Chinese Chicken and Vegetable Soup

1 TBSP oil

2 cups celery, sliced thin

2 cups cabbage, shredded

2 cups bean sprouts

2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped

4 cups chicken stock

1 bunch green onions:

           whites thinly sliced

           greens cut into 1"pieces

1 tsp grated ginger

1 pinch Chinese Five Spice powder

salt and pepper

In a stockpot or dutch oven, heat oil over high heat. Add celery and cabbage and cook until softened. Add bean sprouts, chicken breast, stock, and enough water to come 1"over the vegetables. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Add the white part of the green onions, 5 spice and salt and pepper and cook about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the green part of the green onions.

This makes 8 servings, each with 119 calories, 2 grams of fat, 10 grams carbs, 4 grams fiber, 14 grams protein.

Sesame Chicken Nuggets

I had a major craving for takeout a couple weeks ago and made these for the fam instead. They were scrumptous, and I was even told they preferred them over their heavy-sweet sauced competitors at our local spot.

Heat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Cut 1 pound of boneless chicken breast or breast tenders into 1" pieces. If the chicken is thick, pound it out to be about 1/4"thickness before cutting into nuggets.

Set up a breading station with the following:

Bowl #1
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder

Bowl #2
2 eggs
1 tsp soy sauce
1/8 cup water

Bowl #3
Pulse in a food processor until broken up, but still coarse:

3 cups crisp rice cereal
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

Bread the nuggets by dipping each piece of chicken in bowl 1, 2 and then 3. Lay them on a baking sheet close but not touching each other and spray tops with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes until the coating is crispy and chicken is cooked throughout.

If you would like a quick dipping sauce, combine in a small saucepan over medium heat:
2 tbsp apricot preserves
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp honey
1 clove garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
dash Siracha chili sauce

Mix corn starch and cold apple juice until dissolved. Pour into sauce and stir to combine. Once the mixture reheats and begin to bubble, remove from heat.

These are also great as chicken tenders (I cut the tenderloins in half) or as whole chicken breast (pounded thin) AND make a perfect salad topper.

Egg Roll Soup

If you are a Chinese food lover like me, this is the soup for you.

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced (about 1 cup)
6 cloves garlic, smashed (about 1/3 cup)
6 celery stalks, sliced (about 2 cups)
4 carrots, grated (about 1.5 cups)
1/2 head cabbage, sliced (about 6 cups)
4 cups low/no sodium chicken stock

2 cups frozen edamame
1/2" piece of ginger root, grated (or 1 tsp dried ginger)
3 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice seasoning
1 TBSP sesame oil

OPTIONAL: 6 egg roll wrappers
In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil on medium heat and saute onions and garlic. Once soft, add celery, carrots, and cabbage and cook until slightly wilted. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, reduce to medium.

Add edamame, ginger, soy sauce, five spice, and water to cover. Cook about another 10 minutes and add sesame oil.

OPTIONAL: In a medium saucepan with at least 4" sides, heat 1" vegetable oil  until bubbling. Cut egg roll wrappers into 1/2" strips and deep fry a couple minutes until golden. Serve on top of soup.

Makes 13 cups.

Quesadillas

We make tons of quesadillas in my house. They are great for lunch, dinner, or a little snackin' and can be made to use up almost anything around the house, and with as little as tortillas and cheese on hand. They are also easy to take in lunches or picnic baskets. By making them at home, you can control the cheese to veggie ratio, and eliminate the butter-drenched tortillas served in restaurants.

Per serving:
1 burrito size tortilla (preferable whole wheat)
1/4 cup shredded cheese

plus optional fillers:
grilled chicken, steak, pork, or shrimp
chopped grilled veggies
chopped fresh veggies
bacon bits
jalapenos
refried or whole cooked beans

Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Lightly spray pan with cooking spray (if it browns right away, gently wipe it away with a paper towel and turn the heat down a little). Spray one side of tortilla with cooking spray, and put in sprayed side down on the pan. Sprinkle cheese across tortilla and scatter with optional ingredients. Once cheese is completely melted, fold the tortilla in half and cook until both sides are golden brown.

Making them for a crowd? Don't fold in half, but instead add extra toppings and top with another 1/4 cup of cheese, top with another tortilla, spray the outside of the 2nd tortilla with cooking spray, and carefully flip it over once the top cheese starts to melt.

Serve with your choice of salsa, sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, or chopped tomatoes. 

Not sure what to combine? Here are some of my FAVE combos:
#1- chicken, grilled onions and peppers, and bacon bits
#2- steak, grilled mushrooms, fresh onions and jalapenos
#3- shrimp and sliced avocado
#4- fresh spinach, chopped aartichoke hearts, and fresh tomatoes

At-Home Takeout: General's Shrimp

Tso? Tsao? I dunno, but its good! I have been a fan of take-out Chinese for as long as I can remember but thanks to our Money Diet its off limits. Check out this dish I whipped up to cure my craving and use our veggies.
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled with tails removed
1 beaten egg
1 TBSP cornstarch (maybe a little more)

6 cups mixed vegetables, cut into bite size pieces (broccoli, squashes, onions, peppers, cabbage, carrots, etc)

1 dried mild chili
1 cup water
2 large garlic cloves
1"x1" chunk fresh ginger
4 TBSP soy sauce
4 TBSP vinegar
1 TBSP honey or agave nectar

Place chili in a small saucepan with water. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, finely grated.

Heat about 1" of vegetable oil on medium heat in the bottom of a large saucepan. I prefer one about 8-10" high to prevent splatter. Mix shrimp, cornstarch, and egg together. Increase cornstarch if batter seems to runny, or a little water if it seems too pasty. Once oil begins to ripple, drop one shrimp at a time into the hot oil. Be very careful for the splatter, and try not to drop one shrimp on top of another. Cook about 5 minutes until golden brown and remove to a plate lined with a paper towel (I did 3 batches).

Meanwhile, heat about 1 TBSP oil in a wok or large skillet. Add half of the veggies and saute until outside browned, but they are still crispy. Try to stir as little as possible so they don't get mushy. Remove half the veggies to a large serving bowl and  saute the other half. Add second half of veggies to serving bowl.

 Add soy and vinegar to the reconstituted chili. Puree in the blender or food processor until smooth. Add to empty wok on low heat. Add fried shrimp to sauce and toss to combine. Cook about 1 minute to let sauce soak in. Pour shrimp and sauce over the veggies.

Thai Meatball Chow Mein

1 lb ground meat

dash of siracha or hot sauce
1 TBSP soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, grated
1" piece ginger root, grated
2 TBSP chopped basil
1 beaten egg
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped

2 onions, halved and thick sliced
5-6 stalks celery w/ tops, sliced on a diagonal
2 large carrots, shredded
1 lime
3 TBSP soy sauce

crispy Chinese noodles
sesame oil

Preheat broiler on low setting. Mix first 9 ingredients together and form into 1/2-1" meatballs ...I meant to do smaller ones, but was rushing to get dinner on the table so went with larger ones.

Heat wok or large saute pan on high heat. Add 2 TBSP cooking oil. Once oil ripples, add onions and celery. Cook about 5 minutes without stirring. Sprinkle with salt and stir. Turn meatballs over.

Once onions begin to wilt, add carrots and the zest of the lime. Stir well to incorporate vegetables together and cook another 5 minutes.  Turn broiler up to high.

Squeeze lime juice and add soy sauce to vegetables. Remove meatballs from broiler and add to vegetables. Stir well to coat meatballs and serve over noodles with a light drizzle of sesame oil.

Sticky Ribs

1 rack beef ribs
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
1 TBSP molasses
1 TBSP orange marmalade
1 tsp siracha
1/4 tsp ground ginger (dry)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp five spice powder

Use all ingredients (but the ribs) to make a marinade. Cut the ribs between the bones and marinade for 2-3 hours.

Lay ribs on a broiler pan or baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Cover in foil and bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour.

Turn broiler on to medium. Remove heat and broil for 5 minutes per side, alternating until both sides are charred and crispy.

Chow Mein Soup

1 TBSP olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 c. celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, thin sliced
2 c. bean sprouts
2 1/2 c. chicken stock + 2 1/2 c. water OR 5 c. chicken broth
2 c. snow peas or sugar snap peas
1 c. frozen shelled edamame
1 TBSP soy sauce
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp five spice powder

In a stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat and add celery, onions and garlic. Cook 5-10 minutes until translucent. Add bean sprouts and their liquid, and the stock/broth/additional water. Bring to a slight boil. Add pea pods and seasonings. Cook 5 minutes and turn off heat.

Garnish with sliced green onions and chow mein noodles.

I like this as a side dish when we have a little faux Chinese takeout dinner, but you can also make it as a main course. Just add 1 lb of your favorite protein. Just like when I make regular chow mein, I cook the meat in the oil to brown before adding the vegetables and the same of the recipe as written.

While the sodium is a little high, the meat-free version is under 100 calories a bowl!

Pork Wontons

18 Wonton wrappers
1/2 lb ground sausage
1" piece ginger root, grated
1/2 c. chopped green onion (from the white end)
five spice powder, pinch to taste
black pepper, pinch to taste
1 TBSP soy sauce

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Once meat is almost cooked, add green onions, soy sauce and spices. Cook another 5 minutes.

Lay wonton wrappers on a flat surface and moisten the edges with a clean finger dipped in water. Spoon a teaspoon of the meat into the center of each, and bring opposite points together to make a triangle. Bring the other two corners up and pinch the sides together. Spray tops with cooking spray.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Each wonton has:
60 calories
4g carbs
3g fat
3g protein
0g fiber
98mg sodium

Sesame Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1" cubed
1 TBSP sesame oil- divided
1/2 c. fruit juice (I use whats on hand and adjust to suit, usually apple, orange, pink grapefruit, or a tropical blend)
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. rice wine vinegar
2 TBSP orange marmalade
1 TBSP honey
1 tsp siracha
1 TBSP cornstarch
1/4 c. sesame seeds
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/2" ginger root, grated
1/2 c. thinly sliced scallions
salt and pepper

In a dry skillet, toast sesame seeds over medium heat. (Add them to the hot skillet, and stir often until golden.) Set aside.

Toss chicken with 1 tsp sesame oil, salt and pepper. Saute in a skillet OR skewer and grill OR spread on a baking sheet and roast until cooked through. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine remaining sesame oil, juice, soy, vinegar, marmalade, honey, siracha, ginger and garlic. Bring to a low boil. Mix cornstarch with 1 TBSP cold water and stir until smooth. Add to sauce with 1/2 of the toasted sesame seeds.

Toss the cooked chicken with the sesame sauce. Serve over brown rice and garnish with the remaining toasted seeds and scallions.

Shrimp Stir Fry

1/2 box (8 oz) angel hair pasta
2 c broccoli florets
1 lb asparagus spears, cut in half
1 bell pepper (red, orange, or yellow), sliced
1 bunch green onions cut into thirds
1/2 head cabbage, shredded
1 medium zucchini, cut into thin strips w/ vegetable peeler
1 large carrot, cut into thin strips w/ vegetable peeler
1 lb raw shrimp peeled w/ tails removed
1 dried ancho pepper
2 TBSP peanut butter
1/2 c apple juice
1/4 c reduced sodium soy sauce
5 cloves garlic
1" piece of ginger, grated
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 TBSP olive oil
MDP's Seasoning


Tear top out of pepper and remove seeds. Place in a small saucepan, and cover with 1" water over medium heat.

Sprinkle shrimp with MDP's seasoning and set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside in pasta pot.

Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil in a large skillet or Wok on high heat. Saute broccoli, carrot, asparagus, peppers and bottom third (whites) of the scallions about 5 minutes, only turning once halfway through. Put vegetables over pasta.

Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil in skillet. Saute cabbage, zucchini, and remaining scallions (greens) about 3 minutes until wilted, turning once halfway through. Add vegetables to pasta.

Sear shrimp in skillet until golden on both sides.

In a food processor, combine ancho and liquid, peanut butter, apple juice, soy sauce, curry, peppers, garlic and ginger until smooth. Pour sauce into skillet with shrimp and stir to release the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes longer and pour sauce and shrimp over pasta and vegetables. Toss well to combine.

This makes a HUGE pot of food and feeds 8-10. Made exactly, 1/8th of the pot has 285 calories and 7g of fat. Not bad at all.

At home takeout : Fried rice

We make our own fried rice all the time. Its a cheap and quick dinner and great for using things up in the fridge. You can do any leftover meat like pork loin, steak, chicken, shrimp, leftover roast, or just all veggies. Good to add to the collection for making take-out like meals for a fraction of the cost!

1 TBSP vegetable oil
2 c leftover white or brown rice
1 onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
2 c shelled edamame (or frozen sweet peas if you prefer)
1 c leftover meat, chopped mushrooms, mixed veggies, etc - (your pick!)
1/2" ginger root, peeled
1-2 TBSP low sodium soy

Heat oil over high heat in a wok or large non-stick skillet. Add rice and cook for 3-4 minutes to crisp. Don't stir too often, just once or twice to keep it from burning. Add onions and garlic and continue to occasionally stir.

Once onions are soft, push the rice to the sides of the pan and make a well in the center. Add eggs and scramble. Once they have firmed a little, incorporate the rice in from the sides.

Add edamame/peas, and leftover meat or veggies of choice. Add in soy slowly until rice is lightly coated, and grate ginger root over pan.

This can be a meal on its on, or you can have it with oven-fried egg rolls, or teriyaki sticks. Picture below is with cream cheese wontons.

At home takeout Chinese: Ginger Beef Stir Fry

1 1/2 lbs beef round steak
1 c beef broth or 1 bouillon cube + 1 c water
6 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
2 TBSP cornstarch
2 tsp splenda
2 tsp fresh grated ginger
6 cups fresh veggies ( sliced peppers, broccoli florets, 1" asparagus or green bean sticks, mushrooms, etc)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 TBSP vegetable oil
2 cups cooked brown rice

Trim all fat from beef (throw trimmings into a freezer bag for making stock later). Slice while still frozen, or put into the freezer for 30 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain into bite size strips. Set aside.

Mix broth (or bouillon dissolved in water and cooled), soy, cornstarch, splenda, and ginger. Set aside.

Spray a large skillet or wok with cooking spray and cook veggies 3-4 minutes until softened but crisp. Remove from pan.

Heat oil in pan. Stir fry the meat 3-5 minutes until browned. Push meat to the sides and pour sauce into the center. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Add veggies back in and stir to coat.

Serve over rice.

Makes 8 servings
approximately:
300 calories
10 grams of fat

Thai-ish Peanut Veggie Noodle Bowl

This is something that I created while trying to copy a dish that I had at a Thai fast food take-out place. I'm not sure if it's made with anything close to the original, but the kids love it, its quick to make and it gets some veggies in.

1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti (if you don't do wheat pasta try Ronzoni smart taste=healthier white pasta)
1lb bag frozen stir fry veggies
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c apple juice
1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
1/2" fresh ginger, grated
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 tsp curry powder
black/red pepper to taste
1/2 c peanuts, crushed
1/2 c scallions, finely chopped

Bring water to boil in a large pasta pot. Cook pasta for 5-7 minutes, then add frozen veggies and cook another 5-7 (don't go more than a couple minutes over the directions for al dente). Drain pasta and veggies into a strainer and set aside.

Put the same pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add peanut butter, soy, and apple juice and whisk until blended together. Add garlic, ginger, curry and pepper and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce heat to medium and cook sauce 2-3 minutes to thicken and partially cook garlic.

Toss the pasta and veggies in the peanut sauce. Top with chopped peanuts and scallions.

Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, ManPans and Rouxbe.

At-home takeout Chinese : Chow Mein

I found this recipe a few years ago when looking for something different to make with pork. I'm also a HUGE Chinese takeout fan but to save on the sodium and the wallet, I make my own to hold me over between cravings for those little white paper boxes of goodness.

2 TBSP oil
1 lb pork, chicken, shrimp, steak, OR 1 bag broccoli slaw (for a vegetarian version)
4-5 stalks celery, sliced into thin horizontal slices
1 large onion, sliced
1 can bean sprouts with liquid
3 TBSP soy sauce - low sodium version
1 jar chicken/beef gravy (or 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tsp cold vegetable stock/water for veg version)
salt and pepper to taste
chow mein noodles

Heat a large skillet on high, add oil and heat. Add meat and saute until browned. Push meat to the sides of pan, add celery and onion and cook until softened. Mix all together. Add spouts w/ liquid and cook about 10 minutes. Add soy sauce and gravy and cook for another 5 until well blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the chow mean noodles.

* If making the veggie version, just skip the meat and add the broccoli slaw in with the celery and onion.

* This is also great in the crock pot, brown the meat in a skillet, and add all ingredients but the gravy/cornstarch. Cook for 3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Mix well and add in the gravy/starch, cook for another 20-30 min to thicken.

WHY IS THIS GOOD FOR YOU?
* When you make at home takeout style dishes you control how much sodium goes in.

* Full of healthy veggies, even my onion hater would eat "the onions with the special chow mein seasonings"