Teriyaki Turkey Burgers with Asian Slaw

Teriyaki Turkey Burgers with Asian Slaw

adapted from Shady Brook Farms

This burger hits every taste bud with the umami of the sweet and savoy teriyaki glazed turkey patty and the refreshing crunch of a chilled slaw. The combination of aromatics and acidic dressing provides a light yet satisfying alternative to traditional beef burgers.

Makes 2 servings

1 cup shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup grated carrot
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

1/4 tsp. Sriracha powder or sriracha sauce

1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup Homemade Teriyaki Sauce or store bought
8 ounces ground turkey
2 hamburger buns, toasted or grilled

1. Make the Asian slaw by mixing together the cabbages, carrot, and cilantro in a bowl.
2. Whisk together the oil, vinegar. Sriracha powder, onion powder and garlic powder; Add to the cabbage mixture, toss to combine and refrigerate while making the burgers.
3. Divide the ground turkey in half; Form eah into a patty.
4. If time allows, refrigerate on a plate in the refrigerator for about an hour.
5. Mix mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of the teriyaki sauce; Set aside.
6. Brush turkey burgers with some of the teriyaki sauce.
7. Preheat a grill or grill pan.
8. Cook about 2-3  minutes on each side  brushing with remaining teriyaki while cooking; The internal temperature should be 165F.
9. Spread mayonnaise mixture inside buns; place turkey burgers in buns.
10. Serve the Asian slaw on top of the burger or on the side.

Enjoy!

Easy Creamy Sriracha Sauce

Creamy Sriracha Sauce 

adapted from Grilled Cheese Social

This sauce recipe is not only a great sandwich spread but it works well as a dipping sauce as well. It's amazing that something so simple and easy could be so easy.

Makes about 1/4 cup

1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. sriracha

1. Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Adjust the spiciness to your liking by adding more mayo to to make it less spicy or more sriracha to kick it up a notch.

Enjoy!

Korean Bulgogi Tacos

Korean Bulgogi Tacos

adapted from Food Network

Bulgogi is a Korean dish of thinly sliced, marinated meat, most commonly beef, that is grilled or stir-fried. Feel free of substitute boneless skinless chicken for the short ribs for the non-beef eaters.

This recipe was originally featured on Diners Drive Ins and Dives from Garbo's Grill in Key West.

Makes 6 tacos                                                                    15 WW pts / taco

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, beef short ribs or 2 - 2 1/2 lbs. bone in short ribs
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
2 Tbsp. Truvia brown sugar blend
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic
3 scallions
1 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped green or Napa cabbage
1/2 cup matchstick-size jicama slices
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
2 large or 3 small scallions, slivered

1 lime, juiced, about 2 Tbsp.
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. mirin
1 tbsp. Sriracha
1 Tbsp. olive oil

6 6-inch flour tortillas

Sriracha, for serving

1. If using bone-in short ribs, remove the bones, reserving for making stock if desired.
2. Trim any excess fat from the boneless short ribs then thinly slice the beef and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces and place in a large container.
3. In a small food processor, blend the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, scallions and ginger. Pour half of the sauce over the short ribs; Seal tightly and marinate the short ribs in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
4. Place the other half of the marinade in a pan and reduce over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick, about 5 minutes; Place in a serving bowl and reserve to drizzle on the tacos.
5. Place the cabbage, jicama, cilantro and scallions together in a medium bowl; set aside.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, mirin, sriracha and oil; Store the dressing in the fridge until ready to use.
7. Heat oven and ovenproof bowl to 250F.
8. Heat a large skillet over high heat. 
9. Cook 1/3 - 1/2 of the meat in the skillet 2 minutes, flip. and cook an additional 3 minutes, transfer to the heated bowl and store in warm oven until ready to make the taco.
10. Repeat with remaining meat.
11. Heat tortillas in microwave, about 20 seconds.
12. Make the tacos by piling some slaw, dressing, beef, reserved and reduced marinade.
13. Serve with extra sriracha if desired.

Enjoy!

Hoisin Wings

Hoisin Wings

adapted from Food Network

Baking the wings makes them a little healthier than frying them. Putting them back into the oven after tossing them with the glaze makes them a little less sticky.

You can also make boneless wings by cutting up a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Cook it for about 15 minutes (only 3 WW pts / serving).

Makes 2 servings                                                                21 WW pts / serving

1 lb. split chicken wings 
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
Freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 clove garlic, finely grated
1 1/2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar free orange marmalade
1 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sriracha
1 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Combine the wings, 1/4 cup soy sauce and the sesame oil in a large bowl. 
2. Season generously with pepper and toss to coat; set aside to marinate at least 15 minutes.
3. Preheat a convention oven or air-frier to 400F; If using conventional oven preheat to 425F.
4. Whisk together the ginger, garlic, hoisin sauce, marmalade, ketchup, vinegar, sriracha and remaining 2 Tbsp. soy sauce in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
5. Arrange the chicken wings on a baking sheet; Cook flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp, 16 to 20 minutes for convention or 3--45 minutes for conventional. 
6. Remove the wings, add them to the bowl with the glaze and toss to coat. 
7. Return the wings to the oven and cook until sticky and glazed, 4 to 6 minutes. 
8. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the toasted sesame seeds and scallions.

Enjoy!

Firecracker Beef & Veggie Bowls

Firecracker Beef & Veggie Bowls

adapted from olivia.adiance

A sweet and spicy beef dish. Make it gluten free by serving it with rice noodles or rice. 

Coconut crystals are made by evaporating the sap of coconut palm trees until it crystallizes, resulting in a texture similar to brown sugar. It has a lower glycemic index than white sugar ; Coconut sugar: GI of 35-54 vs. White sugar: GI of 60-65

Makes 2 servings                                                                7 WW pts / serving

1/4 cup sriracha
1 1/2 Tbsp. coconut crystals or sugar substitute
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

Cooking spray
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 small onion, diced
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.water
2 heads baby bok choy, chopped
2 baby bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 cup snap peas
4 oz package of udon noodles, cooked according to package directions
Sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional

1. Whisk together the  sriracha, coconut sugar, soy sauce and rice vinegar; Set aside.
2. In a skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the ground beef over medium heat, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 5 minutes.
3. Using a paper towel, remove most of the accumulated grease
4. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes then add the garlic and chili flakes, cooking for another minute
5. Pour the sauce over ground beef in skillet and cook for 6-8 minutes until the sauce is beginning to caramelize
6. Add the veggies and cook for another 2-3 minutes
7. Add the water, stirring to incorporate; Simmer tossing to combine, about 1-2 minutes.
8. Add the noodles to the skillet stirring for 1 minute to ensure the noodles are evenly coated in the sauce
9. Serve topped with green onion and sesame seeds

Enjoy!

Vegetable Stir Fry with Garlic Miso Sauce

Vegetable Stir Fry with Garlic Miso Sauce

adapted from Epicurious

You can use an vegetables you have on hand. I used snow peas, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms but zucchini, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and bean sprouts would also work nicely.

Makes 2 servings                                                              2 WW points / serving

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. yellow miso

1/2 tsp. oyster sauce

1/2 tsp. Sriracha

1/4 tsp. sugar substitute

1 1/2 tsp. water

1/2 lb. assorted vegetables

1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

Penzeys Szechuan salt or Kosher salt and white pepper

1. In a small bowl combine the miso, oyster sauce sugar substitute and water; set aside
2. In a hot skillet, sauté the garlic in the oil until fragrant, about 1 minutes.
3. Add the mushrooms and sauté until their are beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
4. Add the onions, bell pepper and jalapeno and continue cooking until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
5. Add the snow peas and cook until tender, about 1 minutes.
6. Pour in the miso mixture and toss to combine; Cook another 1-2 minutes to heat through.
7. Season to taste with Szechuan salt

Enjoy!

Sesame Chicken Noodle Soup

Sesame Chicken Noodle Soup

Adapted from Ian Knauer recipe 2014

Update: Received Honorable Mention - 4th Place in The Soup Cook Off

This is a family favorite that I adapted from an Ian Knauer recipe from 2014 which I think was in Food & Wine but I can no longer find the link on the website. I created this adaptation after I attended The Soup Cook Off and loved an Asian soup that was in the competition.

This soup is on the spicy side. For the competition this year I am toning down the spice by adding less ginger syrup that what I add for my family.

I prefer to cook pasta separate from the soup so if there are leftovers it will not absorb too much of the broth and become soggy.

Makes 12 servings

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
3 Tbsp. + 3 Tbsp soy sauce, separated
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sriracha or your favorite chile sauce
1 1/2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 cups Homemade chicken stock or canned broth
2 Tbsp DaVinci Ginger syrup™ to taste
2 (3 oz) packages ramen noodles
2 scallions, sliced

1. In a bowl, whisk together the 3 Tbsp soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar, sriracha, sugar, salt and pepper; add the chicken; set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add the ramen and cook until tender; 3-4 minutes.
3. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add the oil.
4. When the oil is hot add the chicken along with the marinade and cook until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
5. Stir in the stock, 6 Tbsp soy sauce and ginger syrup.
6. To serve add ramen to a bowl, ladle in soup and top with scallions.

Enjoy!

Note: If you do not want to buy a bottle of ginger syrup to try the recipe, you can make your own. 

Salmon, Tuna & Shrimp Poke Bowl

Salmon, Tuna & Shrimp Poke Bowl

adapted from eatingwell.com

Poke (pronounced poh-kay), means “to slice or cut” in Hawaiian, refers to chunks of raw, marinated fish which is tossed over rice and vegetables and umami-packed sauce. Since you are eating the fish raw make sure you are getting it from a reputable fishmonger or sushi bar. I get mine from the sushi bar at Wegmans.

served with a side salad and dill vinaigrette

Makes 2 servings                                                                4 WW pp / serving

3 oz. salmon, cut into ¾-inch cubes

3 oz. tuna, cut into ¾-inch cubes 

3 oz. cooked shrimp, cut into ¾-inch pieces
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens 

1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. sesame oil 

1/4 tsp. teaspoon Sriracha 

1 cup cooked rice, warmed 

2 tsp. furikake*

1/4 cup packed chopped spinach

1 Tbsp. caviar or fish roe (optional) 

1. Whisk together the soy sauce sesame oil and sriracha.
2. Place the salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallions and parsley in a small bowl and pour the soy sauce mixture over the top; GENTLY toss to combine.
3. Divide the rice between 2 bowls; sprinkle each with half of the furikake.
4. Arrange half on the fish mixture, spinach and caviar , if using) decoratively atop the rice.
5. Serve with additional soy sauce on the side.

Enjoy! 

* Furikake is a Japanese seasoning typically made with toasted sesame seeds, nori, salt, sugar.

Fake Chicken Pho

Fake Chicken Pho

adapted from Rachael Ray in Season

Since moving to Philadelphia, one of my son's favorite food is Pho. Traditional Vietnamese Pho takes hours to make. This can be made in about 30 minutes. 

The carbs are also reduced by replacing half of the traditional rice noodles with spiralized zucchini.

Makes 4 servings                                                    6 WW Blue points / serving

8 oz. thin, flat rice noodles

2 large poached chicken breasts, leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, thinly sliced

1 inch cinnamon stick

3 star anise pods

1/8 tsp. rounded ground cardamom

2 quarts homemade chicken stock or canned broth

2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchstick size pieces

1 bunch of scallions, trimmed and sliced on a bias

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

Hoisin sauce or Sriracha (optional) for drizzling

Thinly sliced jalapenos, julienned basil, cilantro leaves and bean sprouts for garnish

1. In a large bowl, soak the noodles in warm water until pliable, 15-20 minutes.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water; Drain well; Return to the bowl.
3. In a large pot, toast the spices, stirring frequently until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, ginger and garlic; Bring to a boil; Cook until the stock is infused, about 5 minutes.
5. Strain the broth into the bowl with the noodles. Discard the solids.
6. Return the broth and noodles to the pot; Add the zucchini, scallions and soy sauce; Simmer until scallions wilt and the zucchini is cooked, about 2 - 3 minutes.
7. Use tongs to divide the noodles and zoodles among bowl. Top with chicken.
8. Divide the broth among the bowls.
9. Serve allowing individuals to garnish their plates and add hoisin sauce and /or sriracha as desired.

Enjoy!

Springtime Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews

Springtime Chicken Stir-Fry with Asparagus and Cashews

adapted from Food & Wine

I have been amping up the vegetables in stir-fries and decreasing higher fat components like the nuts. You could eliminate them all together and reduce the point count to 3. Substitute cauliflower rice and you have a 0 WW Blue point meal.

Our new favorite addition to our stir-fries is to sprinkle with Thai Si Racha Seasoning Blend from Calicutts Spice Co. in Hershey, PA. It is expensive but a little goes a long way to spice up your dishes.

Makes 2 servings                                                      5 WW Blue points / serving

2 Tbsp. dry roasted cashews

Cooking spray

3/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Tbsp. Asian fish sauce

1/2 cup homemade chicken stock or canned broth

1/2 lb. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup chopped bok choy

1 1/2 tsp. oyster sauce

1 tsp. lime juice

pinch cayenne

1/4 cup water chestnuts, diced

1/4 cup bamboo shoots

1/4 cup chopped basil

2 Tbsp. chopped green scallion tops, reserve remaining for another purpose

1 cup cooked jasmine or white rice

Soy Sauce & Sriracha for passing at the table (optional)

1. In a bowl, toss the chicken with 1 1/2 tsp. fish sauce.
2. In a large saucepan coated with cooking spray, spread the chicken in an even layer and cook over high heat until browned and cooked through, turning once, about 4 minutes.
3. Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
4. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to a simmer, add asparagus and bok choy, cover and cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
5. Transfer the asparagus to the bowl with the chicken.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the wok along with the oyster sauce, lime juice and cayenne pepper.
7. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to 1/6 cup, about 2 minutes.
8. Return the chicken, asparagus, bok choy, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots to the wok and toss to heat through.
9. Remove from the heat and add the basil and chives. 
10. Serve over the rice passing soy sauce and Sriracha if using.


Enjoy!

Asian BBQ Sauce

 Asian BBQ Sauce

adapted from Food & Wine March 2000

This sauce has a little bit of a kick. If you prefer a sweeter BBQ sauce replace the Sriracha with 1 1/2 tsp. honey.

Makes  about 1/2 cup                                                    1 WW Blue point / Tbsp.

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce

1. Combine all ingredients and wish to combine.

Enjoy!

Chicken for Lunches This Week

I like to cook chicken on the weekends in order to have it readily available for salads and sandwiches during the week. This week I chose to make a modified version of Michael Symon's Spicy Soy and Ginger Chicken. Spicy but not too spicy and a wonderfully crisp skin.

Spicy Soy and Ginger Chicken
adapted from Food & Wine September 2013

2 tablespoons Sriracha
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 teaspoons jarred pureed ginger
1 tablespoons tamari
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 bone-in chicken chicken
Salt & Freshly ground pepper
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Whisk together the Sriracha, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil and fish sauce with the olive oil. In a large resealable plastic bag, coat the chicken pieces with the marinade and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Scrape the marinade off the chicken and season the pieces with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken in the over until lightly charred, white throughout and an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 168°, about 40 minutes.