Chicken Broccoli Roulade with Chili-Spiced Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Having trouble being creative with the staples? Chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes get transformed into something fun with this simple recipe...and it's healthy for you too!

BTW - diabetic patients can profit from the sweet potato’s low or moderate glycemic index. Compared to high-GI foods, sweet potatoes break down more slowly in the body, producing smaller fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. In addition, sweet potatoes are low in calories.

Also, the mash is practically fat-free and the chili powder contains capsaicin, which studies have shown may inhibit fat-cell growth and help people consume fewer calories. And cinnamon is no slacker spice either: It keeps your blood sugar stable and your appetite in check, so you won't be tempted to go back for a second helping.


Make the Roulade:

Ingredients:

3 (24 oz total) large chicken breast halves
2 large eggs
2 tsp water
1 cup whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs or panko
2 cups broccoli floret, cooked, chopped small
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp low fat milk
2 tsp oregano
salt
spray oil
wood toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine 1 egg, milk and a little salt. Beat with a fork to make an egg wash. Set aside. Fill a second bowl with breadcrumbs.

Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. I usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half. Pound them to make them thinner. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.

Put the chopped broccoli on a bowl and add water. Cover with saran wrap and microwave for about 2 minutes until broccoli is cooked. Add 1 egg, parmesan, and oregano. Stir to combine all ingredients.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the broccoli mixture on a chicken breast. Then roll the chicken tucking in the sides if possible. Keep in place by using a wooden toothpick. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all chicken is used and bake for 30 minutes.

Make the potato mash:

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, cubed
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Boil the sweet potatoes in a large pot on the stove top about 25 minutes until potatoes are soft. Mash the chunks of potato and add in remaining ingredients. Viola!

Curried Carrot, Sweet Potato, and Ginger Soup

Did you know that one baked, medium-sized sweet potato contains 438% of your daily value of vitamin A? Did you know that a white potato only contains 1%? Time to start eating more colorful! Orange it is! This soup is super easy to make and perfect for a cold winter afternoon.

Ingredients
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup chopped white onion
3 cups cubed peeled sweet potato
1 1/2 cups sliced peeled carrots
1 tablespoon powdered ginger
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add potato, carrots, ginger, and curry; cook 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stir in salt.

Pour half of soup in a food processor; pulse until smooth. Repeat procedure with remaining soup. Garnish with a dollop of fat free sour cream if you want.

Beef and Rutabaga Stew

 It's been snowing all day today. When you're working from home and you want a warm and hearty soup, this does the trick. Plus, the root vegetables make it low carb and super healthy!

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 cups peeled and diced rutabaga
1 pound beef stew-meat chunks
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Pepper to taste
3 teaspoons tomato paste

Make it:

Put everything in a slow cooker or a big pot; stir to combine.

Cover and cook 30 - 45 minutes on medium heat on the stove or for the crock pot do the low setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5, until the beef is tender and the rutabaga are just fork tender.

Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks, if possible. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Why rutabaga?

Potato vs Turnip vs Rutabaga

NUTRITION PER 100 GRAMS	WHITE POTATO	TURNIP	RUTABAGA
Calories	77	28	36
Carbohydrate	18 grams	6 grams	8 grams
Fiber	2 grams	2 grams	3 grams
Vitamin C	33% RDA	35% RDA	42% RDA
Glycemic Load *	8	2	3
Inflammation Factor **	-46	-1	-3

*Glycemic load is a way of expressing a food or meal’s effect on blood-sugar levels. Experts vary on their recommendations for what your total glycemic load should be each day. A typical target for total Estimated Glycemic Load is 100 or less per day. If you have diabetes or metabolic syndrome, you might want to aim a little lower.