Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

So lately we have been trying to be a little more conscious of what (and how much) we eat in a real solid attempt at getting healthier! So far, I have to say it is actually working, which is really rewarding seeing results. This isn't about to become a weight loss or fitness blog though, don't you worry. I thing I made this week was Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken from Skinnytaste. I cannot recommend this website enough, they seem to have everything made a little healthier. This particular meal is extremely pad thai adjacent, but much easier, and with fewer ingredients than anything authentic. The best part about it - a whole bowl like this is under 500 calories.

To make the sauce you will need:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 5 tbsp (70g) smooth peanut butter
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 inch (26g) minced ginger
• 3 cloves (11g) garlic, minced

You will also need:

• 8 oz rice noodles
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 cloves (24g) garlic, minced
• 1 cup (74g) green onion, chopped
• 1 cup (99g) carrot, shredded
• 2 cups (177g) broccoli stalks, sliced thin into slaw
• 1 cup (59g) bean sprouts
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tsp lime juice

1.  To make the sauce, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, sriracha, honey, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a medium pot. Simmer over medium-low, stirring until smooth (about 10 minutes). Leave on low until ready.
2. Boil a pot of water and cook the rice noodles according to their directions. Add cooked noodles to the sauce and stir thoroughly. Leave covered on low.
3. Heat sesame oil in a large pan. Cook the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Remove cooked chicken from pan and slice into strips.
4. Add garlic, green onions, carrots, broccoli, and bean sprouts. Saute until tender.
5. Add chicken, sriracha, soy sauce and lime juice, stir to mix.
6. Add noodles and sauce and mix thoroughly. Enjoy with lime!

Shrimp Scampi

This is one of my favourite dishes to make - so easy & fresh, and it seems pretty healthy, too. I first found a recipe similar to this called Dawn's Shrimp Scampi, which is no longer easy to find on the internet (there is a Dawn's Scampi, it is not the same). Anyways, its a light pasta and shrimp dish where the freshness of the lemon makes all the difference!

To make this, you will need:

• 6 oz fettuccine
• 1/4 cup panko
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 lb shrimp (I cook from frozen)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp black olives, sliced

1. Cook the pasta.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook until shallots are soft (about 5 minutes).
3. In the meantime, combine panko, lemon zest, and parsley in a small bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, combine wine, stock, lemon juice, and olives.
5. Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook on each side until opaque.
6. Stir in the wine & broth mixture, bring to a boil for 1 minute, then reduce heat.
7. Stir in the noodles and the panko mixture. Enjoy topped with fresh grated Parmesan!

A note about the shrimp: it doesn't really matter what kind or how big - I usually just get whatever is on sale. I like to make sure they aren't precooked, and it definitely easier if you get them already deveined and shelled.

Creamy Kale & Sausage Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Here is a delightful use of kale that disguises how terrible it is! Okay, so maybe it isn't terrible, but I definitely bought too much of it and had to find a way to make it a little less offensive. I originally found the recipe here, but made some changes - including the olive oil bechamel I found here. This dish was tasty the first time around, and made fabulous lunch leftovers. We just picked up a couple of sausages from the deli, but really any sausage would do.

To make this, you will need:

• 12 oz fusilli
• 2 savoury cured sausages, sliced
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups of kale, ribbed and chopped (packed)

1. Cook the pasta, keep 1 cup of pasta water for sauce.
2. Cook the sausage in a large skillet on medium-high heat until fat is no longer white (about 10 minutes).
3. Add sun-dried tomatoes and garlic, cook until fragrant (about 5 minutes).
4. Add vegetable stock, stir to combine & let simmer for 15 minutes - prepare the bechamel in the meantime.
5. For the bechamel, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small pot.
6. Add flour while whisking constantly until flour is blonde (about 5 minutes).
7. Add milk while whisking. When boiling, whisk constantly to avoid burning until thickened
8. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan cheese, and add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add kale to the large skillet and mix to cook until kale is tender (about 5 minutes).
10. Add pasta and sauce to the skillet and stir to coat evenly. Add pasta water to desired consistency (I added the whole cup of reserved pasta water for a creamier mix). Enjoy!