Parmesan Chicken

This is a quick and easy meal, and low carb!

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
EVOO
Salt
Pepper
1 lb Chicken Breast Tenderloins (or chicken breasts cut into strips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour parmesan cheese into bowl. Season chicken tenderloins with salt and pepper. Brush lightly with EVOO. Dip chicken into parmesan cheese and coat each side. Place on cookie sheet. Cook for 15 minutes. After cooked, place in broiler for 1 min to crisp up the parmesan. Sometimes the chicken has a harder time "browning" than others, but it's cooked and still delicious! A great side dish for this is my smashed cauliflower and a simple tossed salad.

Pesto Cream Sauce

This is a simple yet delicious recipe for a pasta sauce. It's very inexpensive, but you would never guess it! It's especially inexpensive if you grow your own basil like I do.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp EVOO +/-
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 cup basil leaves
Salt and Pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 TBSP butter
8 oz low fat cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (or more) milk

put pine nuts, basil, EVOO, garlic powder, salt and pepper in food processor. Blend. When nuts and leaves are chopped, add in EVOO and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Blend again. The consistancy does NOT need to be as thin as a pesto sauce. It needs to be thick, almost formed. You may add more EVOO if it seems to thick or dry.

In sauce pan, put 2 TBSP butter and pesto in pan and melt. Cut cream cheese into cubes. Add in cream cheese and stir while it melts. Add milk and parmesan, continuing to stir while it melts. Turn heat to low, and stir occasionally. When it is evenly mixed and heated thoroughly, it is ready!