Super Spicy Kung Pao Chicken

This super spicy Kung Pao Chicken recipe is a low-calorie alternative to Chinese takeout. And if you ask me, this recipe tastes much better than any Chinese takeout I've ever had.

**If you don't like spicy foods, you can leave out the crushed red peppers and still have a wonderful tasting meal.

Super Spicy Kung Pao Chicken

Total: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)


Ingredients:

2  tablespoons  dark sesame oil

1  cup  chopped onion

2  garlic cloves, minced

1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

3/4  cup  water

3  tablespoons  lower-sodium soy sauce

2  teaspoons  cornstarch

1  teaspoon  brown sugar

1/2  teaspoon  bottled minced ginger

1  to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1  cup  thinly sliced red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)

1  cup  snow peas, trimmed

2  tablespoons  chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Preparation:

1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add chicken; sauté 3 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.
2. Combine 3/4 cup water and the next 5 ingredients (through crushed red pepper), stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Add water mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Add bell pepper and snow peas to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce thickens. Sprinkle with nuts.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 275

Fat: 13.8g (sat 2.6g, mono 5.3g, poly 4.8g)

Protein: 25.3g

Carbohydrate: 11.9g

Fiber: 2.2g

Cholesterol: 94mg

Iron: 2mg

Sodium: 502mg

Calcium: 41mg

Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers

I'm thinking about trying this new recipe from Cooking Light.

Total: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and about 1/2 cup bell pepper mixture)

Ingredients:

3/4  teaspoon  salt, divided

3/4  teaspoon  fennel seeds, crushed

1/2  teaspoon  black pepper, divided

1/4  teaspoon  garlic powder

1/4  teaspoon  dried oregano

4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2  tablespoons  olive oil, divided

Cooking spray

2  cups  thinly sliced red bell pepper

1  cup  thinly sliced yellow bell pepper

1/2  cup  thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)

1 1/2  teaspoons  chopped fresh rosemary

1  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1  tablespoon  balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Brush chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; sprinkle spice rub over chicken. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; cook 1 minute. Arrange chicken in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until done.

3. Heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, shallots, and rosemary; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir in vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve bell pepper mixture over chicken.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 282

Fat: 11g (sat 2.1g,mono 6.4g,poly 1.7g)

Protein: 35.9g

Carbohydrate: 8.8g

Fiber: 1.9g

Cholesterol: 94mg

Iron: 2mg

Sodium: 644mg

Calcium: 38mg

Turkey and Black Bean Chili Recipe

Looking for something new and healthy to make for dinner? If so, try this tasty Turkey and Black Bean Chili recipe! I made this a few weeks ago and loved it! This chili is sure to fill you up, with 15 grams of fiber and 39 grams of protein!

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

4 servings
Prep: 12 minutes
Cook: 23 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 15-ounce cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 14.5-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon oregano

Directions
In a soup pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the turkey and sauté 5 minutes or until no longer pink, crumbling the meat with a spoon as it cooks. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, chili powder, cocoa powder and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for15 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

I also added some crushed peppers and extra chili powder to make it spicier.

Nutrition facts per serving:

Calories 484
Total Fat (g)12.8
Saturated Fat (g)2.5
Carbohydrate (g)54.5
Fiber (g)15
Protein (g)39