Another recipe from the really, really easy stable. I don’t often use store bought sauces as many are filled with sugar – but this one is worth it for a treat !
Kung Pao Pork
4 servings
381 calories per serving
1 1b. pork loin, sliced thin
16 oz. bag frozen stir fry veggies, defrosted
4 T Kung Pao sauce (available in the Asian section of your market)
Pam
2 c cooked brown minute rice
Spray skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Stir fry pork 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add vegetables and continue cooking 7 minutes or until all heated through. Add sauce and cook another 2 minutes. Serve with brown rice.
This is a great recipe to use up leftover rice from the Chinese food take out order. Just place it in a colander and place the colander over a pot of steaming water for 5-6 minutes. That brings it back to life nicely 🙂 The veggies look like little jewels in a sea of rice. It’s a very pretty side dish !
Jeweled Rice
6 servings
183 calories
1 c basmati rice (stickier than regular long grain rice)
2 c water
1/4 c roasted peanuts
1 shallot, sliced
2 T water
1 t minced fresh ginger root
3/4 c grated carrots
½ c corn
Salt to taste
¼ t cayenne pepper (double this if you like it spicy !)
3 T chopped cilantro
Add rice to water and bring to a boil on high heat then lower to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes or until water is absorbed (or use steamed leftover rice as mentioned above). Mash peanuts finely or puree in a blender. Heat a skillet and sauté shallots in a couple of tablespoons of hot water. Saute 5 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep them moist. Then add ginger, carrots, corn and salt. Turn to low and cook 5 minutes then stir in rice, pepper, cilantro and peanuts.
Simple, versatile dinner that is ready in no time and tastes like a million bucks. You could easily substitute chicken or pork and leftover meats would be great to use here. You can also sub in any frozen veggie mix.
Beef Ramen Bowl
4 servings
255 calories per serving
1 lb. beef sirloin cut into thin strips
2 c water
3 oz. Asian or Beef flavor ramen noodle mix
1 lb. fresh stir fry veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, red peppers)
¼ c soy sauce
Pam
Spray a skillet with Pam and cook beef 5 minutes or until browned then remove from skillet and keep warm. Boil stir in veggies and heat to boiling and continue to cook 4 minutes or until veggies are a bit tender. Stir in seasoning packet and broken up noodles and continue cooking 3 minutes. Finally add soy and then add beef and heat through.
Ginger and garlic just go together so well. And making a paste of them along with cilantro and sesame oil just adds so much flavor to the already flavorful beef. This is a great quick dish that you will make again and again.
Ginger Beef
4 servings
298 calories per serving
1/4 c cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
4 quarter size slices peeled fresh ginger
2 T water
2 T dark sesame oil
1 lb. boneless sirloin cut into long slices
16 cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchini each in 8 pieces
2 c cooked brown rice
Preheat broiler. Spray baking sheet with Pam. Mix cilantro, garlic, ginger, water and oil in a food processor until a paste forms. Place the steak in a bowl and add cilantro paste and mix well. Turn out the meat mix onto the baking sheet and add the tomatoes and zucchini. Broil 3 minutes. Stir well. Broil another 3-4 minutes. Serve with warm brown rice.
When fish steams in a packet it gets a wonderful consistency – meaty and rich. The sauce that goes with this has a great Asian flair – the ginger, garlic and soy combine to perfection. Pair with Homemade Lo Mein for a great meal.
Asian Fish Packets
4 servings
236 calories per serving
1 T lite soy sauce
1 T maple syrup
2 t oil
2 T lime juice
2 t finely grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t pepper
1 bell pepper cut into thin slices
2 T minced parsley
4 scallions, sliced
1 ½ lb. flounder, tilapia or other white fish
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Pam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine soy, maple syrup, oil., lime juice, ginger, garlic and pepper. Create 4 foil packets and spray lightly with Pam and place fish in packet. Lay pepper strips atop the fish and sprinkle with parsley and scallions. Close foil tightly and bake 20 minutes or until fish is done. Serve with lemon wedges.
This spicy broth is a nice contrast to the mild and creamy wontons. The ricotta mixed with the spinach for the filling makes for a very creamy textured wonton center. Wontons are definitely NOT hard to make ! Give it a shot ! Even if they don’t come out quite the right shape, as long as they stay sealed, that is really all that matters 🙂 And at only 137 calories per serving, double up the portion and you still have room for some crispy homemade flat breads as a side !
Spinach Soup with Wontons
8 servings
137 calories per serving
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
½ c part skim ricotta cheese
1 t chopped basil ( or ¼ t basil flakes)
½ t pepper
32 wonton wrappers
4 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2 T soy sauce
2 t chili sauce (available in the Asian section of your market)
½ c scallions, thinly sliced
For this recipe, be sure to use a pot that is large enough that the wontons have room and don’t get all piled on top of one another. Mix spinach, ricotta, basil and pepper in a blender until smooth. Place 1 T filling in each wonton and fold according to package instructions being sure to seal the last fold with a bit of water. Bring broth, soy and chili sauce to a boil. Add wontons and scallions and bring back to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until wontons are tender.
Here is a video to help you lean how to prepare wontons –
Teriyaki give the chicken a great glaze that then gets nice and crispy when you put it on the grill. The flavor is simple and that means this dish pairs up well with a myriad of different sides.
Teriyaki Chicken
4 servings
160 calories per serving
4 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c teriyaki sauce
¼ c lemon juice
2 t minced garlic
¼ t pepper
2 t sesame oil
Marinate chicken in all the mixed ingredients in a zip loc bag in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Heat grill and cook the chicken 6 minutes each side or until done.
This is a great quick soup that does not skimp on flavor. I usually add in a teaspoon of Asian chili garlic sauce to spice it up, but it is just as good without it. If you know you are having a heavier dinner, this makes a great light lunch with a piece of garlic toast or a cheesy bagel on the side.
Asian Shrimp Soup
4 cups
63 calories per serving
4 c chicken broth
¼ c shredded carrot
2 c bok choy, coarsely chopped
¼ c water chestnuts, chopped
2 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 oz. popcorn (or other small) shrimp, cooked
2 T soy sauce
Bring broth to a boil and add carrots, bok choy, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Simmer 4 minutes then add shrimp and soy and heat through.
1 lb. fresh bean sprouts
1 T sesame seeds, toasted
1 T sesame oil
2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 T finely chopped scallions
1 1/2 T sugar
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 t salt
Place sprouts in boiling salt water for 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Chill at least ½ hour.
To toast sesame seeds, just stir fry them for a few minutes in a hot skillet.
