Category Archives: Pasta/Grains

Apr9

Hoisin Noodle Bowls with Cucumber-Sesame Salad

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Hoisin Noodle Bowls with Cucumber-Sesame Salad

Ingredients:
1 lbs whole-wheat spaghetti (or regular)
4 limes, juiced, divided
3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced, divided
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 C pea pods, thinly sliced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated
1 (2-in) piece ginger root, grated
1 (10-oz) package frozen shelled edamame
¼ C hoisin sauce
1 – 2 tbsp hot sauce

Heat a large pot of water for pasta and salt it. Add spaghetti and cool to al dente. Reserve ½ cup starchy liquid.

Preheat oven to 450° degrees. Combine the juice of 2 limes with rice wine vinegar, honey and sesame oil. Add cucumber and ¼ red onion to dressing, season with salt, toss in dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds, reserve.

Heat a large skillet with 2 T vegetable oil over high heat. Add peppers, remaining red onion, pea pods, garlic and ginger and stir fry 2 minutes. Add the edamame and heat through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Add hoisin, the juice of 2 limes, hot sauce and some starchy pasta liquid to form a sauce. Add drained spaghetti and toss to coat. Turn off heat. Serve noodles in bowls with cucumber salad as side dishes.

Apr8

Sesame Mango Chicken with Perfect White Rice

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Sesame Mango Chicken with Perfect White Rice

I made up this recipe tonight and its so yummy! My husband likes spicy food, but you can leave out the hot pepper flakes if you just want it sweet.

2 cups water
1 cup white rice
1 Tbsp oil
less than 1 tsp salt
white and black sesame seeds
2 packs thin-sliced boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
olive oil or canola oil
3/4 cup frozen sugar snap peas, mostly defrosted
1 mango, cut into cubes
1 cup duck sauce
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4-1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes (optional)
black pepper

Bring water to a boil. Add oil, salt and rice. Stir, cover and bring to low simmer. Set timer for 20 minutes. Do not open while rice is cooking! Fluff with a fork when done.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge in a mixture of white and black sesame seeds (can use only white, but black makes it look more interesting). Heat a little oil in wok or large saute pan. Brown chicken pieces on both sides, but doesn’t have to be cooked all the way. Remove to plate and cut up into bite-size pieces.

Add a little more oil just to coat pan and add snap peas. Sprinkle with salt and stir. Cook until just starting to brown. Add mango, duck sauce, soy sauce, pepper flakes and sprinkle with black pepper to taste. Stir and add chicken pieces. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Apr7

Fettucine with Low-fat Alfredo Sauce

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Fettucine with Low-fat Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cup ricotta cheese (room temp)
6 T milk
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb fettucine
4 T unsalted butter
½ cup parsley, minced
salt and pepper

Boil pasta according to package directions. Put ricotta, milk and parmesan in blender and blend until creamy. When pasta is done, drain and add butter to it. Add ricotta mixture, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve with additional grated parmesan.