[Olive Oil Recipes from Mediterranean Diet] Basil Bread; Lemon Garlic Skillet Chicken

Make the Mediterranean Diet Work for You
This Mediterranean staple is loaded with great nutrients that can help your diet seem a little less like a chore. Find out which tasty food we're talking about.

Olive Oil Recipes

Perhaps the best reason for using olive oil is its distinctive flavor. It adds zip to everything from pesto sauce to meats to roasted veggies (you can even use milder varieties for baking). Here are recipes for a couple of savory dishes to get you started.

Basil Bread

Journal as: 1 slice bread + 1 teaspoon oil
OR 1 slice bread + 1 tablespoon nuts

1 cup fresh basil leaves, slightly packed
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (toast by heating in nonstick skillet on medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Pinch salt (optional)
10 inch-thick slices of French or sourdough bread, preferably made with part whole-wheat flour

Put all of the ingredients except the bread in a small food processor. Pulse briefly to blend well.
Spread about 1/2 tablespoon spread on each bread slice and place on foil-lined cookie sheet. Broil about 6 inches from heat, watching carefully, until spread is bubbly and lightly brown (two-three minutes).
Yield: 10 pieces

Per slice of bread with spread (using part whole-wheat French bread): 132 calories, 4 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 4.9 g monounsaturated fat, 1.3 g polyunsaturated fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 1.3 g fiber, 150 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 54%.

Lemon Garlic Skillet Chicken

Journal as: 1 serving of "lean meat and moderate fat meat without added fat"

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh or bottled minced garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (unfold the tenderloin area to make the breast as flat as possible)
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice (or substitute regular lemon juice)
4 tablespoon water, chicken broth, or white wine

Add olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet and begin to heat over medium-high heat.
When hot (a minute or two), add garlic and chicken breasts (placing them so they are nice and flat and covering the olive oil in the bottom of the skillet). Brown for two-three minutes, sprinkle the top with pepper, then flip to brown the other side for two to three minutes.
Turn heat down to LOW and drizzle the lemon juice and water, chicken broth, or wine over the top. Cover skillet immediately and cook until chicken is cooked throughout (about 15 more minutes).
Serve the chicken with or without the lemon broth in the bottom of the skillet.
Yield: 4 servings

Per serving (with broth from pan): 188 calories, 27 g protein, 2 g carbohydrate, 7.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat, 4.4 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat), 73 mg cholesterol, 0.1 g fiber, 64 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 37%.