photo credit: the daily green

As many of you know, I’ve always been a fan of Miracle Noodles. They are a 0 calorie pasta that are so versatile, they can be used in a variety of low calorie recipes. Recently, Rachael Ray prepared a fabulous Hot or Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe using Miracle Noodles, and it is truly an awesome dish. Traditional noodle recipes can rack up a LOT of calories and Weight Watchers Points. However, this slimmed down version, has just a 6 Point Total per serving, and the serving is HUGE!!! It’s half of the entire recipe!! And though this is not an official one of Rachael Ray Weight Watchers Recipes, it’s a great alternative dish that any dieter will appreciate. Sesame noodles are one of my favorite Asian Recipes, but I usually avoided them because of the calorie count. But now with this awesome Rachael Ray recipe, I can enjoy them once again!

Hot or Cold Sesame Noodles Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 or 2 7oz. bags of Miracle Noodles (the less noodles you use, the more the sauce is distributed, and the more flavorful the noodles are)
- 1/4 cup Kikkoman – Tamari Soy Sauce
- 1/4 rounded cup smooth peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter, softened in microwave 15 seconds on high
- 2 tbsp cider or rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dark sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
- 2 cups shredded cabbage and carrot mix
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Open bag of Miracle Noodles into a colander and rinse with warm water for a couple of minutes and boil for one minute, pat dry with a paper towel or small hand towel. Cut noodles with scissors to make smaller pieces.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together soy, peanut butter, vinegar, sesame oil, and hot sauce. Add noodles and veggies and toss to combine the noodles and coat them evenly with sauce.
Sprinkle scallions and sesame seeds throughout the salad and serve.

Or you can heat the sauce for a couple of minutes in a sauce pan, then add noodles and serve hot! It’s makes great leftovers the next day!!

Entire Recipe makes 2 servings
Each serving = 6 Point Total

P.S. If you are interested in seeing the Rachael Ray Clip with Rocco DiSpirito and Miracle Noodles it is here

I have always been a fan of low calorie Chinese fast food recipes, but this one really caught my eye, as sweet and sour chicken is my all time fave! This chicken stir fry recipe is pretty easy to prepare, and tastes great!! In the past, I’ve just used pre-made sweet and sour sauce, but this dish uses a sweet and sour sauce recipe, made from scratch, so the taste is really fresh. With just a 4 Point Total, this popular Chinese dish is loaded with protein and veggies, but also full of tangy flavor. Each nicely sized serving gives you a healthy dose of vitamins and antioxidants too. Though this is not an official one of weight watchers chicken stir fry recipes, it’s an ideal meal choice for any weight watcher who loves Chinese fast food as much as I do!

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:
– 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 oz thinly sliced carrots
- 3 stalks green onions, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 oz sugar snap peas, cut in half width-wise
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup canned pineapple in it’s own juice
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 packets Splenda sugar substitute

Directions:
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Spray a non-stick skillet with non-fat cooking spray and saute the garlic for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and brown over medium heat. Add the carrots, bell peppers, and peas, and stir fry for about 5-7 minutes (until the carrots soften a little bit). In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and cornstarch; mix. Pour into the skillet, along with the vinegar, pineapple, pepper, Splenda and ginger. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1-2 minutes (until the sauce thickens). Serve over some 0 point cabbage for added crunch and aesthetic appeal.

Entire recipe makes 2 servings
Each serving = 4 Point Total

Chicken Fried Rice is so delish, no matter where you have it. But it’s usually pretty greasy and carbohydrate heavy, and could end up costing you a lot of Weight Watcher Points. But this super awesome, low calorie Chicken Fried Rice Recipe not only boasts just 3 Weight Watchers Points per serving, but it tastes DELICIOUS!! Better than some of the fast food fried rice I’ve had! Plus, it’s so fast and easy to make, so if you need a quick side dish recipe to have on the table in minutes, this dish will work great! You can make it as is, or toss in any leftover vegetables you have on hand and bulk it up without adding any extra Points. The next time you are preparing a Chinese food dinner designed with Weight Watchers Recipes in mind, this healthy fried rice recipe will make a perfect addition. It’s loaded with fiber and vitamins, so not only will it keep you from using up all your Points, it’s actually quite good for you too!

Weight Watchers Chicken Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients:
- 2 sprays non-fat cooking spray
- 4 large egg whites
- 1/2 cup scallions, chopped, green and white parts
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 12 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup carrots, diced
- 2 cups cooked brown rice, regular or instant, kept hot
- 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add egg whites and cook, until scrambled, stirring frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.
Offheat, recoat skillet with cooking spray and place back over medium-high heat. Add scallions and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken and carrots; saute until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Stir in reserved cooked egg whites, cooked brown rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Makes 6 servings.

Serving size is 1 cup
Each serving = 3 Weight Watchers Points

Photo by blogchef.net

Orange Flavored Chicken, also mistakenly referred to as General Tso’s chicken, is a Chinese fast food favorite. The problem is, this dish is packed with tons of fat and calories. One average sized portion of orange flavored chicken can set you back 600-800 calories and over 30 grams of fat! Yikes! Those are some scary numbers. Instead, try this amazing Orange Flavored Chicken recipe that has 6 Weight Watchers Points per serving. It’s deelish!

Orange Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch strips
2 cup cooked white rice, kept hot
Rind of a small orange sliced into thin strips
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp peanut oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 medium scallions, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 dried chili pepper, minced
1 tbsp sesame seeds

**For added nutritional value, substitute the white rice with brown rice

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, broth, sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and vinegar, then set aside.
In a large skillet, heat peanut oil on medium-high heat. Add orange rinds, scallions, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add in the chicken and cook for approximately 6 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown.
Now mix in the sauce and let simmer until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the sauce starts to get thick, this should take approximately 3-4 minutes. On a plate, serve chicken and sauce over rice and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds

Serving size = 1 cup of chicken and 1/2 cup of rice

Weight Watchers has just released 3 awesome new 0 Points soup recipes! One of which is an Asian inspired soup. Not only is it full of amazing flavor and fresh healthy vegetables, but it’s also incredibly versatile and easy to make! This one was my favorite of the 3. Stay tuned to my posts over the next couple of days to get the recipes for the other two zero Points soup recipes. Also, check out the recommended Weight Watchers recipe variations too!

Asian Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups bok choy, chopped
2 cups Chinese cabbage, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh ginger root, thinly sliced and julienned
4 small oyster mushrooms, chopped
2 cups scallions, chopped
1 cup canned water chestnuts, sliced (8 oz can)
1/2 cup red pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup bean sprouts, optional
2 cups snow peas, stringed
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

Variations:
Try out the following additions to an individual 1-cup serving:
2 oz cooked shrimp, POINTS value: 1
2 oz scallops, POINTS value: 1
1/4 cup firm tofu, POINTS value: 1
2 oz shredded or cubed white meat chicken, POINTS value: 1
2 oz Chinese roast pork, POINTS value: 2
1/2 tsp hot/spicy oil, POINTS value: 1/2

*I used the Weight Watchers POINTS calculator to determine the POINTS for these recipe variations.

Put bok choy, Chinese cabbage, garlic, ginger root, oyster mushrooms, scallions, water chestnuts, red bell pepper, red pepper flakes and vegetable broth into a large soup pot; stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for about 10 minutes. Toss in bean sprouts, if using, and snow peas during the last 3 to 4 minutes of simmering.
Add soy sauce and cilantro. Serve.

Serving Size: about 1 cup

Weight Watcher Points = 0 WW Points Value

[SOURCE: Weight Watchers]

This slow cooker recipe for Asian Spiced Beans with Rice, complete with Weight Watcher Points, is one of the best I’ve ever had. It’s thick and hearty, and loaded with fiber and protein, so you feel very full with just one serving. If you really want to amp up your nutrients, you can substitute brown rice for the cooked white rice. I also preferred to use black beans instead of the red beans because I like the taste better.

Asian Spiced Beans Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup dry packaged Navy Beans or 1(15 ounces) can Navy Beans, rinsed and drained.
1/2 Cup dry packaged Red Beans or 1(15 ounce) can Red beans, rinsed and drained.
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 large carrots, diagonally sliced
2 to 3 teaspoons minced garlic, to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons minced ginger root or 1 to 2 teaspoons ground ginger, to taste
1 (14 1/2 ounces) can reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 Teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 to 3 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
4 Cups cooked rice
Sliced green onions or chopped peanuts for garnish

If using dry beans, in a large saucepan, place dry beans and cover with 2 inches water; heat to boiling; let boil, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Drain soaking water and rinse beans. Place soaked OR canned beans, chicken, carrots, garlic, ginger and 1 1/4 cups of the chicken broth in slow cooker; stir well. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender about 5 1/2 to 6 hours.

Turn slow cooker to high. Combine cornstarch with remaining 1/2 cup broth and stir into mixture in cooker; stir in crushed red pepper. Cover and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Serve over rice; sprinkle with green onions and peanuts.

Makes 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each.
Per serving: WW Points: 7, Calories: 375, Fat: 3g, Fiber: 10g, Carbs: 56g, Sodium: 285mg, Protein: 30g, Cholesterol: 46mg

This Asian spicy beans and rice recipe has only 7 Weight Watchers points value.