Meatball Banh Mi Wednesday, Oct 19 2016

Slaw
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 3/4 cups shredded carrot
1 3 /4 cups shredded daikon radish
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Meatballs
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground chicken breast
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion whites
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce or other Asian hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 20-inch baguettes, preferably whole-wheat, cut into thirds
1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1-2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce or other Asian hot sauce
36 thin slices English cucumber (about 1/2 large)
2/3 cup gently packed fresh cilantro

To prepare slaw: Whisk lime juice and sugar in a medium bowl. Add carrot, daikon, scallion greens and basil and toss to coat. Set aside.

To prepare meatballs: Preheat oven to 450 °F. Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Gently mix pork, chicken, water chestnuts, scallion whites, garlic, fish sauce, chile-garlic sauce and pepper in a large bowl (do not overmix). Using a generous 2 tablespoons each, make 18 meatballs. Bake on the prepared baking sheet until just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

To assemble sandwiches: Cut each portion of baguette in half horizontally, then pull out about half of the soft bread in the center of each piece (reserve for another use, if desired). Combine mayonnaise and chile-garlic sauce to taste in a small bowl. Spread about 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture on each piece of baguette. Divide the reserved slaw among the sandwiches and top with cucumber and cilantro. Add 3 meatballs to each sandwich. Serve immediately.

Eating Well, March/April 2012, pages 74-75

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Shrimp Pho Monday, Oct 17 2016

12 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
Shells from 3 pounds large peeled shrimp
½ bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1½ cups chopped yellow onion
1⅓ cups chopped green bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce (Sriracha)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1½ pounds peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp
1 (8-ounce) package rice noodles
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
2 limes, cut into wedges
½ cup Thai basil leaves

In a large stockpot, combine 12 cups water, broth, shells, cilantro, onion, bell pepper, garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, chile-garlic sauce, and coriander. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding solids. (At this point, the pho base can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.)

In a large stockpot, bring pho base to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, and add shrimp and rice noodles. Cook until shrimp are pink and firm and noodles are cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

Serve pho topped with sliced jalapeño peppers, lime wedges, and basil. Add additional chile-garlic sauce to each serving to taste.

Louisiana Cooking, September/October 2013, page 73

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Sesame Chicken and Noodles in Mushroom Broth Sunday, Oct 16 2016

4 shiitake mushrooms
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
4 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
1 quart water
2 cups uncooked fresh Chinese-style noodles
1 pound chicken cutlets
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 baby bok choy, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices red bell pepper
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges

Remove mushroom stems. Thinly slice caps; set caps aside. Bring stems, broth, and next 6 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Remove pan from heat.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add noodles; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain.

Sprinkle chicken with black pepper. Place seeds in a dish. Press seeds into both sides of chicken. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan. Add bok choy, cut sides down; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Add reserved mushroom slices and bell pepper. Strain broth mixture through a sieve into pan; cover and cook 2 minutes. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon.

Thinly slice chicken. Place 1/2 cup noodles, about 1/4 cup vegetables, and 4 ounces chicken into 4 shallow bowls. Spoon 1/4 cup broth mixture over each. Garnish each with two lime wedges.

Cooking Light, August 2012, page 26

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Spicy Thai Basil Chicken Thursday, Oct 6 2016

4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 cup minced shallots
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1 pound ground chicken
2 Thai or serrano chiles, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup basil leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
4 lime wedges

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.

Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well. Return chicken to pan over medium heat. Add chiles; 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. Serve with lime wedges.

Cooking Light, December 2012, page 31

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Chiang Mai Pork Patties Monday, Sep 26 2016

1 1/4 pounds ground pork
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shallots
1/4 cups finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh lemongrass
2 tablespoons thinly sliced Kaffir lime leaves or 1 tablespoon minced lime rind
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh galangal or 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 fresh Thai red bird chiles, minced
15 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves
2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2/3 cup fresh mint leaves
10 lime wedges

Combine pork and salt in a medium bowl; toss to combine.

Place shallots in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Add chopped cilantro and next 5 ingredients (through chiles); process until mixture is finely chopped. Add pork mixture; pulse 5 times or until mixture is well combined.

Using wet hands, shape mixture into 15 (1-inch-thick) patties (about 2 tablespoons per patty). Heat a large grill pan over high heat. Add half of the pork patties. Cook for 5 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat the procedure with remaining patties. Arrange 3 lettuce leaves and 3 pork patties on each of 5 plates, and serve each serving with about 1/4 cup herbs and 2 lime wedges.

Cooking Light, November 2011, pages 206-208

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Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemongrass Sunday, Dec 8 2013

2-1/2 Tbs. canola oil
2 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 lb.), butterflied (cut horizontally almost all the way through and then opened like a book)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 medium shallots (about 4 oz.), peeled and thinly sliced into rings
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers discarded, halved lengthwise, and smashed with the side of a chef’s knife
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. packed light brown sugar
5-1/2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
3-1/2 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered (1-1/2 cups)
9 oz. fresh udon noodles
1 Thai bird chile (or 1 small serrano pepper), sliced into thin rings
8 large fresh torn basil leaves; plus sprigs for garnish
1 medium lime, half juiced and half cut into wedges
1 Tbs. soy sauce; more to taste
2 medium scallions, trimmed and sliced, for garnish (optional)
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks, for garnish (optional)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper, and cook without disturbing until it’s browned and releases easily from the bottom of the pot, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is browned and almost firm to the touch (just short of cooked through), 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to cool.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the shallots to the pot. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the shallots start soften, about 2 minutes. Add the lemongrass, ginger, and brown sugar and cook, stirring, until the ginger and lemongrass sizzle and become fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and raise the heat to medium high. Bring the broth to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the noodles, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.

Use your fingers or the tines of a fork to shred the chicken. Add the chicken and noodles to the broth and cook until the noodles are completely tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemongrass. Stir in the chiles, torn basil, lime juice, and soy sauce; season with more soy to taste. Divide the noodles among 4 large, deep bowls. Ladle the soup over the noodles, and garnish with the basil sprigs and scallions, carrot, and cilantro, if using. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 500; Fat (g): 15; Fat Calories (kcal): 130; Saturated Fat (g): 2; Protein (g): 35; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 7; Carbohydrates (g): 59; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3.5; Sodium (mg): 930; Cholesterol (mg): 45; Fiber (g): 5

Fine Cooking, Cook Fresh 2011, page 13

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Pernil Style Pork Tenderloin Tuesday, Nov 26 2013

3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 small shallots, coarsely chopped
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. distilled white vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1-1/4-lb. pork tenderloin
4 lime wedges

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

In a food processor, combine the garlic, shallots, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the vinegar, chili powder, cumin, oregano, sugar, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Pulse for several seconds to make a paste.

Cut the tenderloin in half crosswise and then butterfly both halves by holding a knife parallel to the cutting board and cutting a lengthwise slit to within 1/2 inch of the other side of the tenderloin. Spread 1 Tbs. of the paste inside each slit. Tie with kitchen string or secure with toothpicks and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy-duty, ovenproof, 10-inch skillet over high heat until hot and add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, swirling the pan to coat the bottom. Add the tenderloins and sear on all sides until golden-brown, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 8 minutes. Turn the tenderloins over and spread the remaining paste on top. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each registers 145°F, about 6 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board, remove the string or toothpicks, and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice 1/2 inch thick and serve with the lime wedges.

Serves 4
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 330; Fat (g): 20; Fat Calories (kcal): 180; Saturated Fat (g): 4; Protein (g): 31; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 13; Carbohydrates (g): 5; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 290; Cholesterol (mg): 95; Fiber (g): 1

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Spicy Shrimp Noodle Bowl Friday, Nov 22 2013

1 pound tail-on peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
2 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/4 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup sugar snap peas
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ounces uncooked rice sticks
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Remove shrimp tails; set aside. Combine shrimp tails, water, broth, clam juice, and ginger in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Strain broth mixture through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, yellow onion, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add reserved broth; bring to a simmer. Add shrimp, peas, chili garlic sauce, salt, and noodles; cook 5 minutes or until noodles are done. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Cooking Light, October 2010,  page 22

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Kung Pao Chicken Tacos Wednesday, Nov 6 2013

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
3/4 cup diagonally sliced celery (about 2 stalks)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/2 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 lime wedges

Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place 1/4 cup cornstarch in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Add chicken to cornstarch in dish, and toss chicken to thoroughly coat. Shake off excess cornstarch.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of coated chicken; sauté for 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat the procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and coated chicken.

Combine remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, honey, and next 3 ingredients (through sambal oelek) in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring twice. Stir in garlic. Combine soy sauce mixture, chicken, peanuts, and celery; toss to coat chicken.

Toast tortillas under broiler or on a griddle until lightly blistered, turning frequently. Place 2 tortillas on each of 4 plates; divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Top each taco with green onions and bell pepper strips; serve with lime wedges.

Cooking Light, October 2012, page 106

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Shrimp Pad Thai Wednesday, Apr 3 2013

8 oz brown rice noodles
1 tbsp jarred tamarind paste
2 tsp fish sauce
4 tsp Sucanat
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp high-heat cooking oil (such as sunflower, safflower, peanut or grape seed oil)
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz peeled and deveined shrimp, preferably tail on
6 green onions, white and light green parts, plus half of dark green parts, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tbsp chopped dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
1 lime, cut into wedges, optional

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a small pot or kettle to a boil. In a medium bowl, whisk ¾ cup boiling water, tamarind paste, fish sauce, Sucanat and pepper flakes. Set aside.

In a large wok or skillet, heat oil on high. Add shallots and garlic and sauté, stir-ring often, for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add noodles and toss to combine.

Working 3 to 4 tbsp at a time, gradually add tamarind paste mixture to wok, tossing to coat. Cook until noodles are tender and well coated, about 3 minutes. Stir in green onions and bean sprouts and cook, tossing gently, for 30 seconds. To serve, garnish with cilantro and peanuts. If desired, serve with lime.

Nutrients per serving (1/4 of recipe): Calories: 378, Total Fat: 9 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Monounsaturated fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated fat: 2 g, Carbs: 56 g, Fiber: 6 g, Sugars: 6 g, Protein: 22 g, Sodium: 540 mg, Cholesterol: 86 mg

Clean Eating, October 2012, page 93

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