Healthy Chili's Southwestern Egg Rolls

I tasted these rolls stuffed with chicken, cheese, corn, black beans, and other kinds of goodness last week at Chili's restaurant. The sauce itself I could have sipped with a straw, but since I was in polite company, I just casually wiped a bit of the last egg roll around and around the little dish. I think I drooled a little, too.

I was on a double mother/daughter date with Jessie, her boyfriend's mother Kim and his sister Kelly. We wandered around the mall, a place I haven't visited since my girls were teens. Kim wanted to get her ears pierced at Claire's Boutique. Did you know Claire's still exists? Actually, it's hard to imagine a mall without that teenybopper place. It hasn't changed - lots of glitter, BFF necklaces, and boy band posters. And of course, that piercing booth in the front window. I really, really wanted these avocado earrings.

After Kim got pierced, she treated us to appetizers at Chili's - another place I haven't visited in forever. It was nice to spend an afternoon doing nothing in particular except talking and hanging out. My life is clearly too busy, because I actually felt guilty for not doing something productive or goal-oriented with my time!

Anyway, these little Tex-Mex style egg rolls were a hit with everybody, and I definitely wanted to make them again. I looked for a recipe online when I got home. On some recipe copy-cat sites (Top Secret Recipes is pretty helpful) I found a recipe that weighs in at 870 calories. Eek! I decided to experiment with a lighter version of the recipe. I don't know exactly how many calories there are in my version, but they're not fried and they use low-fat ingredients. They taste just about the same, too.

By the way, the recipe calls for the vegetables to be finely chopped; I suggest putting them into the blender or food processor, if you have one, and let it do the work.

Ingredients

3 oz chicken breast

1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp jalapeno, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 plum tomato, finely chopped
2/3 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh spinach, finely chopped
2 tbsp cilantro
1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1/3 cup egg white

3/4 cup shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
8-10 seven inch flour tortillas

For the Avocado Ranch Sauce

1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp ground pepper

Directions

Whisk together the oil and chili powder. Cut the chicken breast into fine pieces and allow to marinate in the oil mixture for 15 minutes. In a large skillet, cook the chicken pieces until browned on all sides. Set aside. 

Add a little more oil and saute the rest of the vegetables for 5 minutes. Stir in the egg, cheese and chicken and remove from heat. 

Oil a cookie sheet with spray oil. Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and heat in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until they are soft and flexible. Lay them one at a time on a cutting board and place about 2/3 cup of the filling down the middle of the tortilla. Fold over the end, then roll up the tortilla and place it, seam side down, on the cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and corn/bean mixture.

Place the freezer for 15 minutes to solidify the filling. While the rolls are chilling, heat the oven to 400 degrees. Blend together all the sauce ingredients until very smooth, and let it chill until you're ready to serve it.

Spray the tops of the rolls with oil. Place the sheet on the center rack and cook for about 20 minutes, turning once, until the rolls are nicely browned and the filling is cooked through. Slice the rolls halfway through on a diagonal, and serve with the avocado sauce.

Serves 6-8.

Read more...

Orange-Jicama Salad

I was middle-aged before I ever tasted a jicama, a Mexican vegetable that looks like a giant beige turnip and tastes like...crunch. Maybe starchy and crunchy like a water chestnut. That's why it is so versatile; it takes on the flavors of everything around it. The chameleon of vegetables. Jicama in this salad adds crispness to the delicate combination of tangy orange slices and creamy avocado, all in a lime-pepper dressing.

Ingredients

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 orange, peeled and thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 cup jicama, peeled and julienned
1/2 small white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup lime juice (juice of 3-4 whole limes)
3 tsp honey
1 small jalapeno chile, sliced paper-thin (optional)
Dash salt and pepper
1/2 cup olive or canola oil

Directions

Toss together the lettuce, onion, and jicama. Sprinkle the avocado with a bit of lime juice to prevent it from turning a dark gross color. Whisk together the lime juice, salt and pepper, and oil. Stir in the chile slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, place lettuce mixture in salad bowls, and allow each person top with orange, avocado, and the salad dressing. If there are any leftovers, store the lettuce mixture separately from the avocado and oranges, because if you mix it all together, these will make the salad gooey and runny.

 

Read more...

Beef and Asparagus in Black Bean Sauce

Ahh, this is tasty Chinese take out food that you can make at home faster than the delivery guy can send it. I have to admit, I didn't know what exactly made up "black bean sauce"; I was in the grocery store one day and thought, I have a couple cans of black beans at home, and I bet I could make this sauce pretty easily.

Nope. Black bean sauce is made from fermented soybeans, and I could probably learn how to ferment those beans into that thick and umami-rich sauce, but a jar of black bean sauce is about 3 bucks and I'm working on a fast and easy dinner here.

So whip this up in 20 minutes next time you're craving Chinese, and relax with a full, satisfied belly.

Ingredients

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups white rice

2 tsp oil

1 pound beef stew meat

1 pound fresh asparagus (or frozen bits if asparagus is out of season)

2/3 cup yellow onion, sliced

6 oz. sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/2 cup black bean sauce

2 tbsp cornstarch stirred into 1/2 cup cold water

Instructions

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Place the 3 cups water and rice into a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes.

Cut the asparagus into 2-inch segments and steam for 5 minutes in the microwave. While it is steaming, heat the oil in a wok or high-sided frying pan, and saute the beef until browned. Add the asparagus, onion, and water chestnuts, and cook for 5 minutes. 

Whisk together the black bean sauce and cornstarch mixture, and pour over the beef mixture. Cook and stir until the sauce is thickened, 5-8 minutes. Serve over the rice.

Serves 4-6.

Read more...

Rosemary and Olive Braised Pork Ribs

Country-style ribs are one of Joe's favorite foods. His version of braised ribs is to cook them slow and low in the oven with tomatoes, white wine, kalamata olives, and plenty of herbs. They're done when they fall off the bone with tenderness.

You can serve these with any side dishes you like, but on top of a pool of creamy polenta, it's blissfully satisfying cool-weather food.

3 pounds thick country-style pork ribs
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can (1 W500 g) plum (Roma) tomatoes, crushed, with juice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 fresh rosemary sprig or 2 tsp dry rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a dutch oven. Add the ribs and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Brown the ribs on all sides. Drain off the fat.

Add the rest of the ingredients, and half the olives. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover the pan. Place in the oven and braise for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and flaky. Stir occasionally and add a little water if the sauce becomes too dry. Sprinkle with the remaining olives before serving.

Serves 4.

Read more...

Vietnamese Grilled Steak Salad with Cabbage and Peanuts

After St. Patrick's Day, we had half a cabbage and absolutely no desire to eat any sort of cabbage dish that reminded us of winter. We were looking for something fresh and bright and not from this climate. This winter has gone on long enough, folks.

Joe dug around in our cookbooks and found this recipe from Melissa Clark's Cook This Now. Seriously, go pick up a flank steak and cook this - now. You'll be happy you did.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, such as nam pla or nuoc mam
Juice of 1 lime
1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

For the salad

2 carrots, peeled and shredded
10 cups shredded napa or regular cabbage (about ½ head)
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
¼ cup soy sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp ginger, grated
2 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4-pound flank steak, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped peanuts (note: if someone at home has a peanut allergy, try toasted slivered almonds or toasted sesame seeds instead)

Instructions

In a screwtop jar, shake the vinaigrette ingredients until well mixed. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve. Toss together the carrots, cabbage, and cilantro; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, zest, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil.  Place the steak in a dish or pan and coat with this marinade, being sure to cover both sides. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12. Remove the meat 30 minutes before grilling.

Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, and grill or broil over medium high heat about 3 minutes per side (for medium rare) or up to 5 minutes (for well done). Toss the cabbage mixture with half the vinaigrette, then arrange on a platter. Slice the meat thinly across the grain into strips and arrange them on top of the cabbage. Drizzle with the rest of the vinaigrette and sprinkle with the peanuts.

Serves 4-6.

Read more...