Saturday, January 21, 2012

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Adapted from Family Favorite Recipes
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe • Old Points: 6 pts Points+: 8 pts
Calories: 337.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carbs: 51.4 g • Fiber: 3.7 g • Protein: 21.1 g

Light Peanut Sauce:

  • 14.5 oz fat free chicken broth (vegetarians use vegetable broth)
  • 5 tbsp better'n peanut butter
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
 
  • 16 oz chicken breast, cut into thin strips
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce (more or less to taste)
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce (use Tamari for gluten free)
  • 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 8 oz rice noodles
 
  • 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 1/4 cups cup shredded broccoli slaw 
  • 1 cup bean bean sprouts
  • 2 tbsp chopped peanuts 
  • 1 lime, sliced
  • cilantro for garnish (optional)

For the peanut sauce: Combine 1 cup chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ginger, and 3 cloves crushed garlic in a small saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat stirring occasionally until sauce becomes smooth and well blended, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.


Boil water for the noodles cook pasta according to package instructions.


Season chicken with salt and pepper, sriracha, lime, garlic, ginger and soy sauce.


Heat a large skillet or wok until hot. Add oil and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and set aside.


Add 2 cloves crushed garlic, scallions, carrots, broccoli slaw and/or bean sprouts and salt, sauté until tender crisp, about 1-2 minutes.


Drain noodles and toss with peanut sauce and additional chicken broth if needed to loosen the sauce. When chicken is cooked, toss with noodles.

Divide noodles and chicken between 6 bowls, top with sauteed vegetables, bean sprouts, chopped peanuts (or you can toss everything together to hide the vegetables so your family members don't push them aside!) and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.

Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Easy Zucchini Parmesan

Submitted by: MATCM81

This quick and healthy snack takes minutes to prepare! And as a bonus, it's an easy way to get the kids to eat their vegetables.
Number of Servings: 1

Ingredients

    Zucchini, 1 cup, sliced
    Parmesan Cheese, grated, 1 tbsp
    I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Original Buttery Spray, 10 sprays
    Non-stick cooking spray


Directions

Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, then coat with some non-stick cooking spray. Place the zucchini slices out on the pan, then spritz with them with the butter spray. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and then pop it in the oven. Broil for a few minutes - until the cheese starts to brown. Enjoy it while it's warm!

Make a larger batch for a delicious and healthy side dish for any meal! Your family will love it!

Asian Flank Steak with Ginger Balsamic Marinade

Asian Flank Steak with Ginger Balsamic Marinade

Slice the flank steak across the grain into thin strips, marinate and cook quickly in hot pan. Add steamed brown rice and sugar snap peas for a healthy dinner with tasty Asian flavors. Leftovers make a great steak salad the next day. Halve this recipe for 2 servings or double for a bigger group. Sake can be purchased in small bottles if its something you don’t often use, but this recipe may change that. For a substitution try dry vermouth or for no alcohol, vegetable or chicken broth. Inspired by a recipe in Bon Appétit, March 2002.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
½ cup (120 ml) low sodium soy sauce or tamari
½ cup (120 ml) sake
3 tablespoons (45 ml) agave syrup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) ginger puree from a jar, (organic with no high fructose corn syrup)
4 tablespoons (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1½ tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 ½ – 2 pounds flank steak (700 grams – 1 kilo), well trimmed of any fat
Directions
1)   Make the marinade by combining soy sauce through chives.
2)   Slice the flank steak across the grain into ½” (1 1/2 cm) wide strips. If the steak is very wide, you can slice it in half lengthwise with the grain first, then cross grain into strips. Place steak in a bowl, mix with marinade, then cover with plastic and allow to stand 45-60 minutes at room temperature. You can also mix it in a zip bag, press out the air and marinate.
3)   Heat a large non-stick sauté or fry pan over medium heat. Drain marinade from steak through a sieve and set aside. Lay steak strips flat in the hot pan; don’t crowd them. Cook until one side is a browned and getting caramelized edges. Flip the pieces over and cook just briefly, then remove to a rimmed baking sheet or plate. Repeat with the other pieces until done.
Note – If you want extra sauce to drizzle over the steak, place the raw marinade in a small pan and bring to a boil for a minute to kill any raw meat bacteria. Boil it down but be careful not to let it burn away.
For a quick vegetable side dish – Drop sugar snap peas into boiling, salted water for 3 minutes, drain and serve. If you have snap peas left over, add them to a steak salad the next day. It’s also delicious served with mushrooms. I like to use shitakes with this recipe. Slice and cook in the same pan as the flank steak to pick up the flavors. You may need a little oil or butter in the pan to cook the mushrooms. I’ll add a tablespoon of finely chopped shallots towards the end of cooking for extra flavor.
About the vegetables I did for Ying & Yang Living - To make the vegetables I did for the show, quarter mushroom, thinly slice sweet peppers and slice asparagus. Cook them in the same pan to absorb all of the good flavors from the meat juices. You may need to add just a little oil. Splash with sake and cook down to finish and glaze the vegetables.

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa

 
Recipe: Grilled Mahi Mahi with Pineapple Cucumber Salsa
Ingredients:
  • 2 mahi mahi fillets
  • Salt & Pepper
  • olive oil
  • 2 limes
  • 1 cup pineapple, chopped
  • 3/4 cup cucumber, finely chopped
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalepeno (seeds removed) finely chopped
  • 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
Directions:
  1. To make the salsa, combine pineapple, cucumber, juice of 1 lime, onion, jalepeno, and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  2. To cook the fish, heat a grill pan to medium high. Drizzle the fish with olive oil, salt, pepper, and the juice of 1 lime. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes on each side.

Caprese Chicken

Chicken Marinade
Recipe: Adapted from AllRecipes.com
Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard (I used regular mustard)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
Directions:
  1. In a medium bowl, mix together oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Stir in mustard powder, salt, pepper, and parsley. Use to marinate chicken before cooking as desired. The longer you marinate, the more flavor it will have.

Caprese Chicken
Recipe: Adapted from BakedBree
Ingredients:
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 of a medium red onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup of mozerella, diced
  • 1/4 cup of fresh basil, chopped
  • olive oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • salt & pepper
Directions:
  1. Add all the dry ingredients to the bowl. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste and combine. Don't be shy on the salt, it really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes!
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar to taste and mix together. I probably used about 1/4 cup of each.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes
Recipe: Adapted from Martha Stewart, makes 14 cupcakes
Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups cake flour (not self- rising), sifted
  • 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 1/2 teaspoon for dusting
  • 1/2 cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cups milk
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon.
  2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk, and beating until combined after each.
  3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
  4. To finish, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Pipe frosting on each cupcake. Using a small, fine sieve, dust peaks with cinnamon-sugar. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are frosted; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine butter and cream cheese. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  2. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time). Beat until smooth and creamy.

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets


Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th of nuggets • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 164.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 22.1 g • Carb: 7.7 g • Fiber: 0.9 g Sugar: 0.1 g



  • 16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp panko
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • olive oil spray (I used my Misto)

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.


Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.


Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

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Warm Winter Vegetable Salad

Warm Winter Vegetable Salad
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 small sweet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch rounds
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces****My grocery store didn’t have any of these in stock, so I substituted a small butternut squash (about 2 pounds) instead (peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 small beet, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup walnuts
1 and 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a roasting pan, toss the onion, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip, celery root (and/or butternut squash), and beet with two tablespoons of the olive oil.
3. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and roast for about 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until tender and lightly browned in spots.
4. Meanwhile, spread the walnuts in a nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 6 minutes.
5. Once the walnuts have cooled, coarsely chop and set them aside.
6. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and fold in the parsley.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Add the vegetables and the walnuts to the dressing and toss.
9. Top the salad with the feta and serve warm or at room temperature.
Source:  Sophie Dahl at Food and Wine.

Baked rhubarb oatmeal

Baked rhubarb oatmeal
(Recipe inspired by Heidi Swanson + this recipe)

230g rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces (fresh or frozen)
230g rolled oats (use gluten-free, if you prefer)
100g almonds, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
500ml home-made almond milk (recipe here)
olive oil, for brushing
1. Preheat oven to 180C and brush a medium-sized oven dish lightly with olive oil.
2. Cover the bottom of the dish with rhubarb pieces. Combine the oats, almond, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the mixture on top of the rhubarbs and finally pour the almond milk (evenly) on top. 
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

skin beauty salad

Skin Beauty Salad
(serves 2)

230g cooked chickpeas (or use 1 tin)
2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves
1/2 avocado, diced
small handful of soaked almonds
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 cm disks
olive oil, for brushing
2 tablespoons unhulled tahini (or use this recipe)
1/2 lemon, juiced
water
pinch of salt
1 small garlic clove
freshly ground black pepper
1. Lightly brush the zucchini slices with olive oil and grill on a pan for a couple of minutes on each side. Set aside.
2. Combine tahini, lemon juice and grated garlic in a small bowl. Add enough water to form a smooth, runny dressing. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Place the chickpeas in a bowl and coat them with the tahini dressing. 
4. Place the baby spinach leaves in serving bowls, top with tahini coated chickpeas, diced avocado and the zucchini slices. Sprinkle with soaked almonds (or seeds of choice).

grilled mushrooms and cheese

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 8 small flat mushrooms, stems trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 100g Swiss cheese, finely grated
  • 100g baby spinach leaves
  • Worcestershire sauce, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of mushrooms with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Place mushrooms, stem side up, on grill tray. Grill for 5 minutes or until just softened. Top with cheese. Grill for a further 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
  3. Place spinach on plates. Top with mushrooms. Drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Season with pepper. Serve.

Recipe for Chicken Marinade

Recipe for Chicken Marinade (Adapted from All Recipes)
Ingredients:
  • 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and marinade for 2 - 12 hours.

Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with a Honey Lime Dip


Recipe: Baked Sweet Potato Fries with a Honey Lime Dip
From: Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
  • 2 medium sized sweet potatoes
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 t cumin
  • 1/2 t oregano
  • 1/2 t coriander
  • 1 t kosher salt
  • 1 t parsley
  • fresh ground paper to taste
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Slice your sweet potatoes into french fry shape and size. About 1/4" (maybe a tad bigger). Check out this site for a picture guide on cutting the fries.
  3. Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Use your hands to make sure they are evenly coated.
  4. Add all the herbs and spices and continue to toss until well coated.
  5. Place in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. No opening the oven door! Not even for a quick peak!
  6. After 15 minutes, take them out and flip them. Be careful as they may be a little soggy at this point.
  7. Continue to cook for another 15 - 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and serve immediately.

Recipe: Honey Lime Dipping Sauce
Adapted From: Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
  • 6 oz container non-fat greek yogurt, plain
  • 1 T mayo (reduced fat is fine)
  • 1/2 T honey
  • Juice from half a lime (or more to taste)
  • 1/4 t cumin
  • 1/8 t oregano
  • 1 t parsley
  • 1/2 t onion powder
  • 3/4 t salt
Directions:
  1. Mix honey, yogurt, mayo, and lime together until combined.
  2. Add in spices and herbs.

Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija Cheese

Grilled Corn Salad with Cotija Cheese
Ingredients
  • 8 - 10 ears of corn, silks removed, husks on (soaked in water for 30 min)
  • 1/2 tbls butter
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbls chopped, fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/8 tsp ancho chili pepper (I'm a wimp with spice, add more if you want)
Directions:
  1. After soaking the corn, grill on medium high for about 20 minutes.
  2. When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the husks and cut the corn off the cob.
  3. Saute in a pan over medium high heat with the butter, lime juice, cilantro, salt, pepper, chili powder, and chili pepper.
  4. Add the cotija cheese just before you are ready to serve.

Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Recipe

use on baguettes or grilled mahi mahi and so much more get creative!

Corn Tomato Avocado Salsa Recipe
Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups of diced tomato (I used about 4 roma tomatoes)
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 cup of corn (canned, fresh, or frozen)
  • 1/4 of a small red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 of a jalepeno, seeded and diced
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbls chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste

My Favorite Greek Dressing:

My Favorite Greek Dressing:
Source: AllRecipes.com
*Note: The quantities are a little weird. This is because the recipe is scaled back from a restaurant recipe that makes like 120 servings.

Ingredients:
  • 2/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/4 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp onion poweder
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
  1. Whisk together all of the ingredients except the olive oil.
  2. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until well blended.

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Ingredients:
1 (2 pound) boneless pork tenderloin (or regular pork loin)
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup water
Glaze
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Directions:
Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

roasted salmon with brown sugar glaze


Ingredients

  • Cooking spray, for greasing
  • 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon country-style Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • Four 4-ounce salmon fillets

Directions

Line a broiler pan rack with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray. Preheat the broiler.

To make the glaze, whisk together the brown sugar, ginger, mustard and soy sauce in a small bowl. Place the salmon on the broiler pan rack and spoon the glaze over the top. Broil, 6 inches from the heat, until the salmon is lightly browned and just opaque in the center, 4 to 5 minutes. Do not turn.

Per Serving: 252 Cal; 23 g Protein; 12 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 4 g Mono Fat; 11 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 10 g Sugar; 26 mg Calcium; 1 mg Iron; 282 mg Sodium; 67 mg Cholesterol

steak tacos with black bean picode gallo

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces flank steak, trimmed
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Cooking spray, for greasing the pan
  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • 8 corn taco shells, warmed

Directions

Sprinkle the steak with the chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cumin. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over high heat. Add the steak and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the steak and cook about 5 minutes longer for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut the steak diagonally across the grain into paper-thin slices.

Meanwhile, combine the black beans, cilantro, lime juice, oil, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and toss to coat well. Evenly divide the steak slices among the tacos. Top each taco evenly with the tomato mixture.