Healthier Versions Of Your Favorite Take-Out Foods

1. Vegetarian Potstickers

Ingredients

for 6 servings

3 tablespoons oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

2 cups mushroom, finely diced

¼ cup bell pepper, finely diced

2 cups cabbage, shredded

2 cups carrot, shredded

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

1 cup green onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 tablespoons cooking sherry

1 teaspoon sugar

wonton wrapper

2 teaspoons oil

¼ cup water

dipping sauce

soy sauce

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a deep pan or wok over medium heat and cook onions, ginger, and garlic until onions are translucent.

2. Add mushrooms and bell peppers to the pan. Cook until mushrooms are soft.

3. Add cabbage, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely.

4. Once mixture is cool, add cilantro, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking sherry, and sugar. Mix well.

5. Place a spoonful of the mixture onto a wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in water and run it around the edge of the dough.

6. Fold in half and pinch together, pleating the dough as you go.

7. Heat more oil in a large skillet and place dumplings in the oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until a crust has started to form on the bottom. Pour the water in the pan and cover with a lid. Steam for 6-8 minutes, remove the lid and remove from the pan.

8. Enjoy!

2. Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

For the sesame chicken:

3 (8 ounce) chicken breasts

1 teaspoon ground pepper

⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce

⅓ cup honey

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sriracha

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

6 cups broccoli

For the garnish:

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons green onions

PREPARATION:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and place in a slow cooker.

2. Season the chicken with pepper. Add low-sodium soy sauce, honey, tomato paste, garlic, sriracha, ground ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Stir and cover.

3. Cook on low for 2 hours.

4. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Mix water and cornstarch to make a slurry and pour into the leftover juices.

5. Cover and let sit on low for 15 minutes.

6. In the meantime, steam broccoli in a colander over some boiling water. Cover with a lid and let sit for 8-10 minutes or until the broccoli is soft.

7. Add the chicken pieces back into the sauce and stir until chicken is well-covered.

8. Serve chicken on top of the broccoli.

9. Enjoy!

3. Cauliflower Pizza

Ingredients
for 2 servings

1 head cauliflower

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 500˚F (260˚C).

2. Remove the leaves and stem of the cauliflower.

3. Transfer pieces to a food processor and rice the cauliflower by pulsing it in the food processor, or by shredding it on a box grater.

4. Once riced, transfer to a large bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. Let it cool down for a few minutes before handling!

5. Transfer cooked cauliflower to a clean towel and wring out as much liquid as possible.

6. Place wrung cauliflower in a bowl and combine with mozzarella, oregano, basil, salt, garlic powder, and an egg. Mix well.

7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Place cauliflower mixture in the middle. Spread out the mixture and form a circle out of the cauliflower mixture, pushing along the edge to raise a “crust.”

9. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the crust has become golden brown in the center and on the edges.

10. Top with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings, being careful not to overload the pizza.

11. Bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese has fully melted.

12. Enjoy!

4. Baked Buffalo Wings

Ingredients

for 1 serving

1 lb chicken wings

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

BUFFALO SAUCE

1 cup hot sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C.

2. Remove excess moisture from chicken wings with a paper towel.

3. In a large bowl, stir in baking powder and salt until chicken is thoroughly coated.

4. Bake on a baking rack for 1 hour, or until golden brown and crispy, flipping every 20 minutes. (For best results, place baking rack on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or foil to catch drippings).

5. In a skillet, combine buffalo sauce ingredients on medium heat.

6. Then stir in chicken wings until fully coated.

7. Serve with your favorite side dish or dipping sauce.

8. Enjoy!

5. Veggie Burrito Bowl

INGREDIENTS

For the veggie burrito bowl:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 zucchini squash, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon thyme leaves

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 ¼ teaspoons salt

4-6 8-inch flour tortillas

For the toppings:

guacamole

pico de Gallo

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.

2. Turn a muffin tin upside down, and stuff tortilla shells into the spaces between the cups so that the tortillas form a bowl shape. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and crispy.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Toss in the diced bell peppers, zucchini, salt, cayenne pepper, thyme, and garlic, and sauté until the vegetables have softened, about 8 minutes.

4. Add in the cannellini beans and sauté just until the beans have fully warmed through, about 2 minutes.

5. Divide the mixture evenly between 4-6 tortilla bowls. Top with guacamole and pico de gallo and serve.

6. Enjoy!

6. Chicken Teriyaki Fried Rice

Ingredients
for 4 servings

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1 cup teriyaki sauce

2 teaspoons oil

½ cup onion, diced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

½ cup carrot, diced

1 cup broccoli floret

3 eggs, beaten

3 cups brown rice, cooked

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Marinate the chicken in teriyaki sauce in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

2. In a wok or deep skillet, add the chicken in the teriyaki marinade and cook thoroughly over high heat. Set aside.

3. In the same pan, add the oil and cook onions, garlic, and carrots until onions are translucent.

4. Add broccoli and cook an additional 3-4 minutes. Push all of the cooked vegetables to the side of the pan.

5. Beat the eggs and pour into the cleared half of the pan. Scramble the eggs and mix with the rest of the vegetables.

6. Add rice, cooked chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Mix well and let the rice cook until slightly crispy.

7. Enjoy!

7. Sweet Potato Nachos

Ingredients
for 2 servings

2 sweet potatoes, small

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 skinless chicken breast

2 cups black bean

1 jalapeño pepper, optional

½ cup low-fat cheese

½ avocado

pico de gallo, optional

green onion, for garnish

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).

2. Evenly slice sweet potatoes into rounds.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, toss rounds with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until well-coated.

4. Lay rounds flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet and set aside.

5. On a second parchment-lined baking sheet, season chicken breast with olive oil, salt, and pepper, to taste. Wrap the parchment around the chicken, folding at the edges.

6. Bake the sweet potatoes and the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

7. Allow both to cool. Then, shred the chicken using two forks.

8. Line the bottom of a medium-sized skillet with the sweet potato rounds. Top with shredded chicken, black beans, jalapeño if desired, and cheese. Broil for 5-10 minutes or until toppings are heated through and cheese is melted.

9. Garnish with avocado, pico de gallo, and green onion, if desired. Serve immediately.

10. Enjoy!

8. Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Ingredients
for 2 servings

1 lb flank steak, cubed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups broccoli, diced

STIR-FRY SAUCE

½ cup soy sauce

¼ cup honey

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon ginger

1 tablespoon sesame seed

Preparation

1. Mix together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil over a nonstick pan and add beef stirring until brown.

3. Pour sauce in pan and stir to coat meat.

4. Once the sauce is bubbling, add the veggies to the pan and stir again to coat.

5. Cook until meat is cooked through and veggies are soft.

6. Serve over rice or alone.

7. Enjoy!