Spicy Thai-Style No-Cook Stir-Fry

I absolutely love to make stir fries...They're a great way to get a complete meal and so easy to load up with veggies and make super healthy. Here is a Thai Style Stir Fry recipe from Hungry Girl for yall to try.

Spicy Thai-Style No-Cook Stir-Fry

PER SERVING (1/4th of recipe, about 1 1/2 cups): 165 calories, 3g fat, 440mg sodium, 14g carbs, 4g fiber, 7g sugars, 22g protein -- PointsPlus® value 4*

This dish is all stir and no fry! Just grab some precooked chicken from the market (or make use of those leftovers!), and you're on your way to delicious-ville...




Ingredients:
1/4 cup low-fat Thai peanut salad dressing or sauce (like the kind by Litehouse)
2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
One 12-oz. bag (about 4 cups) broccoli cole slaw
10 oz. cooked and chopped skinless lean chicken breast
2 cups sugar snap peas, halved
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine salad dressing/sauce, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. Add dressing/sauce mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes. If you just can't wait, go ahead and dig in!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

HG's Sweet and Sour Chicken 1 2 3

I haven't met many people who would say no to Sweet and Sour Chicken from a Chinese restaurant. I have tried to stop myself because that dish is full of sugar and calories. Here is Hungry Girl's version of this delicious Chinese food staple that won't weigh you down.

HG's Sweet & Sour Chicken 1-2-3

Serving Size: 1/3rd of recipe, about 2 cups
Calories: 295
Fat: 2g
Sodium: 730mg
Carbs: 37g
Fiber: 5.25g
Sugars: 27g
Protein: 30g

PointsPlus® value 7*

Ingredients:
12 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
16 oz. canned pineapple chunks packed in juice (not drained)
1 tbsp. cornstarch
3 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. reduced-sodium/lite soy sauce
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
2 cups bean sprouts

Directions:
Bring a large skillet or wok sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Season chicken with salt and black pepper and place in the skillet/wok.

Stirring occasionally, cook until chicken is no longer pink on the outside, about 3 minutes. Add broccoli florets, bell pepper, celery, and 2 tbsp. of water to the skillet/wok. Cover and cook until veggies are tender, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, drain the juice from the canned pineapple into a small nonstick pot. Add cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Add vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, crushed red pepper, and ginger. Mix thoroughly. Bring to medium-high heat on the stove. Stirring frequently, cook until thickened, about 3 minutes.

To the skillet/wok, add pineapple chunks, bean sprouts, and sauce. Mix well. Continue to cook and stir until sprouts have softened and chicken is fully cooked, about 4 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

MAKES 3 SERVINGS

Jump for Choy! Fish Pack

Have you ever tried making a foil pack meal? It's a really neat way to cook your whole meal at once while getting a lot of flavor without adding calories. Here is Hungry Girl's fish pack recipe!


Jump for Choy! Fish Pack

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe): 232 calories, 2g fat, 908mg sodium, 19g carbs, 3g fiber, 13g sugars, 35g protein -- PointsPlus® value 6*

Words cannot express how amazing this citrus-teriyaki, Asian-style meal is. Try it and see...

Ingredients:
16 oz. (about 4 heads) baby bok choy, ends removed, separated into leaves
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
12 oz. raw cod (two 6-oz. fillets or four 3-oz. fillets)
1/8 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste
2 tbsp. thick teriyaki marinade or sauce
2 tbsp. low-sugar or sugar-free orange marmalade

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay an extra-large piece of heavy-duty foil on an extra-large baking sheet, and spray with nonstick spray.

Lay bok choy leaves in the center of the foil, and evenly top with zucchini. Lay cod fillets in a single layer over the veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine teriyaki marinade or sauce with orange marmalade. Mix thoroughly. Evenly spoon mixture over the cod and veggies.

Place another extra-large piece of foil evenly over the baking sheet. Fold together and seal all four edges of the two foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until cod is fully cooked and veggies are tender.

Allow packet to cool for a few minutes, and then cut to release steam before opening it entirely. (Careful -- steam will be hot.)

Serve cod and veggies with extra sauce from the foil pack. If you like, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Eat up!

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Chinese Chicken Noodle Salad

From Eating Well, here is another Asian style chicken noodle salad for us to try; a little different than the Vietnamese version but still delicious and easy to make.

Chinese Chicken & Noodle Salad

This delicious Chinese-inspired salad is crisp, crunchy and cool with shredded cabbage, carrots and chicken breast tossed with toasted ramen noodles and slivered almonds. The dressing is an addictive orange, sesame, ginger and soy combination—you may want to double the dressing and save some for a salad the next day.

4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 3-ounce package low-fat ramen-noodle soup mix , (see Note)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
3 1/4-inch-thick slices fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
5 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
5 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 scallions, chopped

PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Crumble ramen noodles onto a large rimmed baking sheet (discard seasoning packet). Add almonds, sesame seeds and canola oil; toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir, then bake until the noodles are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan with water to cover. Add ginger and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board to cool. Using forks, shred into bite-size pieces. (Discard the poaching liquid.)
Meanwhile, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved.
Just before serving, combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Add the toasted noodle mixture and the dressing; mix well.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate the vegetables, toasted noodle mixture, chicken and dressing in separate containers for up to 1 day. Toss together just before serving.

Tip: Ramen noodles, usually packaged with a seasoning mix to make instant soup, are a convenient—and seemingly healthful—product. But what you may not realize is that the noodles have been deep-fried. A serving of the soup contains 8 grams of fat. Look for baked ramen, with only 1 gram of fat per serving. Be sure to check the label so you know what you're buying.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 399 calories; 12 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 96 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 41 g protein; 4 g fiber; 558 mg sodium; 581 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (50% daily value), Vitamin C (35% dv), Folate (26% dv), Magnesium (21% dv), Potassium (17% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat

Vietnamese Chicken and Noodle Salad

An Asian inspired chicken and noodle salad will add some zip to your day and shake up your normal meal routine. I like to make these salads and portion them out for various meals throughout the week. Here is a recipe for Vietnamese Chicken and Noodle Salad from Eating Well.

Vietnamese Chicken & Noodle Salad

4 servings, 2 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
4 ounces wide rice noodles
1/2 cup rice-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce, (see Ingredient Note)
2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste
3 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 English cucumber, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup slivered fresh basil
1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

PREPARATION
Place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size strips.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Stir in rice noodles and cook until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Whisk vinegar, fish sauce and sugar to taste in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add the chicken, noodles, cabbage, cucumber, carrot, basil and peanuts; toss to combine. Serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare salad up to 8 hours in advance. Toss with peanuts just before serving.
Ingredient Note: Fish sauce is a pungent Southeast Asian sauce made from salted, fermented fish. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and in Asian specialty markets

NUTRITION
Per serving: 402 calories; 12 g fat ( 2 g sat , 5 g mono ); 63 mg cholesterol; 44 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 5 g fiber; 667 mg sodium; 454 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (100% daily value), Vitamin K (60% dv), Vitamin C (40% dv), Selenium (37% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat

Here is a recipe for a tasty, Asian inspire noodle dish. There are different ways you can add protein to make this dish more than just a carb load. From Eating Well, here's a recipe for Peanut-Ginger Noodles

Peanut-Ginger Noodles

Whole-wheat pasta adds nutty flavor plus extra nutrients and fiber to our version of peanut noodles. If you like, add diced baked tofu to boost the protein and add calcium.

6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce, (see Ingredient Note), or to taste
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 12-ounce bag fresh vegetable medley, such as carrots, broccoli, snow peas (see Shopping Tip)

PREPARATION
Put a large pot of water on to boil.
Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chile-garlic sauce and ginger in a large bowl.
Cook pasta in the boiling water until not quite tender, about 1 minute less than specified in the package directions. Add vegetables and cook until the pasta and vegetables are just tender, 1 minute more. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Rinse the pasta and vegetables with cool water to refresh. Stir the reserved cooking liquid into the peanut sauce; add the pasta and vegetables; toss well to coat. Serve warm or chilled.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, stir in 2 tablespoons warm water per portion; serve cold or reheat in microwave.
Ingredient note: Chile-garlic sauce (or chili-garlic sauce, or paste) is a blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar and is commonly used to add heat and flavor to Asian soups, sauces and stir-fries. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and keeps up to 1 year in the refrigerator.
Shopping tip: If you can't find a bagged vegetable medley for this easy noodle bowl, choose 12 ounces of cut vegetables from your market's salad bar and create your own mix.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 280 calories; 11 g fat ( 1 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 7 g fiber; 321 mg sodium; 95 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (23% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable

Chinese Take Out used to be a Sunday night thing with my family. We still go out for Chinese often, but I usually cook for myself now. I don't know how long it's been since I've had take out, but I know that it'd be fun to have some Chinese food without all of the oil and calories. From Eating Well, here are some "Better than Chinese Take Out" recipes for you to try out. I'm excited to do the same.

Pork Chop Suey

From EatingWell: March/April 2010

Chop suey is often made with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts—add them to this recipe if you wish. Serve with: Udon noodles.

4 servings, about 1 cup each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes


INGREDIENTS
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons molasses, preferably blackstrap
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
1 medium onion, slivered
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 cups mung bean sprouts (see Note)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger


PREPARATION
Combine broth, soy sauce, molasses and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl; stir in cornstarch until combined. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the pink is gone, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, bell pepper, sprouts and ginger and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth mixture and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add the reserved cornstarch mixture and pork (and any accumulated juice) and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.

TIPS & NOTES
Note: Mung bean sprouts (germinated mung beans), often simply labeled “bean sprouts,” are white with a light yellow tip and are thicker than more common alfalfa sprouts.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 280 calories; 10 g fat ( 1 g sat , 5 g mono ); 74 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 7 g added sugars; 28 g protein; 3 g fiber; 504 mg sodium; 957 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (87% daily value), Potassium (27% dv), Iron (20% dv), Vitamin A (19% dv), Zinc (17% dv), Folate (16% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1/2 other carbohydrate, 3 lean meat, 1 fat

From Eating Well, here is an enticing recipe for Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables. It's a neat way to make your own asian inspired meal at home with less calories.

Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken & Vegetables

From EatingWell: June/July 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)

If you can't find a bagged vegetable medley for this easy noodle bowl, choose 12 ounces of cut vegetables from your market's salad bar and create your own mix.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This was amazing! I used rotisserie chicken and as most people recommended, crunchy peanut butter. I added some scallions to the veggie mix and made 1 1/2 x the sauce since we tend to like a little more. Served with extra chili sauce on...

6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce, or to taste (see Ingredient note)
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
1 12-ounce bag fresh vegetable medley, such as carrots, broccoli, snow peas

PREPARATION
Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta.
Meanwhile, place chicken in a skillet or saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size strips.
Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, chile-garlic sauce and ginger in a large bowl.
Cook pasta in the boiling water until not quite tender, about 1 minute less than specified in the package directions. Add vegetables and cook until the pasta and vegetables are just tender, 1 minute more. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Rinse the pasta and vegetables with cool water to refresh. Stir the reserved cooking liquid into the peanut sauce; add the pasta, vegetables and chicken; toss well to coat. Serve warm or chilled.

TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To serve, stir in 2 tablespoons warm water per portion; serve cold or reheat in microwave.
Ingredient Note: Chile-garlic sauce (or chili-garlic sauce, or paste) is a blend of ground chiles, garlic and vinegar and is commonly used to add heat and flavor to Asian soups, sauces and stir-fries. It can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets and keeps up to 1 year in the refrigerator.

NUTRITION
Per serving: 363 calories; 12 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 44 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 7 g fiber; 348 mg sodium; 287 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (58% daily value), Fiber (27% dv), Vitamin C (25% dv), Magnesium (19% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable, 3 lean meat

Chicken dinners are the easiest go to when you need to make dinner quickly-check out Ladies Home Journal'scollection of Beat the Clock chicken recipes; check out this recipe for Grilled Curried Chicken Cutlets Over Asian Rice Noodle Salad. I know I will definitely be trying this one; it looks so good!

Grilled Curried Chicken Cutlets Over Asian Rice-Noodle Salad

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 20 minutes
Start to Finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, for grill
• 1 pound chicken cutlets
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 package (8 oz.) Asian medium rice-flour noodles (banh pho)
• 8 cups boiling water
• 2 scallions (green parts only) cut into 2-inch-long thin strips
• 1/2 seedless cucumber, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
• 1/2 cup bottled Asian chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus wedges
• 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
• 4 tablespoons coarsely chopped salted roasted shelled pistachios

Directions

1. Preheat grill and lightly oil rack. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Whisk together buttermilk, curry, and garlic in a shallow glass dish; season with salt and pepper. Add chicken, turning to coat, and marinate at room temperature, 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, soak noodles in boiling water until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well. Toss together noodles, scallions, cucumber, chili sauce, juice, 2 tablespoons mint, and 2 tablespoons nuts; salt and pepper to taste, for noodle salad.

3. Grill chicken over moderate heat, turning once, until cooked through and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes depending on thickness of cutlets. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Divide noodle salad among 6 serving bowls. Top with chicken and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons mint and nuts. Serve with lime wedges and garnish with mint sprigs. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 6 servings
• Calories315,
• Total Fat (g)4,
• Saturated Fat (g)1,
• Cholesterol (mg)45,
• Sodium (mg)271,
• Carbohydrate (g)47,
• Fiber (g)2,
• Protein (g)20,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

From Self's November 2008 feature of Eat Healthy All Week, here is an interesting chicken recipe, full of flavor.

Black Bean–Almond Pesto Chicken

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup packed fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons canned black beans
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons extra light olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 oz)
• 1/2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (left over from Tuesday's dinner)

PREPARATION

1. In a mini-chopper, blend basil, almonds, beans, garlic, 1 tsp oil and 1/8 tsp salt until mixture is combined but chunky. Heat oven to 400°. Heat a small ovensafe skillet over high heat. Add remaining1 tsp oil. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/8 tsp salt. Cook chicken until it browns, 2 to 3 minutes. Move chicken to one side; add zucchini and tomatoes. Top chicken and vegetables with pesto. Cover and bake until chicken is cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then slice chicken. Place rice in an airtight container; top with chicken and vegetables and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to eat, microwave on high 2 to 3 minutes.

THE SKINNY

516 calories per serving, 19.2 g fat (2.6 g saturated), 38 g carbs, 7.8 g fiber, 47.5 g protein

From Delish and Eating Well, here is a recipe for a delicious Asian inspired vegetarian hot pot.

Vegetarian Hot Pot

From EatingWell.com

Quick to prepare, this Asian-style noodle soup has all the makings of a one-pot meal. To punch up the heat, add a dab of chile-garlic sauce.

Yields: Makes 5 main-dish servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Total Time: 45 min
Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients

5 1/4 cup(s) vegetable broth
4 slice(s) (1/4-inch thick) fresh ginger, peeled
2 clove(s) garlic, crushed and peeled
2 teaspoon(s) canola oil
1 3/4 cup(s) (4 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, wiped clean and sliced
1/4 teaspoon(s) crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 small (3/4 pound) bok choy, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, stems and greens separated
3 1/2 ounce(s) Chinese wheat noodles or rice sticks (see Tips & Techniques)
1 package(s) (14-ounce) firm tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup(s) (2 large) grated carrots
4 teaspoon(s) rice vinegar
2 teaspoon(s) reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon(s) toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup(s) chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions

Combine broth, ginger and garlic in a Dutch oven; bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Discard the ginger and garlic.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bok choy stems; cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the mushroom mixture to the broth. Add noodles, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes. Add bok choy greens and tofu; simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in carrots, vinegar to taste, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Serve garnished with scallions.

Carb Servings: 1 starch, 2 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean protein, 1 fat. Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2. Nutrition Bonus: 130% dv vitamin a, 29 mg vitamin c (50% dv), 179 mg calcium (20% dv), 20% dv fiber.

Tips & Techniques

Chinese wheat noodles and rice sticks (dried rice noodles) are quick-cooking and can be found in the Asian-food section of your supermarket.


Nutritional Information
(per serving)

Calories 230
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol --
Sodium 702mg
Total Carbohydrate 28g
Dietary Fiber 5g
Sugars --
Protein 13g
Calcium --

Penne Alla Vodka-Rocco Dispirito

I love when Dr. Oz posts recipes from other chefs. Here's a recipe of Penne Alla Vodka from Rocco Dispirito.

ROCCO DISPIRITO'S PENNE ALLA VODKA

The dirty little secret about penne alla vodka is not the vodka but the hefty amount of heavy cream. Vodka is colorless, odorless and without much flavor—not really attributes of a superstar ingredient. It’s the combination of cream and tomato sauce that gives this dish its signature flavor. The traditional cream is swapped here for low-fat Greek yogurt.

ADDED TO RECIPES ON THU 12/16/2010

Ingredients

Serves 4

8 oz whole wheat penne

2 cups Rocco’s How Low Can You Go Low-Fat Marinara Sauce (recipe not shown) or storebought low-fat marinara sauce

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 (7 oz) container 2% Greek yogurt

1 cup chopped fresh basil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions, about 9 minutes; drain.

While the pasta is cooking, bring the marinara sauce and crushed red pepper to a simmer in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Cook the sauce, stirring it occasionally with a heat-resistant rubber spatula, until it is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove the sauté pan from the heat.

Stir about ½ cup of the marinara sauce into the yogurt until smooth (this tempers it and prevents the yogurt from curdling). Then whisk the yogurt mixture back into the marinara sauce.

In a large serving bowl, toss the sauce with the drained penne and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the cheese on top, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Fat: 4.8 g

Calories: 320

Protein: 18 g

Carbohydrates: 55 g

Cholesterol: 11 mg
Fiber: 6 g

Sodium: 416 mg

Healthy Tips*

Whole-wheat pasta has a dense texture that makes it a little tougher than regular pasta. Some people like that chewiness; some don’t. If you’re in the latter category, overcook it a bit. Toward the end of the cooking time, keep testing it until it’s as tender as you like it.