Monday, October 15, 2012

Healthy Shrimp Stir-Fry

 A simple stir-fry that’s ready in thirty minutes! Stir-fry's are such a great way to get your veggie in for the day.  Fresh shrimp (could use chicken), crisp-yet-tender vegetables, a hint of soy and the zing of ginger. Stir-frying is quick, so it limits nutrient loss. This shrimp and vegetable stir-fry is fast food that’s healthy, too. Serve on brown rice.

1⁄3 cup reduced-salt soy sauce
1⁄4 cup white wine
2 tablespoons cornstarch
11⁄2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
500 g large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
250 g broccoli florets
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1 large yellow pepper, cut into strips
120 g snow peas
100 g whole baby corn
1⁄2 cup sliced water chestnuts, optional
4 green onions, cut diagonally into 5 cm pieces
 
Directions
  1. Blend 2⁄3 cup water, the soy sauce, wine, cornstarch and ginger in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a large wok or large deep frying pan over medium-high heat until hot. Stir-fry the garlic until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until pink, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the broccoli florets to the wok and stir-fry until they are bright green, about 2 minutes. Add the red and yellow pepper strips and snow peas and stir-fry until they are just tender but still crisp, about 1 minute longer.
  3. Return the shrimp to the wok. Add the baby corn, water chestnuts and green onions. Pour in the sauce mixture and stir-fry the shrimp and vegetables until the sauce thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Serve.

 
Nutritional information
PER SERVING
233 calories
24 g protein
7 g total fat

Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

I wanted to make some caggabe rolls for my family minus the meat.  I used chopped mushrooms to be like the texture of ground beef.  No one noticed but you do have to like mushrooms. 

  • 1-1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 3/4 cup chopped green pepper
  • 3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
  • 3/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup brown rice
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 large head cabbage
  • 6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato soup
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • Directions:

    1. In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients up to the cabbage. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for five minutes.
    2. Meanwhile, cook the cabbage in boiling water just until the leaves fall off head. Set aside eight large leaves for rolls (refrigerate the remaining cabbage for another use). Cut out the thick vein from each leaf, making a V-shape cut. Overlap cut ends before filling. Stir four tablespoons Parmesan cheese and lemon juice into the vegetable mixture.
    3. Place a heaping 1/3 cupful on each cabbage leaf and fold in the sides. Starting at an unfolded edge, roll to completely enclose the filling.
    4. Combine the tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce and pour 1/3 cup into a 2-quart baking dish. Place cabbage rolls in the dish and spoon the remaining sauce over top.
    5. Cover and bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
    2 pieces of cabbage is approx. ww 4 points plus

     

    Wednesday, October 3, 2012

    Crock Pot Spicy Honey Chicken with Peppers

    This Asian-inspired take on tasty, slow-simmered comfort food is so easy and absolutely delish and so much healthier than take-out! Plus, sometimes there’s no time for anything more than setting it and forgetting it. Forgetting it is a little tough when it smells this good, though. Try this scrumptious honey sesame chicken and keep dinner simple, folks. All you need are a bunch of basic ingredients and a patient sense of smell!

    • 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
      Salt and pepper
      1/2 cup diced onion
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 cup honey
      1/4 cup ketchup
    • dash hot sauce, as spicy as you like
    • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
      2 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
      1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
      4 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 1/3 cup water
      2 cups minute rice, optional
      1 1/2 cup any color peppers
    • 1/2 tablespoon (or more) sesame seeds
    • 3 scallions, chopped

    Directions

    Place chicken in Crock Pot and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil, hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3-4 hours, or high for 2 hours. Remove chicken to a cutting board, leaving sauce. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces; set aside. Prepare rice according to package instructions. In a small bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 1/3 cup water; add to crock pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Cover and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes, or until slightly thickened. Add chicken back with the peppers.   Add cooked rice to 4 plates, top with chicken/ sauce and spoon over top. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

    Enjoy!

    Adapted from Six Sisters Stuff

    Tuesday, September 25, 2012

    Avocado Devilled Eggs

    These are my new favorite snack to have on hand in our fridge. I just wish my husband didn’t like them as much as he does because they disappear so darn quickly. I have been making a dozen every three days for the last month for a quick high protein snack on the go.

    12 hard boiled eggs
    1 medium avocado, diced small
    3 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt (can use light mayo)
    2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (this helps keep the avocado green and not turning brown)
    1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or to taste
    1/8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, or to taste
    Salt to taste
    Avocado slice, green onion and paprika to garnish, if desired

    Cut boiled eggs in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out yolks. Mash yolks with a fork. Stir in diced avocados, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, hot pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Fill egg whites with yolk mixture and place on a serving plate. I filled up a zip-lock bag with the mixture and cut a hole on one corner and squeezed into the egg whites. Garnish accordingly. Makes 24.

    2 halves Per Serving: Calories 100; Protein 4 g; Fat 3 g (the good kind); Carbs 1 g; Sugar 0 g; Sodium 75 mg (2 WW points+)