What's for Dinner?  Taiwanese Three Cups Chicken

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Asian sesame oil
• One (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds
• 5-6 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 1-2 fresh Thai red chilies, stemmed and halved or use red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken thighs meat, cut in cubes
• 1/3 cup rice wine
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves or use regular basil (from 1 large bunch)
• Steamed white rice, for serving

Directions:

1. 1
   Heat sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ginger, garlic, and chilies and cook until very fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. 2
   Add chicken pieces to the skillet in a single layer and cook, tilting the pan if necessary to submerge all pieces in the oil, for 1 minute. Flip chicken pieces and cook for 1 minute longer.
3. 3
   Add rice wine, soy sauce, and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to a simmer. Partially cover the skillet to prevent splashes of oil and cook, turning the chicken pieces every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from heat. Serve immediately with rice.

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Home-made Healthy Ramen

Noodle and Soup Base (2 servings):
1. Fresh Ramen from frozen section at most Asian Store - "Fresh Soba/Ramen" (one pack per serving)
2 One 32oz carton of Swanson Beef Broth
3. Instant miso soup (2 small packs) - found this at Super Target (optional, 2 servings)
4. 1/2 cup of water (optional if not using miso)
5. 1 teaspoon of sugar
6. Soy Sauce to taste (1 tablespoon, optional)
7. 1/2 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms

Toppings:
1. Soft boiled eggs - Boil 2 eggs for 2 minutes covered in small pot, turn heat to medium low and cook for additional 3 minutes. - Take out eggs immediately to immerse in cold water. Set aside

2. Fresh veggies - Broccoli/snow peas. Boil in hot water for 3 minutes - take out and immerse in cold water and drain

3. Chicken Teriyaki - Marinate 1/2 pd of  boneless chicken thighs in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 teaspoon of sriracha, 1 teaspoon of sugar and sesame oil. Pan sear/cook for 15 minutes

4. Imitation crab meat - cook with soup base. Add at the end before serving

Cooking directions:
1.  Mix beef broth, miso soup, water, soy sauce and sugar in a large pot.  You can just use Beef Broth and sugar alone if you can't find miso soup.  Bring this to boil.  Add mushrooms and imitation crab meat. Simmer for 5-10 min. This soup is enough for 2 servings.

2.. Defrost Ramen noodle to room temperature, cook it for 5 min in a pot of hot water. Drain and place in large bowl  - repeat again for 2nd serving.

3. Spoon hot soup made in step #1 on to 2 noodle bowls

4. Add toppings, cut soft boil eggs set aside and place on top of soup, place chicken and veggies respectively

Whole wheat and Low fat Banana Bread

• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/3 cup Splenda Blend brown sugar or use 1/2 cup of regular brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3  large bananas, smashed.
• 1/4 cup honey (optional)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour, Premium or 100% white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts(optional)
• 1/3 cup of chocolate chips (optional)

 

1) Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" or 9" x 5" loaf pan.

2) In a large bowl, combine together the apple sauce and sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, and bananas, beating until well combined. The mixture will be fairly smooth, with some scattered small chunks of banana.

3) Beat in the honey (optional) and eggs.

4) Add the flour, then the walnuts, stirring until smooth.

5) Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

6) Bake the bread for 50-60 minutes; a long toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center should come out clean.

7) Allow the loaf to cool for 10 minutes; then remove it from the pan, and set it on a rack to cool completely.

Baked Low Fat Crab Rangoon - New favorite appetizer

Ingredients:

1.  4oz of  imitation crab meat
2.  2 Tbsp of Low fat or Fat free cream cheese (room temperature)
3.  2 Tbsp of Low fat or Fat free sour cream
4.  2 tsp of Soy sauce
5.  2 chopped stems of green onions or chives
6.  1 tsp salt/pepper
7.  12 Wonton skin wrappers

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray

2. In a medium bowl, Use all ingredients (1 to 6) Mix until well combined.

3. Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each wonton skin

4. Moist edges with water

5.  Fold in half to form triangle, pressing edges to seal.

6.  Bake 15 to 20 min or until edges of cups are golden brown and filling is heated through. 

7.  Optional: Garnish with chives/green onions.