Chicken Stir-Fry...and Weight Watchers Diet

I have to be all honest with you...although, I've been good this week keeping up with my points system and staying away from unhealthy snacks, but last night I kind of "fell off the wagon"...NO! not the drinking "wagon" since I decided even with my favorite Chardonnay white wine, I am only enjoying that, once a week...even if that! Every point counts, and I don't want to jeopardize it with empty points, but I did. Last night, I just didn't feel like making dinner, so I bought some freshly made sushi, from our local supermarket. Ate the entire 8 pieces...will get to that, later!

Still loving my Weight Watchers Diet, the points are easy to keep track of, knowing that every recipe in the book gives you the points per serving. I made the Stir-Fried Chicken this past Thursday, and I was really proud with my progress of eating healthy, since I started the diet this Monday. When things go wrong, my problem is munching on snacks, that I normally don't do...I end up throwing out bags of chips, crackers, (no boxed cookies), peanuts, things of that nature, but this Friday, I ended up finishing all the chips, peanuts, crackers w/ cheese, so I lost track of my points. I will go into explaining "why" in another post, just want to concentrate on putting this post up, before my train of thought gets carried away.

Chicken Stir-Fry 
 adapted slightly from; Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

2 Tbsp. low-sodium chicken broth
( I used 1 Tbsp. organic vegetable soup base
and stirred it in 1 cup of water)
1 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
(I also added 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar)
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. corn starch
1 teaspoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
3/4 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast
cut into strips (I used skinless boneless chicken
thighs, cut into small chunks)
2 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp. peanut oil (I used canola oil)
8 scallions cut into 1 inch length
(I used sweet onions cut int halves,
and sliced into thin strips)
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
(I used 1/2 teaspoon)
12 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch length
I used a bunch of fresh green beans,
cleaned one ends, (you can cut them in half)
1 cup trimmed watercress
I used fresh organic carrots sliced (about 3)
also, I used yellow squash sliced thin

To prepare the marinade, in a zip-close plastic bag,
(I used a medium size bowl) combine the broth, ginger, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, (cider vinegar) brown sugar, corn starch, and sesame oil.Add the chicken. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air.(If you are using a bowl, add the chicken and turn to coat with the marinade.Cover with a plastic wrap.) Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, stirring occasionally, or if using the bag, stirring the bag, occasionally.

Drain, and discard the marinade. (I kept 1/2 cup of the marinade to add 1 more teaspoon of cornstarch, and add at the end.

Heat a large nonstick skillet (I used a wok) until very hot.
If you're using sesame seeds, add to stir-fry until golden.
2-3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

 In the same skillet, heat the peanut, or canola oil,. Stir-fry the scallion, or (onion) garlic, red pepper flakes for 2 minutes.( Add the asparagus, sliced carrots yellow squash, and (or if using beans, boil them first till still crisp for a few minutes) add these to the skillet, or (wok) and stir-fry.
Add the chicken and (watercress if you're using it)
Stir-fry until chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
Add the 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade, if you would like to have a nice thickened sauce, and let it come to a boil. (you can omit this process if you don't want the sauce)
Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. (optional) I served it over Jasmine rice.
Weight Watchers points value: 4 with sauce, and rice, 6 points
4 servings

linking to: Cookbook Sundays #5 @ Couscous-Consciousness




My choice was the mango topped,sushi, with shrimp, and seaweed salad

Yesterday, late afternoon...I was on a mission to cook something healthy from my Weight Watchers cookbook, but I was feeling so "low" and sad because my poor Prince (kitty) is rapidly getting worse, and I have to make a serious decision to have him "put down" Dr. Eric wanted to do this 6 months ago, and I wouldn't let him, so now it's time because he has serious kidney failure, although he is not in pain, he is "wasting away"
 (...again, I postponed it but time is running out...sigh!)

 Here's the talented sushi chef, Tang, who makes theses sushi rolls fresh, every day. Prices range from $6.99 to $10.99, which are the fancy ones, that I bought! The advertisement for Publix, is "where shopping a a pleasure" and believe me, it is a huge pleasure to shop at my local Publix market, where they always greet you with a smile, and ready to help you in any way!

Alaska Surimi Seafood Lettuce Cups

Alaska Surimi Seafood Lettuce Cups, from Taste Pavilion, in San Francisco

With more holidays just around the corner, how does anyone find the time to do all the cooking, baking, Christmas shopping, taking photos, uploading them, and  posting stories, and recipes? As for myself, not easy! I have not baked any cakes, cookies at all for awhile, but did make hearty soups, and seafood dishes, but just did not want to post about them, although they were delicious, and totally my creations...just off the "top of my head" recipes! Sometimes, I get into these moods where I think, "why should I even bother to take photo, try to remember the ingredients used"...why?...who really even cares, other than my family, or friends!?...well, obviously they do/did care, or I would have leftovers! Just not feeling up to "par"...must be the "holiday blues"...when it should be the most joyous occasion!

Alaska Surimi Seafood Lettuce Cups

12 oz. Alaska Surimi Seafood
1 1/2 cups cooked rice (preferably short grain)
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup avocado, peeled, and chopped
1 cup Asian style salad dressing, bottled (preferably with ginger and wasabi)
1/4 cup pickled ginger chopped, for garnish
1/2 cup toasted seaweed (nori) for garnish, (optional)
3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds for garnish
1 head iceberg lettuce

Lettuce cups:
Cut off the bottom third of the lettuce head. Soak lettuce top in ice water for 10 minutes-this will help separate the leaves, one at a time to make the cups. Using scissors, trim each lettuce cup to form circles. A head of iceberg should yield 8 to 10 lettuce cups. Save the lettuce core for chopped lettuce salad.

Salad:
Combine Alaska Surimi Seafood, cooked rice, cucumbers and avocado in a large bowl. Add salad dressing, toss to coat all ingredients. Place lettuce cups on a large plate and fill each with about 1/2 cup of the surimi-rice filling. Garnish with pickled ginger (optional,) nori (optional) and sesame seeds to serve.
Makes 4 servings, ( 8 lettuce cups)

Can't believe it's been 1 month since we were at the 3rd. Annual Blogger Festival! So much fun, such fond memories, totally enjoyed all the blogger friends I met up in person, the sights were incredible, the food, the bakeries, especially the BOULANGERIE, that was about 2 blocks away in Japan town, where Jo and I stayed at the cute little Tomo Hotel, after the Foodbuzz Festival ended.

So sorry to show these photos without description...had an entire step-by-step instruction on them, and my link with Zemanta seemed to have "swallowed" the link up, when I clicked to change format, so it maybe out there on their link that I link to. I do love the Zemanta program, linking your posts, and you, finding links, but sometimes I wonder where my photos, and links end up!

Would have loved to pick at least one of each!

Such amazing tarts, and cakes

My dear food blogger friends...Nami, from Just One Cookbook, and Jo from ChicGorgeous at the bakery

Brenda, graciously let me take photos preparing delicious sandwiches for their daily lunch!

House For Sale...anyone interested?...I know I would love to have a Victorian style house.

Hotel Tomo, on Buchanan