Thai Chicken Legs

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Asian fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. granular sugar
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 2 tsp. grated lime zest
• 1 tsp. Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 (1/2-lb.) whole chicken legs, skinned

Makes 4 Servings (1 chicken leg per serving)

1. Combine the garlic, ginger, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro,yo mint, lime zest, chili paste, and salt in a zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
2. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare the grill for a medium-hot fire.
3. Lift the chicken from the marinade and place on the grill rack. Discard the marinade. Grill the chicken until well marked and an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 165 F, 8-10 minutes on each side.sian dis

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. If you're craving takeout food, PUT DOWN THE PHONE!! You can make this dish in 30 minutes or less and you'll be just as happy and satisfied. If you love Chinese takeout, you'll love this dish. Thai food has all the flavors you crave: spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, hot and aromatic. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in place of the legs and your meal will taste just as delicious. Thai roasted chili paste is a condiment that is made from crushed roasted red Thai chiles, granulated sugar, tamarind, dried shrimp and other spices. It has a smoky and spicy flavor to many Asian dishes.  Grilled Thai chicken is absolutely delicious you'll have it again.

Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

 

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, sliced
• 1/2 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1/4 lb. carrots, peeled & sliced thin
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. red curry paste
• 1 tbsp. lemon grass, chopped
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 (1 cup) Servings

1. Heat a small saucepan. Add olive oil and onion; cook over low heat until translucent. add garlic and ginger; cook until aromatic. Add carrots and broth. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
2. Drain off 1/4 cup of liquid. Set aside.
3. Puree the remaining carrots and liquid until smooth. Set aside.
4. Heat a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add canola oil red curry paste, and lemon grass. Cook 1 minute or until aromatic. Add reserved carrot liquid, carrot puree, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This homemade soup that is nice and comforting. I don't eat canned soup anymore because homemade soup is much tastier and healthier for you. Don't be intimidated by this soup. Carrot soup is actually delicious when it's mixed with the right ingredients such as ginger, onions or garlic. You will really enjoy this soup when you get in from the cold. You'll enjoy this soup so much you'll forget it's good for you.

Shrimp & Pineapple Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1 tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. Thai green curry paste
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 tsp. Asian fish sauce
• 1/2 lb. snow peas
• 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Makes 4 Servings (1 1/4 cups per serving)

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, curry paste and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp turn pink, 1-2 minutes.
2. Add coconut milk, pineapple juice, and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add snow peas and pineapple chunks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until snow peas turn bright green and pineapple is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. If you're thinking about ordering Asian takeout, PUT DOWN THE MENU AND PUT DOWN THE PHONE! You can make this dish any night of the week for dinner and you and everybody else will be satisfied. If you love pineapple and coconut, this savory dish is for you. This dish will fill you up with the shrimp and vegetables. You can use broccoli in place of the snap peas and you can add cooked brown rice to this dish to make it more filling ( but the points value will go up about 3 points).

 

 



Vietnamese Pork Rolls

Ingredients:

 

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp. Asian fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp. fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• pinch red pepper flakes

Pork:

• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 lb. pork cutlets
• 1 (1/2-lb.) head napa cabbage, shredded (3 cups)
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 8 large Boston lettuce leaves
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. For the dressing: Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
2. For the pork: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium meat. Season pork with salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned, 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and slice into thin strips. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.
3. Combine cabbage, bell pepper, and remaining dressing in a large bowl. Lay lettuce leaves on a clean, dry work surface. Divide pork among leaves. Top with cabbage mixture and roll tightly, tucking edges in as you go. Place rolls, seam side down, on a cutting board, cut in half, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. Who says you can't enjoy healthy Asian food? These rolls are like protein sandwiches without the bread. They are so good you will not miss the bread or any other carb that accompanies it. Don't be intimidated by these rolls, they are not hard to make. You can also add other vegetables such as onions, radishes and/or cucumbers to make these rolls even more filling. If you don't want to eat them as rolls, the pork is just as delicious with sautéed onions, peppers and snow peas too.

 

Thai Shrimp Soup with Lime and Cilantro

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 3 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 (1/2-lb.) head napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1 1/2 lbs. fresh or thawed frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp Asian fish sauce
• 2 tsp grated lime zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Makes 4 (2 1/4-cup) Servings

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger and onion; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add broth and red pepper flakes; increase heat and bring soup to a low boil.
2. Add cabbage and cook 2 minutes. Add shrimp, fish sauce, lime zest and lime juice; cook just until shrimp turn pink, about 1 minute. Serve hot, sprinkled with cilantro, if using.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook. This is a wonderful hot soup that will quickly fill you up and leave you satisfied. I've always wanted to try Asian soup and shrimp. My mother and I had this soup for dinner last night and it  was so delicious. I never thought I would like hot Asian soup but I did as did my mother. The lime and ginger gave this soup a nice zing to it. You can also add diced carrots or cooked soba noodles to this soup when you're on later phases as well a scallions for a heartier and more authentic Asian taste. If you are craving Asian food but you don't want to go out, this soup taste lust like what you  would get at a restaurant and it's quick, easy and delicious.

Vietnamese-Style Vegetables with Rice Noodles

Ingredients:

• 2 ounce rice noodles
• 1 tbsp chili paste (from a jar)
• 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets (4 cups)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 4  lime wedges

Makes 4 Servings

1. Place noodles in a mediun bowl, cover with very warm tap water, and soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. While noodles are soaking, in a small bowl whisk together chili paste, fish sauce, lime juice, and vinegar.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil ove medium-high heat. Add broccoli and toss to coat; cook, tossing gently, until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer broccoli to a plate.
4. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the shillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add pepper, onion and zucchini; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables arejust beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Return broccoli to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes more. Stir in chili paste mixture, cover, Add cilantro and toss again. Divide among 4 plates and serve warm with lime wedges.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Just because it's not summer, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy summer meals in the comfort of your home. I have really come to love Asian food and I have never tried Vietnamese before. I have passed this recipe a  number of times and the picture looked so good I had to try it. This dish was LOVE AT FIRST BITE! I loved this dish because it was spicy and tangy from the flavors of chili paste, Asian fish sauce and rice vinegar which are common in Vietnamese cuisine. I really loved this dish because I loved all the vegetables with the rice noodles. The vegetables really filled me up and I really liked the rice noodles. If you love Italian pasta dishes, you will enjoy this dish. It's totally better than ordering Asian takeout, TRUST ME!! The scent of this dish is not too strong and it's really filling and delicious. This colorful dish is perfect for vegetarians and meat lovers as well. And if you really want to fill yourself up, add some shrimp. The next time you think about ordering Asian, takeout, PUT DOWN THE PHONE! Cook this dish and everyone will be happy.

 

Asian Turkey Meatballs in Lettuce Cups

Ingredients:

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Pinch of red peppers flakes

Meatballs:

• 1 lb. ground turkey breast
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 12 large Boston lettuce leaves
• 1 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup mint leaves

Makes 4 (6-meatballs) Servings

1. For the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and pepper flakes; set aside at room temperature.
2. For the meatballs: In a large bowl, stir together turkey, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Form mixture into 24 (2-inch) meatballs.
3. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Add meat balls in 2 batches and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5-7 minutes for each batch.
4. Lay 3 lettuce leaves on each of the 4 plates. Place 2 meatballs on top of each leaf. Top meatballs with cucumber and mint leaves, drizzle with dressing, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Who doesn't love  a hearty meatball once in a while? Just because summer is over it doesn't mean you can't enjoy these tasty little treats. I have come to really love Asian food since I started cooking 4 years ago. When you think of meatballs, you normally think of Italian food served with some kind of pasta. Meatballs can be enjoyed in any kind of ethnic palate of any meat. These meatballs are on Phase 1 because there are no breadcrumbs in these meatballs. I really loved these meatballs because they they were spicy, sweet and hot with a cool and refreshing aftertaste from the mint and cucumber. These treats are great for a light lunch, after a workout or even for a dinner party. Forget going out to that local Asian restaurant or order takeout. Cook these Asian treats at home in 30 minutes or less and you'll be happy.

 



Thai Grilled Beef with String Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. flank steak
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
• 1/4 tsp chili paste or 1 tsp seeded and minced serrano chile
• 1 tsp granular sugar substitute
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat the grill or grillp an to high. Rub steak on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill until desired doneness, about 4 mintes per side for mediun-rare. Remove from heat and set on a cutting board for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, chili paste, sugar substitute, cilantro and scallions in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a saucepan of salted water until boiling. Add beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain.
4. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Toss with lime juice mixture, adding any meat juices that have accumulated on the cutting board; add beans, toss and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. It was a hot day and I wanted to cook something quick and easy. I am becoming more accustomed to Asian flavors the more I experiement with them. I must say Asian flavors leave a nice, refreshing aftertaste in my mouth. You could order this steak dinner at a restaurant but this dish is easier to make at home. Asian fish sauce sound exotic but you can find it in the Asian or international section of your grocery store. Mint and cilantro are common herbs used in Thai cooking; I highly recommend usgin a combination of mint and cilantro for more of a pick-me-up flavor. I also highly recommend seasoning your steak with garlic because garlic adds flavor and makes everything better.

Pork Kebabs with Scallion-Chili Paste

Ingredients:

• 6 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp Asian fish sauce
• 1 tsp chili paste (from a jar)
• 1 1/2 lbs. pork top loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp canola oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 (12-inch) skewers

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a food processor, combine scallions and cilantro; pulse until finely chopped. Add vinegar, fish sauce, and chili paste; process untila rough paste forms, about 30 seconds. Transfer scallion-chili paste to a medium bowl, add pork, and turn to coat well.
2. In another medium bowl, toss zucchini with garlic and oil. Thread pork and zucchini evenly onto skewers, alternating pieces.
3. Lightly coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and heat ot medium-high. Grill kebabs, turning frequently, until pork is just cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and serve.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. The weather was nice and I wanted to grill my dinner and I was in the mood for Asian. Asian food grilled is so delicious. If you don't have skewers, don't worry. You can grill the pork as a whole and put the zucchini and other vegetables wrapped in tin foil and have grilled roasted vegetables as a side and your meal will be just as delicious. The scallion-chili paste may not look appealing but it tastes really delicious. Chili paste is universal and can be used in dishes such as burgers, stir-fries, homemade sauces and condiments and even in eggs.