Hot off the grill: so quick and easy, you'll swear it was takeout

CHARRED-CHICKEN AND ARUGULA SALAD

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 small shallot or green onion, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 (8-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts,
pounded thin with a meat hammer
1/2 pound fresh arugula
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

To make: [1] Dump the lemon juice, chopped shallot, olive oil, and black pepper into a large Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and shake well. [2] Add the chicken, reseal the bag (pressing out as much air as possible), and marinate in the fridge for at least 60 minutes. [3] Preheat your grill. [4] Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, season with salt and pepper on both sides, and grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. [5] Combine arugula, tomatoes, and onion in a large bowl, toss with the vinegar and oil, and add a pinch of salt and pepper. [6] Serve the chicken breast on a large plate topped with some of the arugula-tomato salad and a side of grilled sweet-potato slices, zucchini, and mushrooms.

Having a bad air day? The glutathione in red onions helps detoxify inhaled pollutants from smog, cigarette smoke, and other forms of air- pollution.

Zucchini is 93% water, so why bother? Because watery foods make weight control easier, according to Penn State University researchers. Plus, water from food counts toward your daily fluid quota.

Breathe easier. Sweet potatoes rank as one of the lowest-fat sources of vitamin E, which the American Dietetic Association says may reduce asthma risk by preventing swelling in the respiratory tract.

Chicken may help rev up your metabolic engine, thanks to its secret ingredient: chromium, a mineral your body needs to move sugar out of the bloodstream and into hungry cells.

The copper n mushrooms makes for harder bodies. Copper aids in the production of collagen, a type of connective tissue that holds bones and teeth together and helps keep skin and muscles taut.

Tomatoes are packed with vitamin C, a nutrient that's vital in the summer because it helps offset the formation of nitrosamines--potentially cancerous compounds that form in the body after you eat cured meats, such as hot dogs.

Nutrition Facts
Serves: 4

Amount per Serving

Calories      465
Protein      59 g
Carbs        22 g
Fat           5 g
Fiber         7 g

RECIPE BY BOBBY FLAY, OWNER OF MESA GRILL IN NEW YORK AND LAS VEGAS. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS AND TEXT BY ELIZABETH M. WARD, M.S., R.D.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning