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Thai Chicken With Spicy Peanut Sauce

One of my favorite restaurant dishes is a dish from The Cheesecake Factory that is called something like "Thai Chicken with Spicy Peanut Sauce." I really can't remember the exact name of it, and the last time I ate there it was sadly not on the menu. I have always wished I could figure out how to recreate this dish at home. Well, today, I did it. It's been more than a decade since I ate this, but it tastes how I remember it and is soooo good. This will definitely be something I will be making on a regular basis now! 

As you can see in the picture, I served mine with rice and steamed broccoli. It came served on top of noodles at The Cheesecake Factory.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

10 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into strips 

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 tablespoons Ponzu sauce*

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 tablespoon sweet Thai chili sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (or more for more heat!)

1/4 cup cilantro, rinsed, patted dry, and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

2 lime wedges

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, Ponzu sauce (see below), lime juice, Thai chili sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper, most of the cilantro (save a little for garnishing), and 1 tablespoon of the chopped peanuts. Add a pinch of salt, to taste. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken strips generously with salt and pepper, then cook in hot oil until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. (Do not overcook.)

Add cooked chicken to bowl with peanut sauce. Toss until coated all over. Divide chicken between 2 plates and garnish with chopped peanuts, remaining cilantro, and lime wedges. 

*PONZU SAUCE - it's super easy to make your own!

1/8 cup of reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon rice vinegar

Whisk ingredients together until well-blended. Keep in a mason jar in the refrigerator.

My Favorite Salad

 I love this "big salad" so much. It is so healthy and has just the right balance of flavors. 

Here's how I make it:

1. Cover a 10-inch plate with a layer of "spring mix" salad greens.

2. Top with 5 grape tomatoes, halved; 4 black olives, halved; 3 broccoli florets, thinly sliced; about 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion; 1 baby carrot, shaved with a peeler; and 1/2 Gala apple, diced.

3. Sprinkle on 1/8 cup reduced-fat Feta cheese. Fresh-grind some pink Himalayan salt and peppercorn medley right onto the salad. 

4. Drizzle all over with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and add some sprinkles of red wine vinegar.

The picture above is my breakfast this morning. My favorite salad along with a hardboiled egg and a glass of water (I had 2 cups of black coffee earlier). I do not like the taste of egg in my salad, which is why it is separate!

This breakfast is so satisfying and filling. I won't be hungry for hours!

Calories (not counting egg): 220

With 1 large hardboiled egg: 290

Tex-Mex Breakfast Tacos

These breakfast tacos are soooo tasty! I use corn tortillas not only to keep the calories lower compared to flour, but for the authentic Tex-Mex taste. The tortillas are broiled in the oven to where they just start to char - which adds an extra depth of flavor that is amazing! A little jarred salsa adds some moisture and flavor to the eggs, but the diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos with a sprinkling of lime juice adds a layer of freshness. Each taco is about 155 calories.

Yield: 4 tacos

Ingredients:

4 corn tortillas (50 calories each)

Cooking spray

3 eggs

1/4 cup fat-free refried beans

1/4 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend

2 tablespoons salsa or picante sauce (I like Pace Chunky Hot Salsa)

1/4 cup diced Roma tomatoes

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup diced jalapeno (seeds removed before chopping)

Juice from 1/2 lime

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves

Directions:

1. Turn on oven broiler to high and and adjust rack to top position.

2. Combine diced tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, and lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

3. Place refried beans in a small bowl and cover with a paper towel. Microwave 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Add a small bit of water if needed, to make into a spreadable consistency. Set aside.

4. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium. Crack the eggs into the skillet and immediately scramble with a spatula. Cook until eggs are just done but still moist, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside and keep warm.

5. Place the tortillas on a cookie sheet and spray each of them lightly with cooking spray. Broil until just starting to char, about 2 minutes (or less - watch them!).

6. Remove tortillas from broiler and spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of refried beans. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of the beans. Return to broiler for 1 minute, to melt cheese.

7. Remove tortillas from oven and transfer to serving plates. Divide the scrambled eggs evenly among the tortillas, spooning them on top of the beans. Spread 1/2 tablespoon of salsa over each egg. Divide the fresh tomato mixture evenly among servings and spoon over the salsa. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro, and serve with fresh fruit on the side.

Super Low-Calorie, High Volume Vegetable Soup

I made this soup one afternoon when I was hungry, but it was still hours away from dinner. Instead of munching on cookies, chips, and other high-calorie (but unsatisfying) snacks, I decided to throw together a bowl of veggie soup, keeping it as low calorie as possible - but making sure the volume was high enough to get me through the afternoon until dinner. Boy, did this work! This made a HUGE bowl of veggie soup, it was tasty, satisfying, and filling - and according to verywellfit.com's recipe calculator, only 71 calories!! I need to make a bigger batch of this soup and keep it on hand for the afternoon munchies.

Yield: 1 serving

Cooking spray (I use avocado oil)

1/4 yellow onion, thinly slice

1/2 medium carrot, thinly sliced

1 small celery stalk, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons cooked white beans (I used cannellini)

1 teaspoon tomato-chicken bouillon granules (I used Knorr)

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (I used Knorr)

1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

3 cups water

1 cup raw baby spinach, long stems removed

1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 small lemon

1. Spray medium saucepan lightly with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender and starting to brown. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute. 

2. Stir in water, tomato-chicken bouillon, chicken bouillon, Italian seasoning, and thyme leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add spinach and parsley. Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes longer, until leaves are wilted.

4. Serve with a splash of lemon juice.

<a href="https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076" target="_blank"><img width="320" height="651" src="https://www.verywellfit.com/thmb/5mfAZ7OncDMczIQL3KypuxMEGi0=/1000x0/Nutrition-Label-Embed-282707599-a6e71284511d449eb1c4a1e616d89038.png" /></a>

(This was supposed to copy and paste my recipe's nutritional values here but it didn't work. 😔)

Chicken Soup

This morning I was really craving a bowl of broth-based soup with rice and beans. That sounds so specific, but it's what I wanted. I also had a container of cooked chicken breast that I needed to use up, so I created this soup and had it for a very early lunch (or late breakfast?). It was so delicious and really hit the spot!

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 carrots, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 spring onions, thinly sliced, whites and greens separated

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger*

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

6 cups chicken broth

1 can white beans, drained 

2 teaspoons lite soy sauce (reduced sodium)

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Hot cooked rice

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and the spring onion whites. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes, then cover and reduce heat to medium low. Allow the veggies to steam and soften for about 5-7 minutes. 

Add chicken and seasoning; stir to mix well. Add chicken broth, beans, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir gently and raise heat to high and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Place 1/2 cup of rice in a bowl and ladle 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the soup over the rice. Top with some of the sliced green parts of the spring onions to serve.

*If I had fresh ginger on hand, I would have minced some to add to the soup.

Yield: about 10 bowls. Each bowl of soup without rice is about 95 calories; 1/2 cup of rice adds about 120 calories.

Healthy and Low-Carb Shepherd's Pie

I am so happy with how this Shepherd's Pie turned out tonight! Definitely a keeper. I roasted fresh cauliflower to make the "faux-tatoes," and used lean ground beef. The cauliflower is topped with fresh shredded Parmesan, which gives the top layer a yummy, crunchy texture when it bakes in the oven. It was delicious, and my 20-year-old daughter, who has never been a fan of cauliflower, had 3 helpings before realizing she wasn't eating potatoes! 

I know you're not "supposed" to use carrots or peas in low-carb recipes, but you know what? It's only 1/2 cup of each in this whole recipe, so it really doesn't add a lot in a serving. I believe 1/2 cup of peas has 11 carbs, and 1 whole carrot has around 7 - and that's not even counting the fiber you can take away from the carb count. I'm not worried about it! (And I just love the taste of carrots and peas in Shepherd's Pie!) On the other hand, a helping of mashed potatoes can have 30-40 carbs, with zero fiber, so if you're trying to keep your carbs in check, I do think it's worth it to replace them with something lower-carb like cauliflower.

Oh, one other thing. I think traditionally Shepherd's Pie is supposed to be made with lamb, and "Cottage Pie" is made with ground beef. But I digress. I'm American, and I grew up saying Shepherd's Pie, even if that's probably wrong.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, leaves removed and roughly chopped
• 2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 4 garlic cloves - 3 whole, 1 crushed
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup cut green beans (can be fresh, frozen, or canned)
• 1/2 cup green peas (can be frozen or canned)
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/3 cup water
• Seasoned salt (like Lawry's), to taste
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 2 TBSP cream cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan (do not use the powdery canned stuff!)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lay cut-up cauliflower and 3 whole garlic cloves in the pan in an even layer. Drizzle generously with the olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until cauliflower starts to turn a nice golden brown. Set aside, but keep oven on at 350.
2. While cauliflower bakes, heat a large iron skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add ground beef, onion, carrots, green beans, and crushed garlic. Cook and stir, breaking up the beef, until the beef is brown and cooked through.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together tomato paste and water. Stir into the beef mixture along with the peas. Season with rosemary, thyme, seasoned salt, and pepper. Mix well and taste-test, adding more salt or other seasonings as needed. Smooth beef mixture evenly in the skillet with a spatula.
4. Place the roasted cauliflower in a food processor bowl with the cream cheese. Process until smooth, like mashed potatoes. Taste and add some seasoned salt if it needs more salt.
5. Carefully spread the mashed cauliflower over the beef mixture, then sprinkle evenly with the shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake in 350 oven for about 15-20 minutes, until edges are bubbly and top is starting to brown.

Yield: about 6-8 servings

Vegetable Beef Soup - Easy & Low-Carb

 

Mmmm....it's a very cold day and I just threw together this vegetable-beef soup for lunch. I remember back in 2004 when my mom was sick and weak after chemo treatments, she asked me several times to make this soup for her. She said it always felt so nourishing to her.

It really hit the spot today! Andy has been trying to eat low-carb/keto since the New Year, so I left out higher carb ingredients like potatoes and corn. I cut the carrots in larger chunks so he could easily avoid them if he wanted.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, thickly sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
• 1/2 lb. frozen green beans
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1 carton (4 cups) beef broth
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
  
  

Directions:

1. In a stockpot, brown ground beef with onion and celery over medium heat. 
2. Add carrots, green beans, seasoning, stewed tomatoes, and crushed garlic.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato paste and beef broth. Add to meat mixture. 
4. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Then, lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes. Enjoy!
   

Frittata with Leftover Brisket

Made this for breakfast this morning. It was pretty good, for eggs. Filling and low-carb.

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 7 eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Leftover brisket (ours was from Dickey's), cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375F, and spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Sprinkle leftover meat, chopped vegetables, and 3/4 cup cheese in an even layer on bottom of baking dish. 
3. In a bowl, whisk eggs with heavy cream, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour egg mixture over meat and vegetables in baking dish.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until frittata is almost done. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. 
7. Serve as is, or top with salsa and fresh cilantro.