Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chile

What a yummy combination. Asparagus & Pork... This recipe was found @ Bon Appetit's web site. The recipe comes together pretty quickly so it's best to prep everything before you start so once you start, you can just work right through it.

Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chile 

3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

1 tablespoon Shaoxing Chinese rice wine or dry Sherry

12 ounces ground pork (preferably coarsely ground; sometimes labeled chili-grind)

3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided

12 ounces thin to medium asparagus spears, trimmed, cut on extreme diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces

1 red jalapeño chile, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 teaspoon honey

2 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal

Fine sea salt

Whisk 1 tablespoon soy sauce, & rice wine in medium bowl. Add pork; toss to blend. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in heavy large wok or deep skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, chile, and ginger. Toss until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer asparagus mixture to plate. 

Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to wok. Add pork mixture and stir-fry until browned, using spoon to break up pork into small pieces, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Return asparagus mixture to wok. Add remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, and honey; stir-fry until pork is cooked through, adding water by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 2 minutes. Add green onions; toss to incorporate. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serving Size: makes 4 servings

Spicy Thai Beef and Jasmine Rice

This is a great recipe that I found on found on Gina's site. I love her website and have gotten tons of great meal ideas from her. They always taste good enough so that Cancy doesn't ask if it's low fat, low calorie. :)

Spicy Thai Beef and Jasmine Rice

3/4 lb 95% lean ground beef

1/2 onion, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3 carrots thinly sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 cup Jasmine Rice

2 tbsp soy sauce (plus more to taste)

1 tsp Asian fish sauce

1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Heat a heavy medium pot over high heat. Add beef and saute until browned. Add onion, scallions, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Saute another 2 minutes. Add carrots, red pepper, rice, 2 cups water, fish sauce and remaining soy sauce. Reduce to low heat, when the water is almost evaporated, cover. Simmer on low about 20 minutes. Add cilantro and mix well and keep covered for 10 more minutes.

Serving Size: Makes 4 large servings

Creamy Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad

I found this Ronzoni/Classico recipe featured in our Sunday paper and it looked fantastic. I modified it a bit to cut calories and up the nutrients.

Creamy Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad

1 Cup dried Ronzoni Garden Delight Penne

1 Cup Classico Light Creamy Alfredo

1/4 tsp Red Wine Vinegar

2 tsp Italian Seasoning blend

2 Cups fresh baby spinach, torn into bite size pieces.

1 Cup Grape Tomatoes, halved

1 medium Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped

1/2 Cup black olives, halved

about 2 ounces of Reduced Fat Feta

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, & rinse with cold water

In a large bowl, whisk together Alfredo sauce, vinegar, and seasoning blend. Season with salt & pepper to taste

Add cooked pasta, veggies, and feta

Cover & refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. serve chilled.

Serving Size: Makes 4 larger servings

Cerveza Marinated Chicken Skewers

This one is right out of the Thin Kitchen Cookbook from BeachBody. We did slightly larger portions since it was our main meal, not an appetizer. The marinade is awesome. It's something my husband loved too which is important.

Cerveza Marinated Chicken Skewers

1 pound of chicken tenders, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 Cup beer
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Combine the beer, lemon juice, oil, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper in a zip-lock bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; shake lightly and turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate 1 hour, turning the bag occasionally.

Transfer the marinade from the bag to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes.

If using wooden skewers, soak them in hot water 30 minutes (to prevent them from burning).

Spray the broiler or grill rack (I made them on the grill) with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray; preheat; or alternatively-spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray and set over high heat.

Divide the chicken among 12 8-inch skewers. Grill or broil the skewers 4 inches from the heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes; turn and brush with reduced marinade. Cook until the chicken is thoroughly done, about 2 more minutes. 


Serve immediately. 4 servings