Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin removed, meat shredded into thin strips (about 4 to 4 1/2 cups)
6 whole-wheat hamburger rolls
6 large green lettuce leaves

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, vinegar, molasses, pepper and liquid smoke and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add chopped chicken, return to a simmer, and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Split rolls. Place a leaf of lettuce on each roll, then pile on 3/4 cup of the chicken mixture onto the roll.

Per Serving:

Calories 440; Total Fat 12 g; (Sat Fat 2.5 g, Mono Fat 5 g, Poly Fat 3.5 g) ; Protein 36 g; Carb 47 g; Fiber 5 g; Cholesterol 95 mg; Sodium 400 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Zinc

Good source of: Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin K, Pantothenic Acid, Calcium

Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Ingredients

8 ounces rice noodles
12 ounces lean beef sirloin, fat trimmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, halved
1 4-inch piece ginger, unpeeled, halved
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
5 star anise pods
1 cinnamon stick
4 scallions
2 jalapeno peppers, preferably red and green
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 to 4 tablespoons fish sauce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts

Directions

Prepare the rice noodles as the label directs.

Meanwhile, place a large pot over high heat. Poke the meat all over with a fork to tenderize it and season with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until charred but still rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to a plate. Add the onion and ginger to the pot; cook about 4 minutes. Add the broth, 3 cups water, the star anise and cinnamon, reduce the heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the scallions and jalapenos (remove seeds for less heat) and tear the cilantro. Thinly slice the meat against the grain. Drain the noodles.

Add the fish sauce to the broth and boil 5 minutes. Discard the ginger, star anise and cinnamon stick. Remove and slice the onion. Divide the noodles among 4 bowls; top with the broth, beef, scallions, cilantro, bean sprouts, jalapenos and onion.

Lightened Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp, halved lengthwise
One 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced into matchstick pieces (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons dry sake
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cooking spray
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 cup snow peas, halved
2 carrots, thinly sliced on an angle
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and sliced root to stem
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Directions

Prepare the rice according to package directions, adding the cinnamon stick with the water. Fluff the rice, discard the cinnamon stick and set aside to cool.

Toss the shrimp with half of the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the sake, the vinegar and pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Let marinate 10 to 15 minutes. Mist a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the shrimp with the marinade and cook, stirring, until just opaque, 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.

Mist the same skillet and return to medium-high heat. Lightly beat the eggs and egg whites and add to the skillet. Cook until scrambled, breaking up with a spatula and transfer to the same plate as the shrimp.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat, mist with nonstick spray and add the snow peas, carrots, garlic, onions and remaining ginger. Cook, stirring, until softened and crisp-tender, 5 minutes. Transfer to the same plate as the shrimp and eggs.

Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the cooled rice, toss with the oil and pack in the skillet in a firm layer. Cook, without stirring, until the bottom of the rice is browned and crusty. Stir the rice and pack it in another layer. Repeat the process until the rice is well toasted and browned, and stopping if the rice seems to be getting dry. Add back the shrimp, eggs and vegetables along with the remaining 1 tablespoon sake and soy sauce and toss well to combine. Remove from the heat and top with the sliced scallions.

SERVES: 4 (MAIN); Calories: 363; Total Fat; 8 grams; Saturated Fat: 1 grams; Protein: 32 grams; Total carbohydrates: 37 grams; Sugar: 4 grams; Fiber: 2 grams; Cholesterol: 278 milligrams; Sodium: 520 milligrams