Fit for ’15: Comfort food

The cooler temperatures seem to prompt many people to crave warm, filling meals like fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. El Paso Community College Chef Daniel Guerra makes a chicken and pasta dish that is lighter than your usual comfort food fare.

Homemade pasta

1 cups whole wheat flour

2 eggs

Mix eggs gradually adding flour to develop gluten. Rest for 10 minutes. (May sub store-bought pasta, preferably enriched with vegetables like spinach or tomato.)

Homemade tomato sauce

2 tbsp Olive oil

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 ea onion, diced

4 ea stalks celery, diced

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups white wine

1 cup water

12 ea Roma tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute garlic, onion, celery lightly and add tomato paste and allow to brown. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Simmer 2 minutes and add water or stock. Then, add diced tomatoes (canned may be substituted). Season with salt and pepper.

Lighter breaded chicken

Preheat oven to 400F. Season boneless skinless chicken breast with salt and pepper. Top with whole wheat bread crumbs or panko and almonds. Cook at 400F for 10 minutes and lower heat to 250F until internal temperature of 160F has been reached. This will allow carry over to 165, and have a moist final product. Chicken cook times may vary with thickness.