New recipes from her revised and expanded cookbook!

Michelle Dudash, RDN, Registered Dietitian, Chef and Author of Clean Eating for Busy Families, shares simple recipes anyone can do to impress the family: Easy Chicken Parmesan with Spinach and White Bean Chicken Chili. Michelle’s Easy Chicken Parmesan with Spinach can all be prepared in just one big pan and has a very simple sauce containing two ingredients: just pulse a can of whole tomatoes in the blender and add salt.

Michelle works with the Tomato Products Wellness Council and loves using canned and jarred tomatoes in all sorts of recipes.

Tomatoes are grown in the summer, but harvested within hours and sealed, locking in the flavor and nutrition of summer. 

Cooking the tomatoes releases the lycopene, making it more absorbable by the body. Lycopene has been studied to be good for fighting prostate cancer and heart disease, as well as reducing inflammation.

There’s no need to buy imported tomatoes when the USA grows the best, which has been proven many times in blind taste tests, including Indiana tomatoes.

Pair the dish with Zoodles or whole-grain thin spaghetti. To make zoodles, you will need to use a spiralizer or you can now buy pre-cut zoodles in the produce section.Michelle’s White Bean Chicken Chili recipe relies on mashed white beans for creaminess. It doesn’t need any heavy cream or sour cream like other recipes do, reducing the calories and saturated fat because the beans add fiber.

Fresh Anaheim chilies add a mild, fresh taste. Poblano or canned green diced chilies may also be used. If you like it spicy, add a jalapeno. 

Chicken thighs are better for simmering in chili, compared to chicken breast. Use boneless skinless chicken thigh and trim any excess fat.

Get more recipes at www.dishwithdudash.com. 

ONE-PAN CHICKEN PARMESAN WITH SPINACH 
When I was a private chef, my employer requested a healthier version of chicken Parmesan. This recipe became one of my signature dishes and a favorite of the house. Then I super streamlined it for busy us. You can cook the whole thing in an oven-safe skillet or transfer to a baking dish. My family loves eating this with whole-grain thin spaghetti, or serve it with zoodles or extra spinach. 
FOR THE SAUCE: 
1 (14-ounce, or 392 g) can whole tomatoes                               
1⁄2 teaspoon salt 
FOR THE CHICKEN: 
1 (5-ounce, or 143 g) bag microwave-in- bag fresh baby spinach                 
1 1⁄2 pounds (680 g) chicken breasts or chicken breast fillets                           
3 tablespoons (15 g) grated Parmesan cheese                                   
3 tablespoons (21 g) almond flour or (24 g) whole-wheat flour                       
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil                                                                                      
1⁄2  (8-ounce, or 227 g) ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into 6 medallions 1⁄2  teaspoon salt 

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). 

TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Pulse the tomatoes and salt in a blender or food processor a couple times until it becomes a chunky sauce. 

TO MAKE THE CHICKEN: Microwave the spinach in the bag according to package directions. 
Halve large, thick chicken breasts with a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board to create thin fillets. Then cut the chicken into a total of 6 pieces. Pound the chicken to 1⁄4 inch (6 mm) in a plastic produce bag or under plastic wrap. 

Combine Parmesan cheese, flour, salt, pepper, and basil in a plastic produce bag or dish. Coat the chicken in the cheese breading. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken to the pan in a single layer and tightly together to cook as many pieces as possible in the first batch, pressing down the center of each piece. Cook until golden on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and turn the chicken. Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken, then gently swirl the pan to get sauce underneath the chicken. 

Gently squeeze the spinach to release water and divide spinach on top of chicken. Place mozzarella on top, and sprinkle with 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Bake until the sauce is bubbling around the edges, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

GO GREEN 
Spinach is a cool-season crop and peaks during September and October. Warmer climates may produce spinach year- round, but yield may dip in December and January. If you love spinach like I do, cook a larger bag and plate the extras with the chicken. I also like to nibble on it as a little appetizer while I cook. 

Total Prep and Cook Time: 45 Minutes • Yield: 6 Servings, 1 Piece Chicken Each (With 1⁄4 Cup [62 G] Sauce 

Per Serving: 245 Calories; 9 G Total Fat; 4 G Saturated Fat; 33 G Protein; 7 G Carbohydrate; 2 G Dietary Fiber; 85 Mg Cholesterol. 

ZOODLES (ZUCCHINI NOODLES) WITH MINT & GARLIC 
I discovered this surprising combination of flavors while taking a cooking class at Fattoria Terranova just outside of Sorrento, Italy, overlooking the Amalfi Coast (I want to go back!). These zucchini noodles are so fun to make and eat. You don’t need a fancy, expensive spiralizer if you’re just making these every once in a while in regular quantities. A handheld spiralizer will do. If you don’t feel like buying yet another gadget, many well-stocked produce sections now carry spiralized zucchini—just be sure to use it within a couple days before it expires. 

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil                                     
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 large zucchini (about 12 ounces [340 g]), spiralized (about 4 heaping cups)
1⁄2 teaspoons dried mint (or 2 tablespoons [12 g] fresh, chopped)
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 ml) red wine vinegar 

Heat a large sauté pan on medium-low heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove the garlic. Add the zucchini and sauté until it’s tender enough to twirl around a fork like spaghetti and is bright green, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the mint, salt, and pepper toward the end of cooking. Drizzle the vinegar. 

RECIPE NOTE 
You can experiment with the type of vinegar you use in this. Balsamic will add a deeper, more intense flavor. White wine vinegar will give the dish a lighter taste. It’s up to you. 

Total Prep and Cook Time: 20 Minutes • Yield: 4 Servings, 1⁄2 Cup (112 G) Each 

Per Serving: 50 Calories; 4 G Total Fat; 1 G Saturated Fat; 1 G Protein; 4 G Carbohydrate; 1 G Dietary Fiber; 0 Mg Cholesterol. 

WHITE CHILI WITH CHICKEN AND BEANS 
My husband kept raving about how good this chili is. When that happens, I know have a winning recipe. Unlike most white chilis that use heavy cream and sour cream, mashed beans add plant-based creaminess that leaves you feeling light and healthy. Avocado is the perfect finishing touch, plus you can add whatever else you crave, such as scallions and fresh cilantro. Don’t fret, this chili is not spicy. Anaheim chilis are a very mild pepper, but if you want to kick things up a notch, use poblano peppers. 

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil                                                                                          
1 1⁄2 cups (240 g) diced onion (about 1 medium)
2 diced green Anaheim green chilis (or 1 large poblano pepper)
3 garlic cloves, smashed with the wide side of a chef’s knife
3⁄4 teaspoon (5 g) salt, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 pounds trimmed (683 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 3⁄4 cups (411 ml) chicken bone broth (boxed or homemade; see note)                                      
1 teaspoon (3 g) ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon oregano
3 (15-ounce, or 425 g) cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 lime, zest finely grated, half of the fruit juiced, the other half cut into wedges                          
1 1⁄2 avocados, peeled and diced 

Heat a soup pot on medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion, chilis, garlic, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Cook gently until tender, about 8 minutes, reducing heat to medium-low as needed. Add the chicken, broth, cumin, and oregano, turning the heat back up to medium to speed cooking. 

Using a fork, mash 1 can of beans in a bowl until mostly smooth. Add the mashed beans and whole beans, lime zest, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt to the pot. Gently simmer the chili to combine the flavors, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Garnish each serving with one-quarter diced avocado and serve with lime wedges. 

RECIPE NOTES 
»  This chili can easily be cooked in a slow cooker. Combine all of the ingredients, except the lime juice and avocado, and cook on low for 6 hours. Then stir in the lime juice. Garnish with avocado. 
»  Make a double batch and freeze half or enjoy for up to five days when stored in the fridge. 
»  Use ground chicken or turkey so you don’t have to spend time cubing the meat. 

GO CLEAN 
While you can make your own bone broth, boxed bone broth contains simple ingredients and is what I usually resort to at home. Bone broth is much lower in sodium and higher in protein compared to traditional broths. 

GO GREEN 
Take advantage of Hatch green chile season, when some grocery stores freshly roast the peppers during late summer and early fall. Already-roasted pep- pers may be added to the chili with the chicken. 

Total Prep and Cook Time: 50 Minutes • Yield: 6 Servings, 1 Rounded Cup (256 G) Each (With 1⁄4 Medium Avocado) 

Per Serving: 430 Calories; 16 G Total Fat; 3 G Saturated Fat; 37 G Protein; 52 G Carbohydrate; 13 G Dietary Fiber; 68 Mg Cholesterol. 

Michelle Dudash is a registered dietitian nutritionist, Cordon Bleu-certified chef, and author of the newly revised and expanded Clean Eating for Busy Families, which is available for pre-order now on Amazon.