cup egg beaters
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 8x8 baking dish (a round casserole dish would work as well) with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium size bowl, combine chicken, Veg-All, cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
  3. In a seperate bowl, combine Bisquick, milk, egg beaters, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir until combined.
  4. Evenly pour chicken and vegetable mixture into baking dish. Spread Bisquick mixture evenly on top.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.
Nutrition (with heart-healthy Bisquick): 270 calories, 34g carbohydrate, 23g protein, 5g fat
Nutrition (with Carbquik): 228 calories, 25g carbohydrate, 25g protein, 8g fat

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3 comments:

Rainie said...

I am going to have to try this one Lauren! I looove Chicken Pot Pie, but I rarely make it because of it's high caloric content. This recipe sounds delish!

The Food Hunter said...

Great recipe! I love almond milk!

Katerina said...

I love the way you "healthified" the recipe. Your pie looks very appetizing!

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About Lauren

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Nutrition student with a passion for giving yummy recipes a healthy make-over. Future RD on a constant search for the best food finds. And new blogger trying to relay my tasty ideas to everyone else.

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