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7 w w w. s p i r i t o f w o m e n . c o m W I N T E R 2 016 S P I R I T O F W O M E N PHOTOGRAPHED Y CHRISTINE PETKOV Recipe Hot and Sweet Chicken and Pepper Stir-Fry 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat (2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves can be substituted) 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon rice wine 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced 1 medium jalapeno chile, cored, seeded and minced 1 medium garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1½ tablespoons reduced- sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce Caulifower rice (recipe follows) Makes 4 (¾-cup) servings Per serving: 22 calories / 0.5 grams total fat / 2 grams protein / 4 grams carbohydrates / 160 milligrams sodium / 2 grams dietary fiber CUT chicken into 1-inch chunks. COMBINE cornstarch, rice wine and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. ADD chicken. STIR to coat and set aside. BRUSH oil on bottom and up sides of seasoned wok or deep skillet. HEAT over high heat 30 seconds. ADD onion. STIR-FRY 2 to 4 minutes, until translucent and turning golden. ADD bell pepper and jalapeno chile. STIR-FRY 2 to 3 minutes. REMOVE chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. ADD chicken to wok. STIR-FRY 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken chunks turn white. ADD garlic and gingerroot and stir-fry 30 seconds. STIR together broth, soy sauce and hoisin sauce. ADD to wok. STIR in reserved marinade. REDUCE heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce thickens and chicken is completely cooked. SERVE over caulifower rice. Makes 4 (1-cup) servings (without caulifower rice) Garlic and ginger are not meant for long cooking but can go into the stir-fry later in the process, adds Stein: "a fast flash for flavor." FINISHING TOUCHES As with vegetables, the protein ingredient should have enough body to stand up to the heat and be fast-cooking. Shrimp and chicken fit the bill on both counts, in addition to being lower in fat than some other protein sources. "I really like using shrimp; it's much lighter than even chicken when it comes to fat," says Mills. If you want to incorporate chicken into a stir- fry, experts differ on the best cut. Stein says she prefers the flavor of chicken thighs, while Mills suggests chicken breast, "significantly lower in saturated fat compared with dark meat." Of course, a stir-fry is only as good as its sauce. To create the sauce, combine broth and condiments and add the liquid ingredients toward the end of cooking. "You don't want it to evaporate too much and get salty," says Stein, who promotes nutritional cuisine (www.wellnesschef.com). Once the vegetables are tender-crisp, the protein is cooked through and the sauce has made for a savory finish, serve up your stir-fry over white or brown rice—or try cauliflower "rice" for a surprising and delicious change of pace (see recipe at right). • 1 medium head caulifower Olive oil cooking spray ¼ teaspoon salt Caulifower Rice TRIM away leaves from caulifower. CUT head into quarters. REMOVE center core. Either GRATE the quarters using a medium- hole grater, or process the pieces in a food processor ftted with a steel blade. SAVE any thick stem for another use, if desired. The caulifower should be light, fuffy and about the size of grains of rice. SPRAY olive oil spray on a large baking sheet with a rim. SPREAD caulifower out on baking sheet. SPRAY again with cooking spray. SPRINKLE on salt. ROAST in preheated 400-degree oven until caulifower is tender, stirring once, about 12 to 18 minutes. REMOVE from heat and keep warm. Per serving (using chicken thighs): 210 calories / 9 grams total fat / 23 grams protein / 8 grams carbohydrates / 100 milligrams cholesterol / 410 milligrams sodium / 2 grams dietary fiber 4 ways to make a healthier stir-fry 1. Cut back on sodium. Soy sauce is high in sodium, with more than 800 milligrams per tablespoon for most brands. Switch to a lower-sodium soy sauce and reduce the total amount you use too, says Libby Mills, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2. Use less oil in cooking. "Use a basting brush and smear the wok. You can coat the pan without using a ton of oil," says Mills. 3. Add favorful oils for taste. In place of excessive oil in cooking, season with sesame seed oil, for example. "I love sesame seed oil. It's very intense, and a little goes a long way," says Mills. 4. Serve stir-fries over healthier grains. Replace white rice with brown rice, whole-grain noodles, bulgur or quinoa.