Summer Rolls with Crab and Mango

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. chili-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. Asian (dark) sesame oil
• 8 (6-inch) round rice paper wrappers
• 4 large Boston lettuce leaves, each cut lengthwise in half
• 1 small mango, peeled, pitted, and cut lengthwise into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 4 imitation crab sticks (6 oz.), each cut lengthwise in half
• 16 sprigs fresh cilantro

Makes 4 Servings (2 rolls and 1 1/2 tbsp. sauce per serving)

1. To make dipping sauce, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, honey, chili paste, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
2. To assemble rolls, working one at a time, dip rice paper wrappers in a bowl or warm water; let stand jus until soft, about 30 seconds. Place on clean kitchen towel. Place 1 lettuce piece in center of each wrapper. Top lettuce with one eighth of mango, bell pepper, and bean sprouts. Top each with a piece of crab stick and 2 cilantro sprigs. Fold in sides and roll up to enclose filling. Press gently to seal. Cut each roll in half on diagonal. Serve with dipping sauce. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. I don't eat Asian food often but when I make it at home, it's actually quite filling and tasty. The combination of crab, mango and vegetables is deliciously filling. Serve these as an appetizer and it will feel like a light lunch. When you handle the rice papers wrappers, always follow the directions. They can get sticky VERY fast and it can be challenging to wrap those around the filling. 

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.

 

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.