Italian Chicken Pasta Toss

I started Farrell's 10-week challenge. It is an extreme bodyshaping program. It incorporates kickboxing, strength training, nutrition and accountability. I am loving it. Let's move on to the nutrition portion. I have been eating 6 smaller meals throughout the day and making sure they are balanced (or trying to at least) . My children keep asking me why I am eating what I am eating and why I get to eat certain things at dinner and so forth. Tonight I decided to make one of my favorite recipes from The Pampered Chef. I have found some of my favorite recipes are from them. This being one of them. I planned on making it just for my family and then I was going to make something similar for myself. I then looked at the nutritional part and found that it really worked for my plan so I made it for everyone. My kids were excited I was eating the same thing as them. Even though some are not fans of tomatoes, or some do not like bell peppers and some do not like zucchini, it all worked out great! (as for the picture, it is not the best but I forgot to take a photo BEFORE eating it and therefore only got a picture with what was left lol.)

Italian Chicken Pasta Toss

Ingredients

• 6 oz uncooked bow tie pasta (about 3 cups)
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 small yellow or red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. salt
• grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Dice tomatoes, slice zucchini, chop onion, cut bell pepper, and cut chicken into 1-inch strips
2. Heat oil in stir fry pan (or nonstick skillet) over medium high heat until hot. Press garlic into skillet. Add chicken and stir fry 5 min. or until chicken is no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, zucchini, bell pepper, peas, seasonings and salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes or until heated through, stirring gently.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in warm pasta. Grate Parmesan cheese over pasta mix. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings
Nutrients per serving: Calories 190; Total fat 3 g; Saturated fat 0 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Carbohydrates 27 g; Protein 14 g; Sodium 430 mg; Fiber 3 g.
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 starch, 1 meat (1 1/2 carb)