You all can be my guinea pigs for a series of recipes which I would eventually like to put together in a small, very specialized cookbook. This cookbook would be for those who plan to work out shortly before dinner.

Some people workout in the morning before they begin their day. That's great. But for those of us who are not morning people, we need to find a way to fit our workout into the evening. Recall that I am a big advocate of a sit down family dinner, and you might wonder when it is all going to get done.

Here's my solution: Choose a recipe that you can cook WHILE you work out. These can be done on the stovetop, but perhaps better in the oven, since supervision or intervention such as stirring is less often needed. To illustrate what I mean, I will share a very simple recipe for Parmesan chicken. Choose a workout you can do in the house for 20-30 minutes.

Parmesan chicken

Whoops some apricots snuck into the setup with the the zucchinis

Choose a non-stick stove top to oven pan with a lid.

Ingredients:

2 large breasts of chicken, thawed safely in the fridge.

olive oil, salt, pepper

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

fresh or frozen parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and set the rack to the middle of the oven. Use about two tablespoons of olive oil and bring to medium heat in the pan. There should be a shimmer but no smoke. Dry the chicken breast then dispose of or wash with soap any " chicken-y" materials. Cut each breast in two. Salt and pepper the pieces on both sides. Brown the pieces slowly and thoroughly two at a time if need be, using a splash guard on the top of the pan which you can partially cover. When one side is crispy brown and the other side is not done, set the first two aside. Brown the second two on one side the same way. When all the pieces are done, replace them in the pan brown side up. Bunch them together. Pour the tomato sauce over the top then sprinkle the sauce with a light to medium coating of parmesan cheese. Cover and place in the oven to simmer for 20-30 minutes. (The chicken must be done to 165 degrees internal temperature.) Grab your glass of water and go get your workout done which the dish is cooking. When you are finished, all you will have to do is toss a salad and your meal will be complete.

Variation: Choose a larger pan and before placing it in the oven, fill it with sliced lightly salted zucchini.

Serves 2-4.

What do you think a cookbook full of recipes like this should be called ?

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