I’ve gained a little weight over the last few years. I’m sure I could blame it on turning 50 and a slowing metabolism. I could argue that life is short and we should eat the butter. Goodness knows I love to cook and love to eat. However, I’m not happy that I have what a friend of mine refers to as “the bigness.” So I’m taking a closer look at how I cook and what I’m eating.

I don’t believe in unrealistic or faddish diets. I just want to drastically cut down on my fat intake and switch to healthier carbohydrates. This week’s recipe serves six and each serving has 455 calories and 4 grams of fat.

Tuscan Chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. canola oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 red or green bell peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 28-oz. can tomatoes
2/3 cup red wine
1 16-oz. can cannelini beans, drained
1 15.5-oz. can red kidney beans, drained
½ cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and cook chicken until it is no longer pink. Remove from pan.

Cook onions and pepper in the chicken juices – don’t forget to add salt and pepper. Add garlic and oregano. Cook for a few minutes and add tomatoes, wine and cooked chicken.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add beans and cook an additional 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Then pour contents into an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and place in an oven set to broil until browned. Watch closely and don’t let it burn.

I served with a side of fresh herb mixed greens and baby kale. Instead of salad dressing, I squeezed the juice of a lemon slice over the top.

In all honesty, I missed the fat. But that being said, dinner was tasty and I felt satisfied. I’m sure in time I’ll get used to less fat and enjoy the benefits of a smaller waistline.