Sesame Chicken and Noodles

Looking forward to making this for a weeknight supper in up coming weeks.  It looks easy and delicious!

1/3 C. rice vinegar
1/3 C. thinly sliced green onions
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. Asian garlic chili sauce
2 6oz. pkgs. refrigerated grilled chicken breast strips
12oz. pkg. brown rice noodles
3 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 medium yellow, red, and orange peppers
Fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl, stir together vinegar, green onions, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic chili sauce.  Add chicken, stir to coat.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and return to saucepan. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.  Add chicken and toss to combine.

Transfer to bowls.  Top each serving with pepper strips and cilantro.  Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: Calories 391, Fat 11g., Cholesterol 37mg., Sodium 718mg., Carbohydrates 51g., Fiber 4g., Protein 21g.

Asian Beef Cabbage Wraps

This will require tweaking when our non red meat eater is in town but I can see this becoming part of our regular dinner rotation.

2-3 pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 1/2 C. chopped, peeled jicama or chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped green onions
1/4 C. rice vinegar
1/4 C. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chile oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
12 Savoy cabbage leaves or 24 butter (Boston or Bibb) lettuce leaves
1/4 C. each chopped cashews, jicama strips, slivered green onions, optional
Crushed red pepper

Trim fat from meat.  If necessary, cut meat to fit into slow cooker.  Place meat in cooker.  In a medium bowl, combine chopped jicama, green onions, vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, salt, chile oil, and black pepper; pour over meat.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours.

If using the low setting, turn slow cooking to high.  In a small bowl combine cornstarch and cold water; stir into meat.  Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until thickened.

Remove meat from cooker, reserving cooking juices.  Using two forks, shred meat.

Spoon shredded meat onto cabbage leaves.  If desired, add cashews, additional jicama strips, and or slivered green onions.  Sprinkle with red pepper.  Fold each cabbage leaf around filling; secure with a pick. Serve wraps with reserved cooking liquid for dipping.  Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 214 calories, 12g. fat, 65mg. cholesterol, 413mg. sodium, 6g. carbohydrates, 2g. fiber, 20g. protein

BTA Breakfast Sandwiches

When I was going through chemo, I started making egg sandwiches for breakfast.  They are easy to make and delicious.  Most days it was an English muffin, and egg, a meat and some cheese.  This is a different spin and 20g. of protein. Yum!

Nonstick cooking spray 

4 eggs

1/2 medium avocado, seeded and peeled

4 multigrain sandwich thins

8 slices turkey bacon, cooked

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 slices tomato

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Break eggs into skillet. Reduce heat to low. When egg whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken, turn eggs and cook 30 seconds longer for over easy and 1 minute for over hard.

In a small bowl, mash avocado with a fork.  Spread mashed avocado on the bottom half of sandwich rolls.  Place 2 slices of cooked bacon on mashed avocado; top with cooked egg, sprinkle with pepper. Top with tomato slices and the top of each sandwich roll.  Serves 4

Per serving: 399 calories, 15g. fat, 208mg. cholesterol, 809mg. sodium, 51g. carbohydrates, 7g. fiber, 20g. protein 

Cherry Almond Snack Mix

Who doesn’t love a crunchy, sweet and salty snack?  This is from BH&G’s Eat Healthy and Lose Weight.

4 C. sweetened oat square or brown sugar flavored oat biscuit cereal
3/4 C. sliced almonds
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. dried cherries and/or go,den raisins

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a 15x10x1 inch baking pan, combine cereal and almonds.  In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, apple pie spice and salt.  Drizzle butter mixture over cereal; toss to coat.

Bake about 20 minutes or until almonds are toasted, stirring once.  Cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes.  Stir in dried cherries. Cool completely.

Italian Parmesan Pretzels

This is the first of several recipes I found ini Better Homes and Gardens Eat Healthy and Lose Weight Cookbook.  I have only made homemade pretzels once and they were good.  Looking forward to trying these when the weather cools down.

1 lb. frozen whole wheat bread dough, thawed
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 C. light butter with canola oil, melted

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Divide dough into 10 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a 15 inch long rope.  To shape each pretzel, hold one end of a rope in each hand and form a U shape.  Cross the ends over each other and then twist.  Then lift the ends across to the bottom; press to seal.  Arrange shaped pretzels on the prepared baking sheet.  Cover with waxed paper; let stand in a warm spot for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl stir together Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Brush pretzels evenly with half of the melted butter then sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until browned.  Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack.  Drizzle pretzels with remaining melted butter.  Serve warm or cool completely.

Per serving: 141 calories, 4g. fat, 3mg. cholesterol, 22g. carbohydrates, 2g. fiber, 6g. protein

Garden Stuffed Zucchini Boats

I have seen several versions of this recipe.  It’s a great way to get your veggies in!  I think I may sub in ground chicken or turkey.  I wonder if I could get Chris to eat these?  We’ll see.

3 medium zucchini
3/4lb. ground beef
3/4 C. chopped onion
1/2 C. chopped  green pepper
2 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 C. water, divided
3/4 C. fire roasted diced tomatoes, with seeds and juice
1/2 C. chopped roasted red peppers, drained
1/3 C. chopped fresh mushrooms
1/4 C. ditalini or other small pasta
2 tsp. minced fresh tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano or 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. Parmesan cheese
1 C. shredded Italian cheese blend
Pasta sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve zucchini lengthwise; place cut side down in an ungreased 13x9 baking dish.  Bake 10 minutes.  When cool enough to handle, scoop out seeds, leaving a 1/4 inch shell.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain.  Stir in 1 cup water, tomatoes, red peppers, mushrooms, pasta, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until mixture is thickened and pasta is cooked al dente, 12-15 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan.

Spoon mixture into zucchini shells.  Place in an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish; sprinkle with 3/4 cup Italian cheese blend.  Pour the remaining 1/2 cup water into the bottom of the dish.  Bake, uncovered, until zucchini is tender and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes longer.  Serve with pasta sauce, if desired.