Chicken Mango (or Broccoli) Basil Stir Fry

The flavors in this stir fry were amazing! We subbed out the mango for broccoli and loved how it soaked up the delicious sauce. Recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10-12 mins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
5 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Pinch of red pepper flakes (I used sriracha)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoons vegetable or coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced or 1 to 1 1/2 cups pineapple (I used 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli)
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced (I used 1 small red and 1 small yellow)
1 medium red onion, diced or cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces
Hot, cooked rice, quinoa or noodles for serving

Directions:
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the broth, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, vinegar, red pepper flakes and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and remaining 3 teaspoons cornstarch.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the chicken, breaking up any clumps, and cook until it is golden brown on all sides and just barely cooked through (it will cook a few minutes longer later in the recipe). Scrape the chicken onto a plate, keeping as much liquid in the skillet as possible.
Add the garlic, mango, bell pepper, and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet over medium heat. Whisk the sauce quickly before pouring it into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, while the sauce simmers and thickens, 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Sprinkle with basil and serve over rice, noodles, quinoa or by itself.

Chicken Stir Fry with Sugar Snap Peas and Carrots

I tried a new recipe again...it's a miracle :-)!!! With my photography business really picking up this fall and not dying down since, I have been cooking a lot less. I just needed to let something go, and most nights that is one thing that does. We have been eating a lot of dinners that are partially prepped already to cut down on my involvement, but I do miss trying new recipes so often. Last week I was in the mood for a fresh, light meal and turned to Skinnytaste for ideas. This stir fry was pretty quick to make and super yummy! (I served it on brown basmati rice)

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or Tamari f or GF)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
For the Stir Fry:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
salt, to taste
1 tbsp rice bran oil, or canola
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup carrots, sliced diagonally
scallions for garnish

Directions:
Combine soy sauce, lime juice, water and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix together and set aside.
Season chicken lightly with salt. Heat a large wok over high heat. When the wok is very hot, add half of the oil, then add the chicken. Stir fry, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and browned, about 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
Add the remaining oil to the wok; add the garlic and ginger, stir for 20 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas and carrots, stirring over medium high heat until tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
Return the chicken to the wok, add the soy sauce-lime mixture, mix well and cook another 30 seconds to one minute. Serve immediately and top with fresh scallions.

Servings:4 • Size:just under 1 cup • Calories:179 • Fat:5.6 g • Carb:7 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein:27 g • Sugar:1.5 g Sodium:238 mg • Cholest: 0 mg

Honey Cashew Chicken

I absolutely loved this stir-fry! One of my favorites ever I think...plus it was so pretty. I love broccoli and peppers and edamame AND cashews! In my opinion you could definitely leave the chicken out and it would still be delicious, or use tofu instead if you wanted to make it a meatless meal. The sauce was slightly sweet and slightly spicy, a perfect combination. I was excited to have it as leftovers for a couple days after we had it for dinner! (recipe from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
* 1 cup instant rice (I used a combination of basmati and brown and made 3 cups)
* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
* 2 cups broccoli florets
* 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced
* 1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews, unsalted
* 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
* 3 tablespoons honey
* 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon Sriracha

Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. Combine chicken and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss to coat.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola and sesame oils. Add chicken mixture, and sauté for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Increase heat to high, and add broccoli and the next 4 ingredients (through red bell pepper). Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in cashews.
4. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve with rice.

Serving 1/2 c rice and 1 c chicken mixture: Calories: 470 Fat: 17.6g Protein: 29g Carbs: 50g Fiber: 4.5g Chol: 49mg Sodium 638mg

Vietnamese Pork and Noodles with Ginger-Lime Sauce

This is another great recipe from the latest issue of Clean Eating. I love to make these kind of meals because they are perfect leftovers for lunches. I used gluten-free fettuccine noodles and added in some steamed broccoli...so good!

Ingredients:
8 oz. whole-wheat linguine (I used GF fettuccine)
2 t extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, cut in thin slices
1 lb. green cabbage, thinly sliced (I used a cole slaw mix bag and added some leftover purple cabbage I had in the fridge)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
2 oz. broccoli sprouts (these were all recalled at my grocery store, and I LOVE sprouts so I was really sad! I bet they add a lot)
1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1-inch cubes (I used 2 thick pork chops and cut in strips)
juice of 1 lime
2 t ground ginger
1/2 t sea salt
(I also added some dashes of curry powder)

Directions:
1. Bring large stockpot of water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain, return to pot and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil on medium for 1 minute. Add onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Add cabbage and garlic and saute for 3 minutes, until veggies soften. Add onion-cabbage mixture, carrots and broccoli sprouts to linguine and toss well.
3. Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining 1 tsp oil and pork. Cook, stirring often, until largest piece is opaque in center (approx 7 min). Remove pork and add to linguine mixture; combine.
4. Return skillet to stove top and heat on medium -low. Add lime juice ginger, salt and 2 T water. Mix well to create a smooth sauce. Simmer for 1imnute, until thickened and slightly reduced. Add to linguine mixture and toss to coat. (I just put all the sauce ingredients right in with the rest of the stuff without mixing separately first and it turned out fine)


Serving size: 3 cups, Calories: 399, Total Fat: 6g, Sat Fat: 1g, Monounsat Fat: 2.5g, Polyunsat Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 59g, Fiber: 11g, Sugars: 8g, Protein: 33g, Sodium: 352 mg, Cholesterol: 74mg

Thai Chicken Tacos

Thai flavors...love them! Tacos...love them! Slow cooker meals...love them! So, yeah, I was pretty sure I would love these when I tried them. And I did! I also ate the leftovers for lunch the next 2 days and still loved them just as much. This recipe was in the latest issue of Clean Eating and they are definitely worth a try!

Ingredients:
1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cloves garlic
2 T lime juice, divided
2 T creamy peanut butter
1 T low-sodium soy sauce
-1/2 t ground ginger
1 T red curry paste
3 packets stevia, divided
1 1/2 T coconut flour (I used cornstarch)
1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1/2 c chopped red onion
1/4 c chopped fresh mint
1 T natural rice wine vinegar
2 c shredded red cabbage
8 6-in corn tortillas

Directions:
1. Place chicken in slow cooker. In a blender, combine broth, garlic, 1 T lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, curry paste, and 2 packets stevia; blend until smooth. Pour over top of chicken and stir gently to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, until chicken is tender.
2. Stir and increase heat to high. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken and transfer to a cutting board; set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove 1/2 c broth mixture from the slow cooker and transfer to a small bowl. Add coconut flour to bowl and stir to form a smooth paste. Return broth=flour mixture to slow cooker and whisk until smooth; cover.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange tortillas in 2 equal stacks and wrap each stack in foil. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. (I just warmed my in hot skillet)
4. Using 2 forks, shred chicken and return to slow cooker; stir to coat. Cook for 10 minutes, until heated through.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine tomato, cucumber, onion and mint. Add vinegar, remaining 1 T lime juice and 1 packet stevia; mix thoroughly. To assemble, spoon cabbage, chicken and tomato-cucumber mixture into center of each tortilla, diving evenly.

Serving size: 2 tortillas, 1/2 c cabbage, 2/3 c chicken mixture, 6 T tomato-cucumber mix, Calories: 397, Fat: 8g, Sat Fat: 2g, Carbs: 39g, Fiber: 7g, Sugars: 5g, Protein: 42g, Sodium: 375 mg, Cholesterol: 82mg

Noodle & Co.'s Thai Peanut Saute

I love peanut sauce! This recipe from Favorite Family Recipes is a replication of a Noodle & Co dish and although I don't know how it compares to the original, I really loved this version. I only wish I had added more broccoli, so add more than you think you'll want to be safe. The bean sprouts were my favorite part, adding a nice crunch!

Ingredients:
1-2 Lbs. chicken, cut into thin strips
vegetable oil (to saute)
1 Tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
juice of 1 lime
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
3-4 shakes soy sauce
salt & pepper (to taste)
16 oz. (1 pkg.) linguine noodles (I used gluten-free spaghetti noodles)
**peanut sauce (see below)
peanuts
2-3 limes, sliced
The following are all to taste, add as much or little as you want
-shoestring carrots (I just used the packaged kind)
-broccoli florets, chopped (I wish I would have put more, be generous with it!)
-green onion
-peanuts (chopped)
-bean sprouts

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil, Sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, salt & pepper. While chicken is cooking, prepare the linguine (to al dente) and make the peanut sauce. After the chicken is cooked, remove from the skillet and wrap in foil to keep warm. Re-oil the skillet, add vegetables and saute (except for the bean sprouts, add those a few minutes before serving so they are still nice and crunchy and don't get overcooked). Add the chicken and bean sprouts to the skillet, cover, and reduce heat. Drain noodles and toss with a little olive oil (to keep the noodles from drying out and sticking together). Now there are 2 ways you can finish the dish: 1. mix the sauce with the noodles and TOP with veggies & chicken OR 2. you can add the noodles and sauce to the skillet with the vegetables and toss until everything is well coated with sauce. Garnish with peanuts and limes. (I did option 2, which wasn't as pretty for pictures, but delicious)

**SAUCE:
1 c. chicken broth
6 Tbsp. (heaping) creamy peanut butter
2-4 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce -- more or less depending on hot hot you like it
3 Tbsp. honey
6 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. fresh minced ginger
4-5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Combine chicken broth, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sauce becomes smooth and well blended

Easy Asian Stir-Fry

This recipe was in the Sunday paper's Parade magazine not too long ago. It uses all my favorite veggies (asparagus, broccoli and zucchini) so I had to give it a try. It was surprisingly flavorful despite being pretty much veggies and soy sauce. I loved it and I loved that I felt good eating it! (and it makes lots, so be prepared for leftovers!)

Ingredients:
1 each green, orange and red bell pepper (I used yellow instead of green)
2 large zucchini
1/2 onion
1 head broccoli
15 asparagus spears
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil (I used sesame oil)
2 T soy sauce (I used low-sodium)
salt and black pepper
(I also sprinkled some ground ginger on it)

Directions:
1. Chop or slice all of the vegetables into bite size pieces.
2. Lightly oil a wok or skillet; heat over low until very hot.
3. Add the garlic; saute to a golden brown.
4. Add all the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender.
5. Add the soy sauce and stir well to blend.
6. Transfer to a large bowl, adjust season and serve with rice (I used jasmine rice).

Vegetable Stir Fry

Although the kids weren't thrilled with this Rachael Ray meal, Mike and I loved it...especially me! And the leftovers for lunch the next day were just as good. I'll add more of the bok choy next time, but overall I thought it was perfect. I loved all the fresh veggies and the sauce had a great flavor to it!

Ingredients:1 pound whole grain spaghetti or linguine pasta (I used GlutenFree spaghetti)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 small bunch scallions, chopped into 3-inch lengths
1/2 cup shredded carrots
A handful of snow peas, thinly sliced on an angle
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons black bean sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce or sambal olek sauce
1 tablespoon honey or sugar (I used sugar)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Directions:1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
2.While the pasta is working, in a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan, over high heat. Add the eggs and scramble until firm. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan, and heat until smoking. Add the bok choy, bell pepper, scallions, carrots and snow peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
3.In a small bowl, stir together the tamari, black bean sauce, lime juice, hot sauce, honey and sesame oil.
4.Toss the pasta with the sauce and vegetables. Top with the egg.

Rumbi Rice Bowls

I have never been to Rumbi, but when I saw this recipe on Favorite Family Recipes I thought it looked really delicious and was intrigued by the combination of flavors and ingredients used. Her picture looks much more appetizing than mine though - I was in a hurry so I used my food processor to chop all the veggies, which left much smaller pieces. In my opinion the sauce makes this meal! I loved the rice and the chicken and veggies are just ok, but when you combine the two together and top it with the sauce it is heavenly! Loved it!!!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil (I used canola)
4 carrots, peeled and grated
3 celery stalks, washed and sliced
1 zucchini, chopped into small cubes
1 1/2 c. chopped broccoli florets
2 c. chicken, grilled and cut into small cubes (I used pre-cooked and chopped chicken, like I said, I was in a hurry)
*Rumbi Rice (see recipe below)
**Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce (see recipe below)

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, zucchini, and broccoli (pretty much equal parts of said vegetables.. you can add more or less veggies depending on your taste). Saute ONLY until vegetables are crisp tender. About 1-2 minutes tops. Serve over Rumbi rice and top with chicken. Serve with Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce on the side.

*Hawaiian Coconut Rice with Red Beans aka Rumbi Rice
2 c. long grain white rice
2 1/2 c. water
1 (14oz) can coconut milk (I used light)
1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

Combine all ingredients in a rice cooker. Gently stir it all together so the beans are all mixed. Place the lid on and start the rice cooker. Fluff rice with a fork before serving.

**Spicy Hawaiian Teriyaki Sauce:
3/4 c. teriyaki sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce (I used low sodium)
2 tsp. chili garlic sauce (aka: sriracha)
1 tsp. fresh ginger
pinch of salt
pinch of brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. cold water

Combine teriyaki sauce, soysauce, garlic sauce, ginger, salt, and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Combine cornstarch and water and SLOWLY add to sauce for thickening. You want it to be slightly thicker than the teriyaki sauce. Allow to simmer for about a minute. Cool to room temperature and serve with your rice bowls. (I just realized I didn't even cook mine, I just mixed it in a bowl and poured it on top and it was great)

Chicken Veggie Noodle Bowl

So, it's been a little more challenging finding recipes that sound tasty AND are healthy. The May 2011 issue of Family Circle had quite a few that fit the bill though and this was the first one I tried. It was awesome- light but still flavorful. I only wish I had been able to find bok choy (I went to two stores and niether had it), but maybe next time I can get it! I gave the kids theirs on spaghetti noodles and Mike and I ate ours on Jasmine rice, it was a winner both ways.

Ingredients:
* 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
* 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
* 1 tablespoon sriracha (chili-garlic sauce)
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 3/4 pound uncooked chicken tenders, each cut into 3 strips (I used 1 large chicken breast)
* 1 1/4 pounds bok choy, trimmed, rinsed and cut into 1-inch slices (couldn't find, so left out)
* 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
* 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
* 1 pound snow peas, strings removed
* 3 sweet peppers, cored, seeds removed and cut into 1/2-inch strips (I had half each of a red, orange, yellow and green pepper in the fridge and used those)
* 6 ounces soba noodles, cooked following package directions (didn't find so used spaghetti noodles and jasmine rice)
* 2 teaspoons sesame oil
* 1/4 cup sliced scallions

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, hoisin, vinegar and sriracha sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and stir-fry chicken for 3 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove to a plate and reserve.
3. Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet along with bok choy, onion and garlic; stir-fry 3 minutes. Add snow peas and peppers and stir-fry 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Cover part of the time.
4. Stir in reserved sauce and chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat.
5. Transfer to a large serving bowl and stir in the cooked noodles and sesame oil. To serve, spoon into individual bowls and garnish with scallions.

Mulligatawny Soup

photo and recipe from Favorite Family Recipes

The picture I took of this soup really didn't do it justice and I was afraid you wouldn't try this AMAZING soup as a result, so I didn't risk it :-)! I made this soup for some girlfriends for lunch this week and then our family had the leftovers for dinner that night and everyone LOVED it! In fact I printed out copies of the recipe for my 2 girlfriends because they wanted to make it for their dinner that very night too. The combinations of flavors is perfection and the recipe makes enough to share!

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 large carrots, shredded
3 tsp. flour (or cornstarch)
3 tsp. curry powder
8 cups (2 large cartons) chicken broth
1 apple, peeled and diced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed very small (I used 2 cans chicken and poured the extra broth into the soup)
3/4 c. white rice
3/4 c. golden raisins
salt and pepper to taste
two pinches dried thyme
1 c. heavy cream (I used half and half)

Directions:
Saute the onion and shredded carrots in the butter in a large pot. Add flour and curry and cook five more minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for about 30 minutes. While simmering, cook the chicken pieces in a fry pan. Add chicken, apple, rice, raisins, thyme, salt, and pepper to the soup. Simmer for 20 more minutes until the rice is done. When there is about 2 minutes left, stir in the cream.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

This SUPER yummy stir fry recipe is from Kill the Gluten. (I wish they were still posting recipes on their blog, but I still have quite a few left to try.) Even Mike raved about the great flavor of this stir fry and I loved it so much I never got tired of the leftovers, eating it for a couple days after. This is a definite new favorite!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, sliced thin
2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (our store was out, so I used an orange one)
2 large carrots, sliced thin on the diagonal
1/2 lb snow peas
handful of cashew halves
Sauce:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Hot cooked rice (I made basmati rice)

Directions:
Mix all sauce ingredients with a whisk. Set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil in large skillet over high heat, being careful not to let burn. Add chicken, ginger, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until the chicken is no longer pink. Add onion, peppers, and carrots, sauteing for another minute or two. When vegetables are crisp-tender, add snow peas, cashews and sauce. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

Szechuan Chicken

I LOVED this chicken from Favorites!!! I know when I'm excited to eat the leftovers the next day for lunch, that I really loved a meal...and I couldn't wait for these ones! I served it with Jasmine rice and our trusty zucchini method. Awesome meal!!!

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-2 Tbsp oil (I used 1 T Canola, 1 T Sesame oil))
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
3-5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1-2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar (I only had red wine vinegar on hand and used that)
1 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 cup water
3 diced green onions
dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:
Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes and lightly coat with corn starch (I do this by putting the chicken in a ziploc bag with the cornstarch and mixing it all around until it's covered). Heat oil in a frying pan and add minced garlic. Add chicken and fry until all sides are white. Add soy sauce, vinegar and sprinkle with sugar. Add the water--more or less depending on how strong of a flavor you want and how runny you want the sauce. Add diced green onions and cayenne pepper. You can make it as spicy as you want. Serve with rice.

Oriental Green Beans

I was on the hunt for a new vegetable side to try when I saw this recipe on Peachtree Cooking. These are SOOO good! All I wanted for dinner that night were these beans. They are definitely my new favorite side and so easy to make too! I've already decided I'm making them again next week :-)!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. oriental sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
6 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:
Steam green beans for 3-4 minutes. (I used a Ziploc steam bag...love those!)
Combine soy sauce, oil, and sugar in small bowl.
Spray wok or 10" skillet with cooking spray, or small amount of oil.
Add garlic, cook for one minute.
Add green beans, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
Add soy sauce mixture, continue to stir and cook a few more minutes until beans are brown and yummy (but not soggy).

Sesame Asparagus

Since asparagus is my new favorite vegetable, I was excited to try this as a side when I saw it on Favorites. It was REALLY good! I added some extra soy sauce to ours. The girls still don't want much to do with asparagus besides their required one bite, but I'm hoping eventually they'll learn to love it...I know I do!

Ingredients:
1 lb asparagus, ends snapped off
2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, sesame seeds, water, salt and pepper. Place Asparagus in a skillet and pour sauce over the asparagus. Heat to boiling. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until asparagus is tender.

Amazing Beef Stir Fry

After reading all about how delicious this was on Taste Buds I couldn't wait to give it a try! And it was definitely a winner! As it was cooking I had the thought that it would have been a good St. Patrick's Day dinner too with all the green veggies. The sauce was flavorful but still light and a cinch to make. You could put any veggies/meat you want with it and I'm sure it would be delicious, but these ones made me feel nice healthy for having eaten them :-)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs beef sirloin, top round or flank steak
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 cups asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup edamame

3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp corn starch
2 tsp grated gingerroot
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Combine ingredients for stir fry sauce and set aside.
Thinly slice steak across grain into strips (you can place meat in freezer for about 15-20 min to make this a little easier.)
Heat a large skillet over med heat. Add olive oil and onions and cook until onions are soft. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add beef and cook to desired doneness (3-7 min) Add asparagus, broccoli and sauce and cook until crisp tender, stirring frequently. Lower heat and if needed put a lid on skillet and steam vegetables until done. Add edamame and warm through.
Serve over or along side rice (I used jasmine).

Chicken and Vegetable Skewers with Peanut Sauce

A few weeks ago I won a giveaway from Real Mom Kitchen...Hooray!!! When I received my package in the mail it included a bottle of Xagave (a sweetener made from agave nectar) along with a cookbook. This is the first recipe I have tried and we LOVED it! I can't wait to try some more and to try replacing the sugar in some of my other recipes with the Xagave to see how they turn out! We served it with our leftover onion rice and I poured some of the sauce on top...delish!!!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. meat (we used chicken, but the recipe called for salmon, you could also skip and just grill the veggies...also, I used this rub on the meat)
-1 lb. mixed vegetables (we used mushrooms, zucchini, peppers and onions)
-wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 2 hours)
Sauce:
1 T. Xagave
4 T. peanut butter
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. fresh minced ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 c. low fat coconut milk
3 T soy sauce
crushed red pepper to taste
*Place all ingredients for sauce in blender and puree for 1 min. Pour into bowl.

Directions:
-Slice salmon in 1"x4" strips and skewer length-wise. (I cut chicken into chunks and put on skewers in between veggies).
-Cut veggies into cubes and skewer.
-Broil at 500 degrees or grill for 5 minutes or until cooked through (we grilled and it took longer than 5 in for our chicken to cook through).

Coconut Chicken Chili

My mom passed along her Jan 2010 issue of Better Homes and Gardens and there are some scrumptious looking recipes in it! This one was at the top of my list to try...because honestly I have yet to try a recipe that involves coconut milk that I don't like :-). It was De-Licious and Addie helped me cook it...which meant she even decided to give it a try. Leftovers for lunch yesterday were just as good :-).

Ingredients:
-12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, chopped (I just used 1 small breast and I think you could leave it out all together to make it meatless - the beans give enough heartiness)
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 1/2 t. chili powder
-1 1/2 t. ground ginger
-1/2 t. each salt and black pepper
-1/4 t. cayenne pepper
-1 T. olive oil
-1 T. flour (I used cornstarch)
-1 14oz. can coconut milk
-1 T. peanut butter
-1 c. water
-1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (my store didn't have, so I used great northern)
-3 med. carrots, shredded
-1 stalk celery, sliced
-1 med. green onion, sliced
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-2 T. chopped fresh basil (I didn't have, so I just sprinkled in some dried basil)

Directions:
-In large saucepan cook chicken, onion, chili powder, ginger, 1/2 t. salt, 1/2 t black pepper, and the cayenne pepper in hot oil over med heat for 6-8 min or until chicken is no longer pink.
-Stir in flour and cook 1 min more.
-Stir in coconut milk, peanut butter, and 1 c. water. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally.
-Stir in beans, carrots, celery, green onion, garlic, and chopped basil. Return to boiling; reduce heat.
-Simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
-Serve over jasmine rice (I used brown). Top with basil leaves and slice jalapenos (I didn't do that :-).

Sizzling Beef and Scallions

Oh, how I'm missing having some daylight to take pictures of my food in. I just don't have anywhere great to take them inside and my pictures are certainly not doing the food justice. About the recipe though...this one was in my last issue of Rachael Ray and I LOVED this one. I haven't made anything Asian inspired for awhile and this deluxe fried rice hit the spot! Easy, light, and flavorful.

Ingredients:
* 8 ounces London broil, sliced into short, thin strips
* 2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 10 scallions, green parts thinly sliced, white parts cut into 1-inch pieces
* 2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper (I had an orange one on hand)
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
* 2/3 cup frozen peas, thawed (I used less)
* 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 4 cups cooked white rice, chilled
(I added some garlic salt and crushed red pepper)

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, toss the beef with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
2. In the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites, bell pepper and ginger and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes; stir in the peas. Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil and pour in the eggs. Stir the eggs until they begin to set, then stir in the vegetables. Add the egg-vegetable mixture to the beef; stir in the sugar and the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rice, breaking up any clumps, then cook, without stirring, until heated through, 2 minutes. Stir in the beef mixture and scallion greens.

Green Chili Curry

I had forgotten about seeing this recipe on My Kitchen Cafe until Jamie posted it on Jamie's Cookbook recently. We decided to give it a try and it came together easily and was pretty good. I did think it needed a little more flavor and we generously sprinkled our helpings with chili powder and pepper. Overall, really good though!

Ingredients:
2-3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into 1/2" strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup couscous, cooked according to package directions (we used jasmine rice)
2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:
Season both sides of chicken with salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes per side until golden brown. In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, green chilies, curry powder, garam masala, and cumin. Add mixture to chicken and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce reduces slightly. The sauce will be quite runny. To thicken it up a bit, I mixed one teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and added it to the sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Serve chicken and green curry sauce over couscous and garnish with cilantro.