A Saucy New Healthier Reuben {And a Giveaway}

I adore a good Reuben, probably more than the average girl.  To me, it doesn’t get much better than hitting up a good deli for lunch, and about half the time I end up ordering a Reuben (and being tempted to do so the other half of the time).  But I have to admit, I’ve never made a one at home until now.

***Please take a moment to vote for my sandwich in the Saucy Mama Recipe Contest — thank you!*** 

When Saucy Mama recently asked me if I wanted to participate in their “Skinny Mama – Cooking with Mustard” contest I knew I wanted to take a classic favorite and make it healthier, which is exactly what I did with this sandwich.  

First, I eliminated one piece of bread per serving by making my sandwich open-face.  I also toasted the bread instead of grilling it with butter.  I used chicken breast cutlets instead of corned beef (or pastrami, if you swing that way…but I’m a corned beef girl).  Instead of sauerkraut, I sautéed up a fresh cabbage mixture (love kraut and it’s incredibly healthy too, but it’s a little high in sodium so I opted for fresh cabbage), that also served double duty as a side dish (which is so much healthier than the chips that usually come with a Reuben at a deli!).  Lastly, I made my own Reuben sauce, basically just my version of a lightened up Russian dressing.  It’s delicious and just may replace Russian (or Thousand Island) dressing in your recipe reserves…and you can probably guess the secret ingredient.  :) 

Here are the nutrition stats per serving (please note that these numbers are approximate, as I am not a nutritionist): 

Calories:  414

Total Fat:  11g

Saturated Fat:  2g

Trans Fat:  0g

Cholesterol:  78mg

Sodium:  1153mg

Total Carbohydrate:  38g

Dietary Fiber:  5g

Sugars:  18g

Protein:  37g

A Saucy New Healthier Reuben 

Serves 4 

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 1/4 lbs green cabbage, cored and chopped into thin shreds

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

4 tablespoons organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons Saucy Mama Tarragon Lemon Mustard

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground marjoram

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

4 (about 4 oz) chicken breast cutlets

4 slices Rye bread, toasted

4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Reuben Sauce

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish) 

Reuben Sauce:

2 tablespoons Saucy Mama Tarragon Lemon Mustard

2 tablespoons light mayo

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 baby reduced-sodium dill pickle, minced

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional; more or less to taste)

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper 

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat.  Add the cabbage, onion, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, caraway seeds, 1/4 teaspoon salt, marjoram, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.  Cook until the cabbage starts to soften (about 5 minutes), then turn the heat down to low, cover the pot, and cook until tender (about 25 to 30 minutes), stirring occasionally.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. 

Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken on both sides with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.  Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden on both sides and fully cooked in the center (there should be no pink), about 2 to 4 minutes per side. 

Preheat the broiler.  Mix together all ingredients for the Reuben Sauce, then spread a bit on each of the four slices of bread; place 1 chicken breast on top of each.  Spread 1/2 cup of the cabbage mixture on top of each chicken breast and top each with 1 slice of cheese.  Broil a couple minutes until the cheese is melted. 

Sprinkle the parsley on top; serve the open-faced sandwiches with the extra Reuben sauce to drizzle on top.  Divide the remaining cabbage into 4 equal portions and serve it as a side dish along with the sandwiches.

* * * * * 

And for the giveaway, Saucy Mama is giving away three bottles of their delicious mustard to one lucky reader. 

The Prize Pack 

You don’t need to have a blog to enter this giveaway!  To participate, you can do any or all of the following; please leave a separate comment for each so I can count it as another entry:  

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite condiment.
2. Leave a comment telling me your favorite healthy meal.
3. “Like” me on Facebook and leave a comment here letting me know.  (Or just let me know if you already like me on Facebook.)
4. “Like” Saucy Mama on Facebook and leave a comment here letting me know.  (Or just let me know if you already like them on Facebook.)
5. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment here letting me know.  (Or just let me know if you’re already a follower on Twitter.)   

This giveaway ends Monday, March 5 at 9PM EST; after that the winner will be randomly chosen and notified by email.  Good luck to all!   

Disclaimer:  I received a sampling of Saucy Mama mustards for free from Saucy Mama, and they are also sponsoring this giveaway; as always, opinions stated are my own.