Asian Wedding Soup

Asian Wedding Soup

adapted from Food Network

One of my favorite soups is Italian Wedding Soup. This recipe puts an Asian twist on it with the flavors of dumpling filling and ramen noodles.

If you are not going to be eating the soup shortly after it is cooked, cook the ramen separately and store in a separate container. This prevents the noodles from over absorbing the broth and becoming soggy.

Reminder: If a recipe calls for chopped fresh herbs, measure the herbs AFTER you chop them' if herbs, chopped measure before chopping.

Makes 2 servings                                                                  8 WW pts / serving

1/2 lb. ground lean turkey

1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1/2 large beaten egg

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp. sugar substitute
1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
1 clove garlic, grated
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Cooking spray

Cooking spray
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp. minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
5 cups Homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth

1 3 oz. package dried ramen noodles. broken up

1 cup sliced spinach

Sambal oelek or your preferred Asian chili sauce, for serving

1. In a bowl, mix the turkey, cilantro, soy sauce, egg, panko, sugar substitute, salt, garlic and scallions together. 
2. Scoop the meatball mixture into 12 small balls and roll. 
3. In a pan coated with cooking spray or in a slow cooker with a searing function (coat the bottom of the insert with cooking spray), cook the meatballs until cooked through , about 4-6 minutes, tuning to brown on all sides. 
4. Remove the meatballs to a plate and store in the refrigerator until the soup base is made.
5. Recoat the pan or slow cooker insert with cooking spray; Sauté the scallion whites with  a pinch of salt and cook for a couple of minutes until softened.
6. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about another minute. 
7. Add the stock, cover and and cook on high for, 2 hours. If using a traditional slow cooker combine the sautéed scallion mixture and the both to the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours.
8. Open the slow cooker and set to sauté; Once it is boiling, add the ramen, spinach and meatballs and cook cook for another 3 minutes until the noodles and spinach are soft and the meatballs are heated through.  If using traditional slow cooker, transfer the both to a pot, bring to a boil; Add ramen, spinach and meatballs and cook for about 3 minutes.
9. Adjust seasoning as needed. 
10. Add the scallion greens and serve with sambal oelek.

Enjoy!

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Cilantro Dip

Baked Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Cilantro Dip

adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray August 2010

No one really knows the origins of crunchy, breaded coconut shrimp, but it is thought to have originated in the tiki bar culture, which was all the rage in the United States after World War II. This is when access to tropical produce like coconuts and pineapples became an everyday thing.

Coconut shrimp is usually deep fried but this recipe oven bakes which lightens an old favorite.

Makes 2 servings                                                        4 WW pts / serving

2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. panko
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. rice flour
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp. coconut rum
6 extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
4 oz. fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1/2 tsp. sambal oelek

1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. cilantro leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment; Spread the coconut flakes on the baking sheet.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 3 minutes; Stir with a spatula.
4. Cook an additional 3 minutes or until golden brown; Transfer the coconut to a mini food processor; Finely chop the coconut; Transfer the coconut to a shallow bowl.
5. Add the panko and season with salt and pepper.
6. Place the flour in another shallow bowl.
7. Increase the oven temperature to 450°.
8. Place a rack on the baking sheet.
9. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy; Stir in the coconut extract.
10. Coat the shrimp in the flour, shaking off any excess.
11. Dip in the egg white mixture to coat completely.
12. Toss in the coconut-panko mixture.
13. Place on a wire rack set on a baking sheet.
14. Bake until golden and the shrimp are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
15. Meanwhile, put the pineapple, sambal, garlic powder and cilantro in the bowl of a mini food processor until coarsely chopped.
16. Season to taste with with salt and pepper.
17. Serve the shrimp with the pineapple-cilantro dip.

Enjoy!

Szechuan Style Country Pork Ribs

Szechwan Style Country Pork Ribs

adapted from a recipe from Publix which is no longer available

Taking a few pre-made sauces together make a wonderful marinade / glaze for these pork ribs. Use it on a leaner piece of meat  to bring down the point value. You can also replace the honey with sugar substitute.

Makes 2 servings                                                            13 WW points / serving

Cooking spray
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp sambal
1/2 Tbsp. honey
3/4 lb. pork country style ribs

1. Combine hoisin sauce, sambal and honey in a bowl. Add ribs and turn to coat.
2. Let marinade for at least 10 minutes. (If longer place in the refrigerator).
3. Heat a grill or grill pan. Spray with cooking spray.
4. Using tongs, place the ribs on the grill. Reserve the marinade. Cover with the lid or foil.
5. Brush with the reserved marinade every 3 minutes until the ribs are cooked through, 12-15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145F.
6. Let rest covered for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy !

Skinnier Vegetable Ramen

Skinnier Vegetable Ramen

adapted from Taste of Home

I love ramen but with trying to follow the WW lifestyle I needed to lighten it up a little. By adding a bunch of vegetables it fills you up without needing all of the noodles. If I was not trying to lighten up the recipe I would not add the extra steps of draining and cooking the noodles. I would have just kept throwing things into the pot. But..... we are trying to be good. 

Fresh ramen has less fat than the dried packages because part of the drying process involves frying. If you use the dried version the point count goes up to 5.

Makes 2 servings with extra noodles                                    3 WW point / serving

1 package (3 ounces) fresh ramen noodles 
2 cups Homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2 Tbsp. shredded carrots
2 Tbsp. shredded cabbage
1 Tbsp  slivered radishes, 
1/2 large fresh mushroom, chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp. sambal oelek
1 tsp. sliced scallion

1. Divide the carrot, cabbage, radish and mushroom between 2 soup bowls; set aside
2. Cook the ramen in the chicken stock according to package directions.
3. Strain the noodles reserving the broth; Rinse the noodles to stop cooking.
4. Place 1 1/2 oz of noodles in each bowl; reserve the remaining noodles for another use.
5. Add the soy sauce and sambal to the broth; Adjust seasoning to taste.
6. Bring the stock back to a boil so it can soften the vegetables in the bowls; Divide the hot stock between the bowls
7. Top with scallions before serving.

Enjoy!