Moo Goo Gai Pan

We love our Chinese takeout, and I know full well that it is terrible for us! This recipe tastes so much like takeout, but it is definitely healthier. We used fresh peas from the garden, which was an added bonus! I'll be using this recipe a lot, using various veggies I have on hand.

*Could become a vegetarian or vegan meal if I took out the chicken. Use marinated tofu or tempeh if desired, or just extra veggies!

Moo Goo Gai Pan 
teamgulley via

www.lowfatlifestyle.com 

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (omit if going vegetarian)
1/2 cup chicken broth (use veg. broth if going vegetarian)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry white wine
4 teaspoons cornstarch (I used arrowroot powder)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots or one cup, thinly bias sliced
8 ounces whole small fresh mushrooms or 3 cups sliced
2 cups fresh pea pods or one 6-ounce pkg. frozen & thawed
1/2 of an 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I used whole can)
3 cups hot cooked rice (used mix of barley and brown rice, yum!)

Cut chicken into thin bite-size strips. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice wine or white wine, cornstarch, and sugar. Set aside.

Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic in hot oil for 15 seconds. Add carrots; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and, if using, fresh pea pods; stir-fry about 1 minute more or until carrots and pea pods are crisp-tender. Remove the vegetables from the wok.

Add the chicken to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until no pink remains. Push the chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce. Add the sauce to the center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

Return the cooked vegetables to the wok. Add water chestnuts and, if using, thawed pea pods. Stir all ingredients together to coat with sauce. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked rice.

Per serving: 439 calories, 7g fat, 54mg cholesterol, 685mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate, 29g protein

Thai Turkey Tacos

I was shocked when my pickiest child, Simon, ate two of these. He is a sworn onion and green pepper hater. Yet, when chopped up and cooked in this Asian-inspired taco filling, he didn't even seem to notice. Score! I modified the recipe a little bit from the original, which I found on babycenter. I always buy ground turkey in the 20 oz packages, so I cooked up a whole package, took half of the cooked turkey and put it in a container in the freezer for later, and then continued on with the scrumptious recipe! I cheated and used ground ginger and powdered garlic, but you could use a teaspoon or two of fresh grated ginger and 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic if you feel like taking the time.

Thai Turkey Tacos 
 em&baby#2

10 oz ground turkey
1/4 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. garlic powder
1 can chopped water chestnuts (optional; I made it without the first time and almost liked that better)
1/2 c. chopped red or green pepper
1/2 small onion, cut into thirds, then sliced
1 c. coleslaw mix with carrots (I used 1 c. thinly sliced green cabbage)
Cilantro for garnish

Thai Cooking Sauce
Combine:
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tablespoons of soy sauce
1 Tablespoons of lime juice (I didn't have a lime so this got omitted)
1 Tablespoon of honey
 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add turkey; cook, crumble and stir until meat is no longer pink.  Add ginger, garlic, onion, pepper, water chestnuts and slaw mix; stir-fry with meat for 2-3 minutes until vegetables are wilted. Add Thai cooking sauce, stirring constantly to blend all ingredients, about one minute. Serve on warm tortillas and garnish with cilantro. Can serve on lettuce wraps too. 

Tuna Melts

I have made this recipe countless times! Everyone loves these and they are fantastic with fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. So simple, and so good.

Tuna Melt

Source: Eatingwell.com
4 servings | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 5-ounce cans chunk light tuna (see Tip), drained
• 1 medium shallot, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Dash of hot sauce
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine tuna, shallot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt, hot sauce and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture on each slice of toast; top with tomato slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving : 209 Calories; 7 g Fat; 4 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 29 mg Cholesterol; 17 g Carbohydrates; 18 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 497 mg Sodium; 355 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1/2 high-fat meat

Tips & Notes

• Tip: Look for sustainable seafood, such as U.S.-caught chunk light tuna, preferably certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.