Easy Low-Fat Salt and Pepper Chicken, Take Two

If you are a longtime reader of Sarah’s Cucina Bella, you might remember my recipes for Easy Low-Fat Salt and Pepper Chicken Breasts. It was a long post with adorable pictures of the kids, and a bad picture of the chicken. On Tuesday, I had the chance to reshoot this recipe with the help of professionals to figure out how to take something basic like this and make it look fabulous. The photo above is the result.

When I created my (ridiculously easy) recipe for Salt and Pepper Chicken, I was clueless how to make it look tasty in a photograph. I ended up tossing one piece on a white plate and snapping a picture.

The original photo ... Would you crave that?

And did it look irresistible? Like that special, easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket to make when you have no time to cook dinner or when you need a lightly seasoned chicken breast for topping a salad or drizzling with an extra special sauce? Um. No. That’s the original photo at the right … See how it looked more like a bland piece of chicken? The darkness and poor lighting didn’t help anything at all. I doubt anyone gave it a second look.

As a food writer who has had to learn to shoot photographs of the dishes and recipes I create, it’s been an uphill battle. This photograph frustrated me, but I just wasn’t sure what to do about it.

Yea.

So, when my buddies (and coworkers!) at Tablespoon asked me to choose a couple potential recipes for my photography lesson with General Mills pros on my recent trip, this one topped the list. Fortunately, they agreed.

A closer look ...

The food stylist suggested turning this one recipe into a meal on a plate for better photographing. She made some couscous as a side dish, and that doubled as a way to prop up the chicken, giving it more body in the photograph. For a vegetable, we used a few carefully placed fresh cooked green beans. What a big change, right? I can hardly believe that I took these photos.

I learned so much during my training session, so I wanted to pass along a few tips for you too …

5 Food Photography Tips for the Non-Photographer

1. Don’t just pick a plate. It’s important that the color and shape of the plate compliments the food. Hold a few up to see which works the best with the colors in whatever you are photographing … or even try the food out on it first. Don’t be afraid to shoot a test shot to see which looks better in the digital realm.
2. Go small. The smaller the plate, the better your food will look — you really don’t want all that empty space around it, since it will just make the food look diminutive.
3. Take test shots. Trying to decide which place mat or napkin to use? Choose a few, and put them around the plate so you can compare how they look. Then take a test shot and whittle the linens down. Same goes for plates and other decorations.
4. Use either complimentary or contrasting colors. You can’t just choose red because you like it. Instead, consider using similar colors (such as a green napkin and plate) or contrasting ones (such as a dark brown plate and a pale khaki napkin). This will make the food stand out.
5. Don’t let the props/plates/background be distracting. Ultimately, you want the food to stand out, not the decorations that you put around it. So be sure the food is front and center and in focus (and remove anything that overshadows it).

Easy Low-Fat Salt and Pepper Chicken Breasts
serves 4

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt
course black pepper
olive oil cooking spray

Heat a skillet over medium heat on your stove. Make sure the size of the skillet will hold all the chicken.

Rinse the chicken breasts in cool water and trim away any excess fat. Place in the center of a long (about two feet) sheet of wax paper and fold the paper over the chicken. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the chicken to about 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut each breast into two even pieces. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides.

Spray the skillet with olive oil cooking spray. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes, until lightly browned on the bottom side. Flip and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the pan and use as desired.

The post Reviving Salt and Pepper Chicken (and 5 Food Photography Tips for the Non-Photographer) appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Knock, knock!

That’s what Paige says when she’s running into a room. It’s her own special way of announcing her presence. It brings an ear-to-ear smile to my face just to think about it. She is so sweet, so smart and so loving … I couldn’t ask for more. And this weekend, she impressed me as she actually acknowledged and played with my niece, who is just three months older. It was nice to see the girls and Will get along so well.

We are back from the wedding and back to life (after hitting the minor speed bump of a half-day of power outage today). That means, as promised, we are back to food. YAY!

One of my very, very, very favorite things is a well-seasoned pork tenderloin. Particularly one that has the rich flavors of garlic, rosemary and white wine soaked deep through the meat. This recipe adapts those delicious flavors to the faster-cooking pork chop. It’s a rich, tender and tasty way to enjoy boneless chops.

Serve it up with some rice pilaf and a green veggie (like green beans) and you will have an easy and delicious meal.

Rosemary Garlic Pork Chops
serves 4

1 lb pork chops (boneless, thin-cut)
12 ” portion of rosemary, needles removed and minced (discard the woody stick)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tbsp white wine

Rinse the pork chops in cold water. Place in a single layer in a flat-bottomed container and set aside.

In a small food processor, combine the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and white wine. Process until well combined.

Spread the marinade mixture over the pork chops and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for at least an hour. Flip the pork chops, scraping the mixture off one side and rubbing into the second side of the chops. Get ready to cook, letting the pork site for 5-10 more minutes.

Cook to desired doneness on the grill or under a broiler.

The post Garden Fresh Marinade: Rosemary Garlic Pork Chops appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.

Yesterday I gave you a primer on types of proteins. Today, I am following up with a little more info so you can decipher how much protein you need.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, millions of people around the world don’t get enough protein each day. Protein deficiency leads to a condition called kwashiorkor, which is characterized by tissue breakdown, failure to grow, immune deficiency, and respiratory and heart problems. If that’s not enough reason to get your daily intake of protein, I don’t know what is!

How much protein should you eat?
This does depend somewhat on how you eat. There are a lot of great resources about protein consumption for both men and women on the internet to help you learn what is right for your eating habits. For instance, this is a good read if you are on a low carb diet. The gist? The more protein you eat, the more calcium you need to counteract calcium loss. To figure out generally what is right for you, based on height, body frame and age, try this calculator.

Virgin Pina Colada Protein Shake
serves 1

1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 cup ice
1 serving protein powder mix (1 scoop for mine)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Drink immediately.

The post Virgin Pina Colada Protein Shake Recipe appeared first on Sarah's Cucina Bella.