Mu Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon dry sherry
• 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce (found in Asian section of grocery store)
• 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (I used the pre-ground ginger found in produce section)
• 1 (14-ounce) package coleslaw (about 4 cups) 
• 4 c shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast***
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions, divided
• 24 Bibb lettuce leaves (I used romaine)

1/2 cup chopped cashews 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, whisk together the first 7 ingredients.
2. In a large saucepan, combine liquid with rotisserie chicken until heated through (add in 1/4 c of green onions)
3. In lettuce leaves, layer coleslaw mix and chicken.
4. Top with remaining green onions and chopped cashews.

It's not often that I give a recipe 5 stars, but this one is deserving.  It has great flavor, is healthy, fresh, and FAST!  You can have a meal ready to serve company in less than 10 minutes.  Are you kidding me?  My two year old devoured it, my 10 year old gave it 2 thumbs up, and my husband ate 2 platefuls. This recipe is a keeper!!!  ***Just a side note... if you use regular baked chicken breast instead of rotisserie chicken you may want to make more sauce as it generally absorbs more than the rotisserie chicken does. (I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light.  Photo from Cooking Light)

Crockpot Korean Beef Tacos with Cucumber Slaw

Ingredients:

For the Korean Beef:

• 5 lb. chuck roast
• 1 10 oz. bottle low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 T ginger, grated (Have you discovered the pre-grated/ground ginger in produce section yet? Love!)
• 6 T rice vinegar
• 2 T sesame oil
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T sriracha

For the Cucumber Slaw:

• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 c water
• 1 T Thai Garlic Chili Pepper Sauce
• 1 t salt
• 2-3 cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/4 c thinly sliced red onion

For the Tacos:

• 16 small tortillas or spring roll wraps
• Cilantro
• Shredded cabbage/cole slaw mix
• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Sriracha

Directions:

1. To make the Korean beef for the tacos, spray your slow cooker crock with non-stick cooking spray and add the chuck roast.
2. Whisk soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar with the garlic, ginger, sriracha, and oils.
3. Pour over the roast in the crockpot. 
4. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove roast from crockpot and meat just falls apart.  Use the "shredded" beef for the tacos.
5. For the cucumber slaw:
   1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, water, chili pepper sauce and salt.  Stir, cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
   2. Add cucumbers to onion in an appropriately sized dish that will allow all the cucumber mixture to be covered with the marinade.
   3. Pour vinegar mixture over the vegetables and let marinate for 30 minutes.
   4. Remove cucumbers with a slotted spoon.
6. To assemble, serve the shredded meat on warmed tortillas topped a spoon of cucumber slaw, shredded cabbage, cilantro, sriracha and a dollop of yogurt.

This recipe is absolutely delicious! We actually used the coleslaw and ate it more like an asian salad, but it was absolutely delicious.  We actually used leftover cucumber slaw marinade and put some of the cabbage in there to marinate as well.  Delicious!  Everyone in our family LOVED it! This recipe inspiration (and the photo) came from the Confections of a Food Bride blog.

Spicy Thai Turkey Basil Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 4 t olive oil, divided
• 1/2 c minced shallots (you could use onions as well)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 4 t minced fresh garlic
• 1 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 2 t chili garlic paste (add more or less to taste)
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 t fresh ground pepper
• 1 c fresh basil leaves (thai basil is the best!)
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 4 lime wedges
• Large lettuce leaves
• Optional: cooked rice

Directions:

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots; sauté 2 minutes. Add bell pepper; sauté 1 minute. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Remove shallot mixture from pan.
2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add turkey; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well. Return chicken to pan over medium heat. Add chile paste; cook 1 minute. Add shallot mixture to pan. Stir in fish sauce and next 3 ingredients (through black pepper); cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat; stir in basil and juice. Spoon turkey mixture into lettuce leaves.  You can also add rice to the lettuce leaves or leave out lettuce and serve over rice.  Also, good served in a tortilla as a wrap. Serve with lime wedges.

I quadrupled this recipe to serve to 3 families for dinner club.  My family, including kids, all loved this dish.  We will repeat for sure! The chile garlic paste and fish sauce are located in the asian section of the grocery store.  Fresh basil is a must and I highly recommend the Thai basil.  The 2 t of chili garlic paste makes this minimally spicy - kid friendly.  If it were just my husband and I eating it, we would definitely add more.  This recipe is inspired and adapted from Cooking Light, enjoy!

Thai Style Chicken with Mango Rice Salad

Source

Ingredients:

2 & 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups Jasmine or other white rice
Peanut or olive oil, for stir frying
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
Finely ground white or black pepper
2 mangoes, peeled, trimmed, and sliced into thin, bite-size pieces (1 cup)
1 bell pepper, seeded, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red Fresno (milder) or Thai (hotter) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger root, grated
3-4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2-2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup basil leaves (about 20-24 leaves), chopped
1 lime, 1/2 juiced and 1/2 cut into wedges, plus 1 teaspoon zest

Serves 4

Preparation:

1.  Steam Jasmine rice according to your steamer's instructions, using chicken stock as the liquid.

2.  When the rice is about ready, heat a thin layer of oil, about 1 1/2 tablespoons, in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Pat the chicken dry and season with pepper. Add the meat to the pan in a single layer and do not touch for 2 minutes; stir fry until golden, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

3.  Add a little more oil to the skillet and heat up, then add the mango, bell pepper, chili pepper, ginger and garlic, stir fry until crisp-tender and the mango pieces are light golden at the edges, about 3 minutes. Stir in the fish sauce. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

4.  Turn off the heat and add half the basil leaves to wilt. Stir in the lime juice and zest and toss again to combine. Serve the rice and garnish with the lime wedges and remaining basil.  I also toasted sweet coconut, and topped the dish with the coconut and red pepper flakes.  

This is an original recipe based on traditional fried rice recipes.

Sesame Ginger Chicken Salad

Ingredients: 

For the dressing and marinade:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1/4 cup ground ginger (I buy this in the jar next to the minced garlic in the jar at the grocery store or 6T fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped)
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce (asian cooking section in the grocery store)
• 2 T sesame oil
• 1 T sriracha sauce (can use more or less to taste)
• 1 t kosher salt
• 4 large chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar*
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)*

For the salad:

• 3 lb cabbage, very thinly sliced (for a time saver you can buy this pre-shredded)
• 4-6 carrots, grated 
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 tsp black sesame seeds, toasted (if you don't have these, you can just double the white sesame seeds)

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, olive oil, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sriracha sauce, and salt.  Add 1/2 cup marinade to a gallon sized ziploc bag along with the chicken breasts.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. *To the remainder of the marinade, add the red wine vinegar and chopped green onions.  Now you have the dressing for the salad.
3. Grill or fully cook chicken, thinly slice.
4. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, grated carrot, additional sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, almonds and half of the sesame seeds.
5. Add the chicken and just enough dressing to lightly coat the salad.  Mix thoroughly.
6. Top with remainder of sesame seeds and serve immediately.
7. Makes enough for 4-6 people.

If you don't plan to serve the salad immediately, reserve the toasted almonds, grilled chicken, salad dressing, and remaining sesame seeds until just before serving. The inspiration for this dish along with the photo, come from menumusings.com

Curried Thai Sweet Potatoes and Lentils - gluten free, vegan

Ingredients:

• 1 c lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups broth, you could use *vegetable or chicken (*vegan)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled and diced
• 1 t tumeric
• 1 T curry powder
• 3 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced/shredded
• 2 jalapenos, minced (remove ribs and seeds)
• 2 t fresh grated ginger (I love the stuff already pre-ground in the tube or jar)
• 1 can (14.5oz) fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can light coconut milk
• salt to taste (I used 1 t)
• fresh cilantro for garnish
• Red pepper chili flakes optional for added spice
• Optional: 2 small chicken breasts, baked and cubed (not vegan)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, bring lentils, broth, and sweet potatoes to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer on low for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and lentils are barely done cooking. 
2. Add in the tumeric, curry, salt, fire-roasted tomatoes, and ginger to the same pot and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil and saute onions, garlic, and jalapenos for 2-3 minutes.  Then add in the sliced cabbage and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add the sauteed mixture to the large pot and stir in the coconut milk.  Top with fresh cilantro.

I went ahead and included some baked chicken in this dish for some added protein, but that is optional for sure.  I used 2 chicken smaller chicken breasts, (baked and cubed) and added them in with the coconut milk.  Without adding in extra heat, this is about a 1 star recipe and great for the not -too-spicy curry lovers.  For the adults, we added in a couple shakes of red pepper flakes for some extra kick.  Absolutely delicious both ways! Sometimes it's nice to keep it mild and let everyone add in the spice factor that they prefer.  This was a very healthy, hearty, and flavorful dish.  Really delicious!!! Photo credit and recipe inspiration goes to Pinch of Yum.

Thai Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup shredded red cabbage
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 of a red onion, diced
• 1 cup carrots, chopped or julienned
• ½ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup diced green onions
• ½ cup cashew halves
• Optional: 1 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (rotisserie chicken would make this fast and easy!)
• For the peanut sauce: 
• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1/2 c hoisin sauce (asian section of grocery store)
• 1-2T fresh grated ginger (you can buy this pre-ground, easy!)
• 1 t chili paste (asian section of grocery store)
• 1/3 c hot water

Instructions

1. To cook quinoa: Rinse quinoa with cold water in mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil. Add in quinoa and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat and fluff quinoa with fork; place in large bowl and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. You should have a little over 2 cups of quinoa.
2. Make peanut sauce by whisking all peanut sauce ingredients together in a bowl.
3. Add as much or as little dressing as you’d like to the quinoa. I always start out with a little bit of dressing and usually add more to suit my taste preferences. Alternatively you can save the dressing for later and add when you are ready to eat; however the flavors of the dressing usually soak into the salad so I love adding it to the quinoa first.
4. Next fold in red pepper, onion, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro into the quinoa. Garnish with cashews and green onions. Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Delicious topped with extra peanut sauce and even fresh lime.

Although there is a bit of veggie chopping with this recipe, it was relatively fast, easy, fresh, and delicious!  We will definitely make it again!  I added chicken to serve it as a main dish, although that is nutritionally not necessary.  I would leave the chicken out if I was serving it as a side dish.

This recipe was inspired by ambitiouskitchen.com.  Photo credits to ambitiouskitchen.

Thai Fried Rice

Ingredients:
3 cups jasmine rice, steamed
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in small cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed cayenne pepper
1/2 large yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped
3 egg whites, scrambled
1 whole egg, scrambled
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch portions
3 Thai chili peppers (optional)
4 tsp vegetable oil
4 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (or more to taste)
2 tsp fish sauce

Prepare rice ahead of time according to package instructions. I steamed ours. It's best if it's made slightly on the dry side.

Heat a wok on a high flame. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. When the wok is very hot, add 2 tsp oil. When the oil gets hot, add the chicken and cook on high a few minutes, tossing so that it browns all over. Remove chicken from wok and set aside, add the eggs and cook a minute or two until done. Set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and add the onion, bell pepper, scallions, and garlic. Saute 1 minute, add the Thai chili pepper, and pineapple and stir in all the rice. Add soy sauce and fish sauce stir to mix all the ingredients. Keep stirring a few minutes, then add egg and chicken back to the wok. Adjust soy sauce if needed and stir well another 30 seconds. Serve with toasted coconut, and fresh cilantro.

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredients 
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

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 packets minute rice, optional 
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 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 cooked rice to 4 plates, top with chicken and spoon sauce over top. Sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.

Recipe and photo from thecomfortofcooking.com 

Fresh Rolls

Ingredients:

• Rice paper (found in the dry section for oriental foods) - 2 per roll
• Rice sticks/noodles (I used the thinnest available)
• Lettuce
• Carrots (julienned or shredded)
• Veggies of your choice (cucumber, sprouts, peppers, etc.)
• Thai basil (cilantro would be good too)
• Shrimp or thin slices of pork or chicken (I bought pre-cooked, deveined, no tails shrimp)

      Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 c hoisin sauce (oriental section of grocery store)
• 1/2 c chunky peanut butter
• 1 T ground ginger (you can buy this pre-ground which is easy!)
• 1 t garlic chili paste (oriental section of grocery store)
• 1/3 c hot water

Directions:

I am not even going to attempt to type the fresh roll sequence out.  But I will say that it's easy... just a little time intensive.  Better to just watch this quick youtube video and see it yourself.  Start paying attention at about 2 minutes in to see how to assemble and handle the rice paper.  I cooked the rice sticks (thin noodles), drained them and added a bit to the inside of my fresh rolls along with the veggies and shrimp.

One tip I will give you is that you need to wrap each roll twice (the video shows this) and also be sure when serving them, NOT to stack them.  Single layer only.  The rice paper is sticky and can tear when you are trying to separate them.

For the peanut sauce, just mix all ingredients together with a whisk.  I also served them with store bought sweet chili sauce too.

Very fresh and delicious!

Easy Thai Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:

8 pieces of naan or pita flat bread

2 medium chicken breasts, cooked (season with salt and pepper) or use a rotisserie chicken

2 c shredded mozzerella

1 medium bell pepper, sliced thin (red, orange or yellow)

1/4-1/2 small red onion, sliced thin

fresh cilantro

Peanut sauce:

1/2 c hoisin sauce (found in the asian cooking section of the grocery store)

1/2 c peanut butter

1-2 T fresh ginger, grated

1 T Sriracha hot sauce (adjust to your liking or use another spice/hot sauce you have)

1/3 c hot water

Directions:

1) Prepare the peanut sauce. Combine the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and 1/2 tsp of sriracha sauce in a bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it straight into the bowl. Add about 1/3 cup of hot water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.

2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the chicken into small pieces and transfer to a bowl. Thinly slice the red onion and red bell pepper.


3) Spread about 2 Tbsp of the peanut sauce over each piece of naan or pita bread. Top with about 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, a handful of the chicken, some red bell pepper, and red onion.


4) Place the pizzas on a perforated pizza pan, cookie sheet or directly on the oven rack and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly (about 10-15 minutes depending on which method you use). When the pizzas come out of the oven, top with fresh cilantro leaves and enjoy!




This recipe is slightly modified from one found on Budget Bytes.

Braised Peanut Chicken

• 2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
• 1 1/2 cups sliced carrot (3 medium)
• 1 small red sweet pepper, cut into bite-size strips
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 - 3 teaspoons red curry paste 
• 4 garlic, minced
• 1-2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Hot cooked rice
• Chopped peanuts (optional)
• Snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, place onions, carrot, and sweet pepper. Top with chicken. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, peanut butter, lime peel, lime juice, soy sauce, tapioca, ginger, curry paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Pour over all in cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Stir in coconut milk and peas. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
3. Serve chicken mixture over hot cooked rice. If desired, sprinkle each serving with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Makes 6 servings.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it was a big hit in my house!

Thai Turkey Burger with Plum Sauce and Spicy Slaw

Ingredients:

Spicy Slaw:

• 1/2 cucumber, coarsely grated
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers
• 1/2 cup grated cabbage
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Plum Sauce: (or buy pre-made in the Asian food section)

• 1/3 cup plum jam
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Burger Patties:

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 cup grated red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt

Assembly:

• 6 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted

Directions:

1. To make the spicy slaw, mix shredded cucumber, carrot, and red pepper in a medium bowl. Mix rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt in a small bowl. Pour dressing over veggies and stir well. Place in the fridge for an hour to allow the flavors to meld.
2. To make the plum sauce, mix plum jam, rice vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl and stir until smooth. * I couldn't find plum jam, so just used store-bought.
3. To make the burger patties, heat oven broiler to 500. Place ground turkey, grated onion, garlic, and salt in a large bowl and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands; form 6 burgers that are slightly larger than your buns. Place patties on a broiler pan and broil for 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through and no longer pink in the center.
4. To assemble the burgers, place a patty on top of the bottom half of each bun and evenly spread the plum sauce on top of each burger. Drain any excess liquid off the slaw and spread evenly on the burgers. Add the burger tops and serve. Makes 6 burgers.

These burgers are healthy and delicious!  I was a much bigger fan that I anticipated and loved all the flavors melded together.  This recipe will definitely be repeated and could easily be eaten without the bun for a gluten free or lower calorie version.  Also, you can use a pre-bagged version of coleslaw mix and just add some cucumber and peppers to speed things up a bit. Slightly modified from a recipe I found on cakebatterandbowl.com  

Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients:

• 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds) *you can also use breasts
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• Hot cooked long grain rice

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker.  
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper.  Pour over chicken.  
3. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender.  
4. Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm.  Skim any fat from cooking liquid.  
5. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  
6. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth.  Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickened.  
7. ***Shortcut: I removed chicken, combined cornstarch and water and poured them directly into the sauce which I left in the crock pot (turned on high).  I whisked until thickened. Chicken just fell apart when I removed it, and then I just added it back into the crock pot with the thickened sauce.
8. Serve with chicken and rice.
9. Serves about 8 people.

This is a recipe I slightly modified from the Lake Luke Cottage Kitchen blog.  I was very happy with the end result and will definitely make this again.  We served it with fresh steamed broccoli.  Fresh pineapple slices would also be delicious mixed in or as a side.  Big hit with the family, very kid-friendly!  I read a comment that you can half this recipe, but you'd likely want to cut down a bit on the cook time.

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

*16 Boston, bibb or butter lettuce leaves (or head of lettuce, rinsed, using large leaves)
*1 pound ground turkey breast
*1 large onion -- chopped
*1/2 cup pine nuts, chopped or crushed
*2 tablespoons minced garlic
*1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
*1/4 cup hoisin sauce
*2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
*1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
*2 teaspoons Asian chili pepper sauce (see Note)
*1 can (8 ounce size) sliced water chestnuts -- drained, finely chopped
*1 bunch green onions -- thinly sliced
*2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

Directions

1. Rinse lettuce leaves, keeping them whole. Set aside to drain.
2. Cook ground turkey in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often to break up the meat. Add onion, garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar and chili sauce. Cook until the meat is crumbled and brown. Add water chestnuts, pine nuts and green onions. Cook until onions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in sesame oil. Arrange lettuce leaves on the outer edge of a platter. Spoon meat mixture in center. Allow diners to spoon meat mixture into lettuce leaves and eat like a taco.

*Note: Asian chili pepper sauce can be found in the Asian section of most supermarkets. Some brands contain garlic, which is fine. You can use 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes instead.

*Per my husband's request, I served this dish with some rice to add to the wraps to make them a bit more filling. I also bought some frozen egg rolls to add to the meal as well.

I got this recipe from my friends, Jake and Katie Sprute. They made it for Eric and I after we had our baby. It's really easy to make and absolutely delicious!

Chinese Chicken Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 3/4 cup frozen sweet peas
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked, cubed chicken meat
• 4 cups cooked brown long grain rice
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice seasoning
• 2 eggs, scrambled
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and onion to saute until semi-soft, then add celery, bell pepper, frozen sweet peas, Chinese Five Spice, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Stir in cooked, cubed chicken and stir-fry another 5 minutes. Then add rice and stir thoroughly.
3. Finally, stir in scrambled eggs and 1/3 cup soy sauce, heat through and serve hot. 

NOTES:  In the original recipe from allrecipes.com, the reviews suggested adding the Chinese Five Spice seasoning for more flavor.  I'm so glad I did - it's a blend of cinnamon, anise, fennel, ginger, clove, and licorice root = delish.  I adapted the recipe only a tiny bit to make it healthier (lower sodium + sub brown rice).  Additionally, you must know that the prep for this takes a LONG time.  Even though I bought pre-cooked chicken breasts from my local deli, chopping the veggies and chicken for this dinner club meal took 2.5 hours.  Actual time cooking took a bit less than 30 minutes.  I tripled the recipe above for dinner club.  If you're only making this for a group of 4 or less, prep time will probably be cut by 1/3.  Further, brown rice is awesome and wholesome for this recipe, but is best if steamed in a rice cooker.  Use the least amount of water called for considering the quantity of rice you're steaming, because the fried rice is supposed to be "dry" not sticky.

I served this with chopped cashews, chopsticks and fortune cookies :).

Ginger-Peanut Chicken Salad Wraps

 

 Ingredients:

• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 4  (6-ounce) skinned, boned chicken breasts
• 1  cup  chopped peeled cucumber
• 3/4  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  sugar
• 1  tablespoon  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lime juice
• 1  tablespoon  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1  garlic clove, crushed & minced
• 1/4  cup chunky peanut butter
• 2  tablespoons  water
• 3  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 8  (8-inch) low-fat whole wheat tortillas
• 2  cups  chopped cabbage

Preparation:

     Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 10-12 minutes on each side or until done. Remove the chicken from pan; cool. Shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, and scallions in a large bowl; mix together and set aside.
     Place sugar and the next 6 ingredients (sugar through garlic) in your Kitchenaide mixer, and mix until smooth. Add peanut butter and water; again mix until smooth, scraping sides. Add peanut butter mixture to chicken mixture; stir well. Add cilantro, and toss well. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla; top each serving with 1/3 cup shredded cabbage, and roll up.

Notes:  The original recipe is from Cooking Light magazine.  Only a few adaptations were made and just because I know what my people like :).  As a side dish, I served Jasmine rice with lime juice and optional toppings of toasted coconut and fresh cilantro.  We also had a fresh pineapple at home - so we sliced it up and added it in the wrap as well...delicious!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

 Adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Serves 4 

• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 1  tablespoon  bottled minced garlic
• 1  teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3/4  cup  chopped onion
• 1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 1  (15 1/4-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
• 1/3  cup  reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice vinegar
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  cornstarch
• 2  teaspoons  brown sugar
• 1/4  cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup maraschino cherries, halved
• cashew nuts, crushed
• 4 cups of prepared Jasmine rice

Directions

Steam 2 cups Jasmine rice and 2 + 1/2 cup water in rice cooker while you are preparing the chicken.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper, and chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Remove chicken mixture from pan; set aside.

Add onion and bell pepper to pan, and sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Add 1 cup pineapple chunks to pan; cook 30 seconds. Reserve remaining pineapple for another use. Combine the reserved 1/2 cup juice, soy sauce, vinegar, cornstarch, and sugar in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Return chicken mixture to pan. Stir in juice mixture; bring to boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice.  Top sweet and sour chicken with cherries, cashews and coconut!

Cashew Chicken with Ginger Infused Rice Pilaf

I made this dish for the first time a few weeks ago, because I wanted to create a dish with a few of my husband's favorite ingredients.  Greg loves cashews, chicken and spicy food.  Hope you like it too!

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 2  tablespoons  white wine
• 4  teaspoons  cornstarch, divided
• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  oyster sauce
• 1  tablespoon  honey
• 2  teaspoons  saffola oil, divided
• 3/4  cup  chopped onion
• 1/2  cup  chopped celery
• 1/2  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 1  tablespoon  grated ginger
• 2  minced, in water garlic clove
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2  cup  chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
• 1/4  cup  chopped dry-roasted cashews

Preparation

1. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, white wine, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. 

Rice Pilaf

Ingredients

1 tablespoon saffola oil
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 cups water
1 cup long grain white rice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Heat saffola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and grated ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in water, long-grain rice, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.  Arrange 1/2 cup rice pilaf on plate and top with 1/2 cup chicken mixture.  Add cashews and green onion as desired.
Adapted from myrecipes.com