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 great served with sliced up veggies or pita chips. It has a nice mellow flavor and makes a great snack or appetizer.

White Bean and Garlic Dip

10 cloves garlic
1 19 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 T low fat sour cream
2 T lemon juice
2 t sesame oil
½ t ground coriander
¼ t salt
¼ c chopped parsley
1 t paprika

In a small pot of boiling water cook the garlic for 3 minutes. Drain and reserve 2 T of the cooking liquid. Peel the garlic and in a food processor mix the garlic, reserved cooking liquid and beans and mix until you have a smooth puree. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, oil, coriander and salt and process to blend. Serve sprinkled with parsley and paprika.

Simple, low cal, nutritious and a nice change from your regular green salad!

Asian Garden Salad

6 servings
126 calories per serving

1/3 c thinly sliced scallions
4 T soy sauce
3 T water
2 c boiling water
1 ½ t sesame oil
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t red pepper flakes
1 3 oz. package low fat ramen noodle soup
2 c boiling water
2 c fresh pea pods, halved crosswise
1 c fresh bean sprouts
1 c sliced mushrooms
8 oz. can baby corn, drained and halved crosswise
1 red bell pepper cut into small strips
3 c shredded Chinese cabbage

Combine green onions, soy, water, oil, garlic powder and red pepper flakes and set aside. Break up ramen noodles and discard seasoning packet. Add peapods and pour 2 c boiling water over the mix and let stand 1 minute and then drain. Combine noodles, pea pods, bean sprouts, mushrooms, corn and peppers in a bowl. Shake dressing and toss with the noodle mix. Cover and chill 2 – 24 hours. Just before serving add cabbage.

Satay is a Thai preparation of skewered meat served with a peanut sauce – here I’ve taken away the skewers to make things a bit easier and it doesn’t change the taste of the dish one bit

Chicken Satay

8 servings
132 calories per serving

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 8 oz. each, sliced lengthwise into 6 strips each.
1 t toasted sesame oil
1 t low sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 t red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c creamy peanut butter
2 T rice vinegar
2 t lime juice
1 t brown sugar
Vegetable oil

Toss chicken with sesame oil, soy, garlic and 1/4 t pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat grill pan or skillet on high heat. Work in batches brushing pan with vegetable oil and then cooking chicken until done, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with dipping sauce.

Create dipping sauce by mixing peanut butter, vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, the rest of the pepper flakes and 2-3 T water.

This sweet shrimp dish is best served with another Asian inspired dish, I choose to pair it with my Homemade Lo Mein. It cooks in just minutes and definitely is kid friendly with the sweet sauce. Just leave out the red pepper flakes if serving to young ones.

Asian Shrimp

4 servings
239 calories per serving

1 T dark sesame oil
2 t minced garlic
4 scallions, sliced
1 lb. medium sized shrimp, peeled and cleaned with tails off
1/4 c water
2 T soy sauce
4 t cornstarch
2 t red pepper flakes
2 t Splenda brown sugar
4 t toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Heat oil on medium high heat. Add garlic and onions and saute for 1 minute. Add shrimp and cool 6 minutes or until shrimp is just about done. While the shrimp cooks, combine water, soy sauce, cornstarch, pepper and sugar. Pour over shrimp in skillet and cook 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens up. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds.