“Fake” Chinese Night!
Happy Friday all! Today’s guest poster is one of the most inspirational Weight Watcher Friends I know ~ Tracy of Tj’s Test Kitchen! She has lost a ton of weight by learning how to “healthify” her favorite foods and still enjoy everything she eats. Today she is sharing one of my FAVORITE things ~ Chinese!!!
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Hi Everyone! First I wanted to thank Danica for asking me to guest post for her while she is on vacation. I am slightly jealous I did not get asked to GO on vacation with her, but I will settle for a souvenir. Just teasin! hehe 
I grew up getting take out Chinese on a regular basis. I loved passing those cute to-go containers around, and then in my later years eating directly out of them. lol Now when I crave Chinese I try to FAKE IT at home. I love making meals that I enjoy out healthier at home. Here are a few of my favorite Chinese inspired dishes. These can be combined for a full meal or enjoyed on their own. If you decided to make any of these stop on by my blog to let me know how you liked it! I would love to hear from you!
www.tjstestkitchen.blogspot.com
Fake Chinese Night!
Tj’s Won Ton Soup
Serves 2 
INGREDIENTS
ANY pre-packaged frozen pot stickers-I used Trader Joe’s chicken (14 total )
2 whole carrots-peeled and sliced thin at an angle
handful of sugar peas
handful of fresh mushrooms- cut in 1/2
2-3 green onions-diced
couple of handfuls of bok choy-chopped up
1 inch piece of fresh ginger-peeled and cut in half
chicken bouillon
INSTRUCTIONS
I guess you can see how EXACT I am with measurements! lol Ok so I used 5 cups of water-adding 5 teaspoons of chicken bouillon to that. Tossed in the fresh ginger to also flavor the broth. Boil broth for 15 minutes to flavor. This comes out tasty! Then I added the carrots-boiled till cooked slightly-then fished those out. I cooked the mushrooms the same way-separately. Then in a microwave safe dish I cooked the pot stickers per directions on package- put those aside. Bring broth back to a boil- remove ginger pieces (throw away) add in bok choy, sugar peas, and green onions. Let boil a few minutes, then shut heat. I like all of the veggies still a little crisp- but you can cook them to your liking. Once bok choy is slightly cooked add in (cooked) mushrooms and carrots. Stir in cooked pot stickers. I serve mine with hot chinese mustard. ENJOY!
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Tj’s Fake "Fried" Rice
Serves 2 
INGREDIENTS
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup egg beaters
green onion-diced
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies-defrosted
splash (or two) of soy sauce
1 clove of garlic-pressed
2 teaspoons olive oil
splash (or two) rice vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large skillet or wok add oil, garlic-toss in rice and stir to mix & coat rice with oil/garlic. Add veggies and cook until heated through. Make a hole in middle of pan; add egg beaters and scramble until cooked. Stir entire pan, mixing egg into rice. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and green onion.
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Tj’s cream cheese stuffed won tons
Serves 2 
INGREDIENTS
10 THIN won ton wrappers (Stats for the kind I buy are CAL120/FAT1/FIBER7)
2 & 2/3 ounces cream cheese- 1/3 reduced fat (or use Fat Free!)
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped water chestnuts
DIRECTIONS
Mix cream cheese, onions, water chestnuts in a small bowl. Lay out 10 wrappers on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon cheese mixture evenly among all 10 won tons-place in the center of wrapper. Have a bowl of water close by to dip finger in and wet 2 edges of the square. Fold over won ton and press with your fingers. Spray with PAM and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes- Keep an eye on these! Might need more time- They go from not ready to burnt FAST! Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
Thanks TJ for making me crave Chinese food again…next time, come make it for me instead of showing me the pictures 
Be sure to stop by TJ’s Test Kitchen for more recipes like this and a lot of inspiration
CEiMB: Pesto Potato Salad & a Garden Update
Happy Tuesday all! I have another delicious Pesto & Pesto Potato Salad Recipe for you all today courtesy of one of my favorite Craving Ellie in My Belly Chefs, Liz of the Not So Skinny Kitchen. But, more on that in a few…It’s time for a few updates!
After one of my AWESOME readers ask how our garden grows, I realized it’s been a LONG time since I’ve given you all an update. I definitely do not have the green thumb of my mom or Master Gardener dad, but, we are not doing too bad. Some things are going great and others not so much.
I managed to kill our crook neck squash and zucchini before they ever got started so I decided to try something new…..
Here are the beginnings of Swiss Chard that I planted about a week ago
Our bell pepper plants are starting to get baby peppers on them….
I seriously get so freakin’ excited and call everyone over to check them out whenever I see a new one….yup, I am a total dork like that!
Japanese cucumbers….
We have lots of flowers and little nubbies coming in.
This would be our second basil plant – the first I accidentally let go to seed, but, I am doing a little better with this one.
Rosemary!
The Lemon Basil Thyme hasn’t been doing so well since Mr Stripey seems to be growling like a big bully of a tomato plant.
Meet Mr. Stripey ~ The Husband’s HUGE tomato plant that is turning into a total plant bully.
Supposedly Mr. Bully Stripey grows HUGE 18 oz tomatoes, but, so far we just have a ton of yellow flowers like this.
Our cherry tomato & snap pea plants are still going slowly but we get lots of little bowls of tomatoes here and there so I am happy about that
Maybe I am better off sticking to the Farmer’s Markets, but, I am still learning and having fun at it. So far, I’ve managed to grow things a lot better than I ever have before…I guess my Green Acres Farm Days did help a little growing up 
Breakfast started off with a little Decaf French Vanilla!
Plus 1 svg of Honey Bunches of Oats with 1 cup of Blueberries & 1 c Fat Free Milk (5 points). I LOVE cereal but it usually never fills me up for long.
I managed to make it through to lunch without a mid morning snack, but, I am pretty sure it was the Farmer’s Market samples that got me through. The market was a total bust today…everything I wanted was out….I managed to score a few cookies, a little Bolani (but not the PUMPKIN I wanted), corn and tons of fruit.
However, all was made right in the world when I got to have another OctoberFeast BAVARIAN PRETZEL CROSSAINT with ham & cheese!!! <3 (9 points and worth every bite)….If you all live near Berkeley or go to the Napa or Davis Farmer’s Markets go check them out and get one of these!!! AMAZING is all I can say and I am not even a croissant person.
On the side, I had some leftover Fresh Tomato/Corn Salad over mixed greens.
Ahhh, I totally want to do this all over again….good thing I bought some of their Pumpkin Seed Bread to try tomorrow
Sadly when we stopped to say hi to Annie The Baker she was sold out ~ seriously 
! But, not letting that be a clue that I probably didn’t need the calories, we headed into the OxBow Market to Ritual Coffee to score some of her cookies (they just started carrying them )
I shared with my co-worker and chalked up cookies for my afternoon snack (4 pts worth!)
I have to admit I was really excited to try out wee before last week’s CEiMB recipe, but, I never had time to make it until now. You can check out the full Ellie Krieger Pesto Potato Salad recipe over on Liz’s site.
I absolutely adore PESTO especially when nuts are involved and I get to use my cool steamer/noodle cooking pan.
I pretty much followed the recipe, but, subbed the pine nuts for roasted walnuts. I roasted them over medium heat for about 5 minutes until toasted.
You whip up your pesto in just a few simple steps using your food processor.
Whirl your walnuts until finely chopped.
Add your fresh basil, lemon juice, garlic and parmesan cheese.
Process until smooth.
Season to taste with Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
NOTE: I LOVED this pesto, however, I think next time I would blanch the basil and possibly add more lemon juice to make it creamier versus thick like I do in my Low-Fat Pesto or this pesto pizzettas Recipe. It is delicious though and you can totally taste the roasted walnuts.
Making the Pesto Pasta salad is even easier than the pesto.
Chop up a red & yellow bell pepper.
Add our red potatoes that you steamed for 20 minutes, then quartered.
Plus about 1/3-1/2 cup of pesto, sea salt, black pepper and a little crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to combine and chill 2 hours.
Super easy, super delicious and I LOVE the idea of having a non-traditional potato salad. We both LOVED it and will definitely have it again.
Alright all ~ that’s all I’ve got for now…I am off to start Twenties Girls or maybe catch up with The Next Food Network Star ON DEMAND
See you all tomorrow for Wordless Wednesday!
Summer of POM: Pomegranate Nectarine Crisp with Low-Fat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
This is the FINAL week of the POM Summer Recipe Series and I am ending it with DESSERT!!! Nectarines, Peaches, Pomegranates, POM Juice topped with a crumbly brown sugar butter crispy topping and Home Made Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt.
I can honestly say I make a bunch of crisps, cobblers and crumbles any chance I get in the summer because the fresh produce is AMAZING!!! I honestly don’t discriminate – I LOVE all toppings ~ oat, pastry, sugary/brown buttery flour ones….paired with sweet, juicy, in season fruit and cool creamy frozen yogurt that just melts in your mouth…..YUM! I have a hard time not justifying eating them Crisps for breakfast too
Today’s recipes was a total experiment that turned out to be over the top good and it’s incredibly EASY to make. This is definitely the perfect finish…Enjoy!
Pomegranate Nectarine Crisp with Low-Fat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, frozen and grated
7 Nectarines or Peaches, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds, divided, plus 1 Tbsp for topping (optional)
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup POM Wonderful 100% POM Juice
Nonstick cooking spray
Low-Fat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt (Recipe to make your own below)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine first four ingredients in a blender or food processor; pulse four times or until crumbly. Set aside.
3. Combine apple and next five ingredients in a large bowl; toss gently to combine. Spoon apple mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with crumb mixture.
4. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings (serving size: 3?4 cup). , 4 points each
Nutritional information per serving, excluding frozen yogurt
STEP-BY-STEP:
I used a combination of white/yellow nectarines and peaches. Slice and combine with your POM seeds.
Gently stir in your sugar through POMWonderful Juice.
Pour your nectarine filling into your prepared 8×8 baking dish.
Make up your TOPPING.
You could put the topping in your food processor and pulse it, but, I LOVE (not having to wash as many dishes) using my grater ever since I learned about it when I made Low-Fat Strawberry Scones.
You freeze your butter then use the large side of your cheese grater to grate it!
Stir until crumbly and combined.
Just for fun, I added 1/4 Cup of Fresh POM Seeds to the topping too.
Sprinkle topping over your filling.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until golden
While you are letting your POMwonderful Crisp cool, whip up a batch of Home Made Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt.
It only takes 20 minutes to make and it’s super EASY! The BEST part about Home Made Froyo is you can count it as dairy and it tastes a million times better. You will never want to buy it again
Note: Do not USE Low-Fat or Fat Free Half & Half or Milk ~ it will make it icy and like ice milk. (I’ve tried, but, found this to be the best combination of fat/fat free). You need a little fat and a little alcohol to keep your frozen yogurt from turning into a rock when you freeze the leftovers.
Low-Fat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Sugar
1 1/4 cup Whole Milk
2 1/2 cups 0% Greek Yogurt (I used Trader Joe’s Brand)
1/4 cup half and half
1 Tbsp Bourbon Vanilla Extract
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Using a whisk of a hand mixer on low speed, combine the sugar and milk stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
2. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and freeze according to your Ice Cream Maker instructions.
Makes 10, 1/2 cup servings, 2 points!!
Nutritional information per serving:
Top your Nectarine Pomegranate Crisp with a 1/4 cup scoop of your Homemade Low Fat Vanilla Frozen Yogurt and additional POM seeds. You totally don’t have to share and this works great for breakfast too…just sayin’
Be sure to visit the kitchens of the other POM Series Chefs to find out what else is on the menu for week 4 of the Summer of POM:
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WEEK 1 SUMMER OF POM ~ SUMMER BERRY POM~TINI
WEEK 2 SUMMER OF POM ~ Bruschetta & Caprese Salads with a Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction
WEEK 3 SUMMER OF POM ~ POM INFUSED CHIPOTLE BBQ CHICKEN WITH FRESH CORN SALAD
That’s all!!! I am sad it’s over, but, I am glad you all now have FOUR FULL SUMMER OF POM Recipe collections that will give you everything you need to create fresh, healthy summer eats all summer long
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