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A Sweet Menu
A Kid-friendly, Heart-healthy Valentine's Day Meal
By Donna Smith
While a dinner for two may be romantic, celebrating this sweet day with your whole family can be fun too. By serving healthier versions of kid favorites, you can really say you're celebrating the heart!
A healthy alternative to the typical fried nuggets.
3 to 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
Olive oil cooking spray
In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, thyme, salt and basil. Lightly spray both sides of the chicken with the olive oil spray, then dip into the breadcrumbs. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes. Serve with bottled, reduced-fat honey mustard dressing, honey or low-fat ranch dressing for dipping. Makes four servings.
Nutritional analysis: calories, 164; calories from fat, 50; total fat, 5.6g; saturated fat, 2g; cholesterol, 45mg; carbohydrates, 10g; fiber, 0g; sugars, 1g; protein, 17g; vitamin A, 2%; calcium, 16%; iron, 6%
The natural sugars of the broccoli turn this side dish into a sweet, but healthy, kid favorite.
1 head of broccoli, cut up
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Place the broccoli in a plastic zipper bag. Add the oil, salt and pepper. Shake to coat. Place on a pan and broil in the oven for about 14 minutes. Serves four.
Nutritional analysis: calories, 64; calories from fat, 25; total fat, 29g; saturated fat, 0g; cholesterol, 0g; protein, 4g; sugars, 1g; carbohydrates, 7g; fiber, 4g; vitamin A, 43%; calcium, 7%; vitamin C, 100%; iron, 6%