Elevated Chicken – 350 cal

You hear me talk about “elevated chicken” a lot. That’s because it’s our go-to quick, easy, low calorie meal that makes us feel like we’re eating gourmet. The idea is to take one chicken breast (cut in two), add one potato (half each), some kind of veggie, and a different sauce each time. Presentation is…

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You have to try my Coq! – 510 Cal

Before you wonder if you’ve hit a porn site, the line comes from the hit series “Emily in Paris” where Chef Gabrielle invites the young American upstart to try his Coq. Lots of laughter from the innuendo but it inspired me to search for my own Coq au Vin recipe that wasn’t overly caloric. In…

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Chicken Francese – 466 cal

It’s an Italian-American lemon chicken classic with a twist. And even though it’s high in calories, offset the meal by a side of lettuce and vinegar dressing. The potatoes add about 100 so if you had a low lunch, you’ll be okay with the meal as pictures. The twist is that the egg is on…

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Chicken Cordon Bleu & Scalloped Potatoes – 398 Cal

When I tell people they can have Cordon Bleu on a diet, they usually laugh. The secret is portion size and a little cheating. In this version, each piece is 1/2 a chicken breast flattened; a small piece of off-the-bone ham (not processed); shredded cheese; and an amazing sauce. It’s not only delicious but a…

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Chicken, Perogies & Polenta (left over gourmet)

Even chefs have leftovers. In fact, Artichoke Hart virtually lives off them. Once Al and the team have finished for the evening, he’ll often skip down to the huge fridge and drag out anything in plastic containers, or covered in surface wrap. This one is made up of a few straggler perogies, a small baggie…

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Orange Chicken

During the COVID crisis, takeout became the main source of income for the Artichoke Hart restaurant in Baltimore (other than Hart’s CIA income, of course).  Simple dishes were both popular, easy and quick to make, and were low cost: perfect for the situation where gourmet-style dishes were required but needed to be simple enough to…

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Balsamic Chicken with Figs and Onion with Mashed Cauliflower

One thing Young Oppenheimer had in ready supply at his Oswego Grocery Consortium was figs… lots of fresh figs. (New York Fried, Copyright 2019 Sunao Publishing). As a result, Artichoke Hart created several dishes using the sweet fruit. One hit was this one, especially when combined with cauliflower mashed. Cauliflower being the “hot” ingredient at…

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Chicken Rouladen

Artichoke Hart had only heard of Beef Rouladen prior to taking on the cooking in Oswego. But with a little thought, it became clear butterflied and pounded chicken would appear similar and allow for the same treatment. So this is what he prepared for lunch for the Hungarian delegation: INGREDIENTS 8 slices bacon 4 boneless,…

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Lemon Chicken Scallopini with Lemon Garlic Cream Sauce

In my bestselling novel, New York Fried, various international delegations visited the complex in Oswego, N.Y., to experience the new technology that would revolutionize internet around the world. While there, Chef Artichoke Hart (also an ex-CIA trainer), was tasked with feeding the visitors. His idea was to offer a traditional dish native to their country…

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