Chicken With Grape-Shallot Sauce

You have to be a little bit adventurous for this recipe. Shallots and grapes together are not for everyone. But keep your mind and taste buds open, and you will like it. Don't be intimidated! :)

Serves: 2

Calories: About 330 per serving

1/8 cup flour

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts

Salt, to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste (coarsely ground preferable)

5 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced (if shallots not available, use regular white onions-not red)

1/4 tsp garlic paste

1 cup green or red seedless grapes, halved lengthwise

1 and a half cups chicken broth (homemade or store bought)*

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken and dredge in flour on both sides (reserve the left over flour). Heat 3 tsp oil in a skillet on medium high and add the chicken breasts. Cook for 2-4 minutes on one side and then reduce the heat to medium. Turn the chicken breasts over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tsp of oil. Add shallots, stirring frequently, till light brown. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes. Then, add the grapes and cook till just starting to get brown. Add 3 tsp of the reserved flour and let it coat well. Slowly add the chicken broth and cook on reduced heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes till sauce is reduced. Season with a little salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the parsley and add the chicken breasts into the sauce. Cook till chicken heated through completely (about 2-3 minutes). Serve with sauce on top.

*You can also add half a cup of grape juice. If you do, reduce the chicken broth to just one cup.

Serving suggestion: Serve with garlic green beans on the side.

Chocolate-Banana Wontons

Yes, i know... another dessert! But I can't help it. I made this recently and it was a big hit. Again, its not super low on calories but nothing over the top either. And as promised, super easy to make!

Makes: 6

Ingredients:

18 square wonton wrappers

1 banana, diced

5-6 tablespoons chocolate bits (I used crumbled Flake, but you can use whichever you have on hand or even chocolate chips)

1 tbsp powdered sugar (optional, for sprinkling/dusting)

Preheat over to 350 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray (to cut down on the oil/spray, use parchment or wax paper and then lightly coat with spray).

In a bowl, combine bananas and chocolate.

Take 3 wonton wrappers and place on top of each other on a flat surface. Drop 1 tsp of the banana-chocolate mixture in the middle of the wrappers. Dip your finger in water, moisten the edges of the square and fold over to form a triangle. Then, press to seal. Make 5 more such triangles.

Place the wontons on the baking sheet and bake till golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Dust powdered sugar over wontons before serving warm so that the chocolate inside is still gooey.

Serving suggestion: I served these with strawberries and bananas on the side. I also cooked up a sauce with cut up strawberries and bananas with a little water and sugar and added a splash of cream after it cooled (but it's just as great without it).

Indulge! :)