Chicken with Eggplant and Basil

(From a magazine at the check stand)

¼ cup (1/3oz) coarsely chopped fresh basil

2 TBS chopped fresh mint (or cilantro)

¾ cup (6 fl oz) chicken broth

3 green onions, including greens, 2 coarsely chopped and 1 thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 TBS peeled chopped fresh ginger

2 TBS olive oil

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

2 bell pepper (red or yellow), seeded and julienned

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips 0.5” x 2”

2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce

In blender or food processor, combine the basil, mint, ¼ cup of stock, the shopped green onions, garlic and ginger. Pulse until minced but not pureed. Set aside.

In large non-stick frying pan, heat 1 TBS of oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant, onion, peppers, and sauté until just tender, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining oil to pan. Add basil mixture and sauté for 1 minute, stirring. Add the chicken and soy and sauté until chicken in almost opaque throughout, 2 minutes. Add remaining ½ cup of stock and bring to a boil. Return veggies to pan and stir until heated, about 3 minutes. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with sliced green onion.

I liked this very much.  I made a few modifications... I did not add garlic or ginger.  I may have added a little powdered garlic.  I didn't have any mint or cilantro -- I think it would have added to the flavor.  It lacked a bitterness/herbiness/tangyness... not sure how to describe what I was missing.  It was still good, but I wish it had one of those other herbs.  And I used one yellow and one orange pepper.  Would use one red in the future as the color would have looked nice. 

Other than those items, I followed the recipe and liked it very much.  Caution: it is a LARGE quantity of raw veggies to process.  I had to cook in shifts as it wouldn't all fit in the pan at once. 

This recipe makes a large serving.  At 4 servings, it came out to 285calories and at 6 servings it came out to 195cal.  I did 6 servings and added a half serving of rice or quinoa, for an extra 75 calories.  I think I would do 4 servings next time.   

An interesting process, would be adaptable to other veggies/proteins/herbs.
--JT

Baked Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

adapted slightly from Cookin' Canuck

Meatballs
1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced


Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and spray with cooking spray.

Add all of the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl and use your hands to combine until evenly distributed - try not to overmix. Using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture (I just eyeballed it), form the meatballs by rolling the mixture into a ball in your hands. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

To make the sauce: Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients in a small pan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.

When the meatballs have finished cooking, remove them from the oven and brush liberally with the sauce then return to the oven for 5 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.

from tracey'sAdventures

Gingered Vegetable Tofu Stir-Fry

Vegetarian Times Issue: April 1, 2006
Loaded with bright green vegetables and bursting with flavor, this stir-fry is like a little taste of springtime. Serve it with brown rice.

Ingredient List
Serves 6

3 tsp. vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp.)
3 green onions, minced
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
4 Tbs. low-sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbs. dry sherry
2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs. black bean garlic sauce
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 large head bok choy (about 1 1/2 lb.), stalks cut into 1/2-inch pieces, leaves shredded
8 oz. snow peas
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
10 radishes, trimmed and quartered
8 oz. baked teriyaki tofu, cut into 1/2-inch-cubes

Directions
Heat 1 tsp. oil in large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add garlic, green onions and ginger, and cook 1 minute, stirring often, until fragrant. Add broth, sherry, soy sauce, black bean sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and pour into small bowl.
Heat remaining 2 tsp. vegetable oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add bok choy stalks and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add snow peas and cook, stirring, 1 minute, or until vegetables are crisp-tender and bright green.
Add bok choy leaves and pinch of salt to pan. Cook, tossing gently, until leaves just wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Add corn, radishes, tofu and sauce, tossing gently until warmed through. Serve immediately.

Per SERVING: Calories: 187, Protein: 13g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 17g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 679mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 5g

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water or chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Siracha (optional)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
Half a bell pepper, cut into strips
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
Rice, for serving

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water/chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in hoisin, vinegar and Siracha and set aside.

Add oil to wok or large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cashews and stir until garlic is golden and fragrant. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to wok. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add pepper strips and cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the green onions. Serve with rice and top with remaining green onions and additional cashews, if desired.  Serves 3

From CookLikeAChampion

Asian-Style Orange Sauced Norwegian Salmon with Sesame Broccoli

From Norwegian Salmon
- (4) 5-6 oz Norwegian Salmon fillets, skin removed
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup rice cooking wine (I couldn’t find this at the store, so we used white wine)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 each orange slices (and more for garnish if you like)
- 3 cups broccoli, florets
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tsp orange zest
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F

Make sauce: in a sauce pot, combine orange juice, rice cooking wine, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and sugar. Reduce until thickened (about 2/3 original volume)

Arrange salmon fillets in oiled casserole dish. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Top each fillet with 1 slice of orange. Pour sauce into casserole dish

Bake for 12–15 minutes or until salmon is pink in center.

While salmon is baking, cook broccoli: Blanch florets in large pot of salted boiling water until tender. Strain water and drain florets well. Toss with sesame oil, sesame seeds and dash of soy sauce

Arrange salmon on plate surrounded with broccoli florets. Garnish with chopped cilantro and orange zest. (Whoops! We forgot the cilantro…but I’m certain it would be a nice touch!)

From ThisWeekForDinner

Stir-Fried Quinoa With Vegetables and Tofu

I’ve substituted cooked quinoa here for rice. You can use either regular or royal red quinoa for this dish. As with all stir-fries, once all the ingredients for this one are prepped, the cooking takes less than five minutes.

1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
2 broccoli crowns, broken into florets
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce (regular or low-sodium)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (may substitute soy sauce)
2 teaspoons dark Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
3/4 pound (2 medium) baby bok choy, trimmed, washed and dried, cut in 1-inch lengths
1 bunch scallions, sliced very thin
5 cups cooked quinoa (1 1/3 cups uncooked)

1. Place the tofu slices on paper towels. Place another paper towel on top, and prepare the remaining ingredients.

Cut the tofu slices into 1/2-inch dice. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add the broccoli. Boil one minute, and transfer at once to a bowl of ice water. Drain and dry on paper towels.

2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. Combine the garlic and ginger in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within easy reach of your pan.

3. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in a tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting the pan. Add the tofu. Reduce the heat to medium, and stir-fry one to two minutes until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the pepper and bok choy, and stir-fry for one minute. Add the broccoli, and stir-fry for one minute.

4. Swirl in the remaining oil, and add the scallions, quinoa and the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry, scooping the ingredients up from the bottom of the wok, for about one minute until heated through and fragrant. Serve at once.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: Cooked quinoa will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

Nutritional information per serving: 402 calories; 16 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 50 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 657 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 16 grams protein

From NYTimes

Stir-Fried Noodles With Tofu and Peppers

This simple stir-fry is a dish to throw together when you want something like fried rice but don’t have any cooked rice at hand. Begin soaking the noodles before you begin to chop the vegetables, and they’ll be ready to stir-fry when the other prep is done.

7 to 8 ounces thin rice stick noodles
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
3/4 pound tofu, cut in 1/2-by-1-inch dominoes and blotted dry
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or 1 to 2 teaspoon minced jalapeño
1 green bell pepper, cut in thin julienne
1 red bell pepper, cut in thin julienne
2 tablespoons peanut oil or canola oil
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced very thin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl, and cover with warm water. Soak for at least 20 minutes, until soft. Drain in a colander, and cut into 6- to 8-inch lengths with kitchen scissors. Set aside, within reach of your wok or pan. Combine the broth, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Combine the garlic, ginger and pepper flakes or minced jalapeño in another bowl. Have everything within reach of your wok or pan.

2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates from the surface within a second or two. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting the pan side to side. Add the tofu. Reduce the heat to medium-high, and stir-fry one to two minutes until the tofu begins to brown. Add the garlic, ginger and chili, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the peppers, and stir-fry two minutes. Add the broth mixture, the drained noodles, the scallions, salt and sugar. Stir-fry one to two minutes until the noodles are just tender and the broth has been absorbed. Add the cilantro, and stir-fry another 30 seconds to a minute until well combined. Serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Nutritional information per serving: 386 calories; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 52 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber (8 grams if using brown rice noodles); 163 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during preparation); 13 grams protein

From NYTimes

Cold Sesame Noodles

Serves 4

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1" chunk of peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
water, to thin
8 ounces spaghetti, or soba noodles
4 scallions {light & dark green parts}, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced in matchsticks
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Optional added protein: Cubed extra firm tofu, or shredded cooked chicken breast

Puree the peanut butter, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, light brown sugar & red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor, until smooth. With the motor running, add some water, a few tablespoons at a time, until the sauce has a fluid consistency.
Cook the pasta, according to the package instructions, until cooked al dente. Drain & rinse under cold water to cool. Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl & add in the scallions, bell pepper & cucumber. Pour in about half of the sauce & toss to combine well. Add more sauce, as necessary to get the desired consistency. You may not need all the sauce. But, save it, as it helps to have some on hand to moisten leftovers, which tend to dry out once chilled.
If adding some tofu, or chicken to the salad, add that now. Toss to combine & garnish with the sesame seeds.
from The Parsley Thief

Raw Asian Noodle Salad

1 zucchini, julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
a handful of sprouts of some sort (I used the ones typical in Asian stir fries)
1 tsp fresh chopped ginger
1/2 hot chili pepper, minced (or to taste)
1/3 an onion, thinly sliced and marinated in some soy sauce for 5 minutes to soften (in separate bowl)
a handful of fresh cilantro, minced
(optional) a handful of fresh basil, minced
1-2 tbsp sesame oil
3-4 tbsp soy sauce
(optional) a couple of chopped almonds to garnish

Place your julienned zucchini noodles in a bowl. Chop up all your veg and add to noodles. Add the oil and soy sauce and toss with salad. Let this sit for a couple of minutes and it will soften the noodles and veg. Add in the onions. Next top with fresh herbs. Chop a couple of almonds and sprinkle over the top of the salad to give it some crunch.
from Innocent Cooking

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce
Adapted from The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger


12 oz. linguine (or other pasta shape, whole wheat or regular)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup snow peas
1 cup edamame
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 scallion (white and green parts), cut into pieces
3/4 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
Dash of garlic salt (optional)

1. Toast the peanuts in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water, set aside.

3. Steam peas and broccoli either using a steamer basket on the stove or in the microwave until they are bright green and crisp-tender.

4. Make the sauce by pureeing the peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, brown sugar, red pepper, and garlic salt (if using) in a food processor or blender until smooth. Coarsely chop the cooled peanuts.

5. Right before serving, toss the pasta with 3/4 cup of the peanut sauce. Divide into bowls and top each serving with veggies. Drizzle remaining sauce over vegetables. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

From Amy @ PlayingHouseBlog.com