Soy Dressing (and salad)

We had egg rolls for dinner the other night (just frozen ones cooked in the oven - shocking!) and we wanted a salad. Michelle made a lovely salad with lettuce, carrots, sesame seeds, mandarin oranges, and chow mein noodles. However, we needed dressing for the salad and a dipping sauce for the egg rolls. I did a little thinking and came up with a single recipe that worked for both!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sushi vinegar (or 1/4 cup plain rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon sugar)
• 1/4 cup salad oil (soybean, peanut, or canola oils work well - not olive oil)
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 jerks Worcestershire sauce (about 1/2 teaspoon)
  

Directions

Wisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl until well combined. Drizzle over salad or use as a dipping sauce for egg rolls, pot stickers, sashimi, etc. You could also use it as a marinade for chicken or beef stir-fry.

Pita Pizzas

This week we had Italian Sausage and White Bean Soup. The recipe calls for only 1/2 a pound of sausage. With the leftover sausage we made Pita Pizzas.

6 wheat pitas
bottled pizza sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 pound Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 small can sliced black olives
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
4 ounces Canadian bacon
1 thinly sliced Roma tomato
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly oil two large baking sheets and lay pitas on them flat side down. Spread 1-2 tablespoons sauce evenly over each pita. Distribute mozzarella cheese over all the pitas. Pick up to three of the remaining toppings for each pita in your favorite combinations. Distribute Parmesan cheese over each pizza. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and the pitas are crispy on the bottom. Rotate the pans top to bottom halfway through.

Spinach & Turkey Skillet

I'm not normally a fan of turkey skillet recipes, but this recipe defies my expectations! It is by far the best sauteed turkey dish I've ever had. I think it's so tasty because it uses turkey breast cubes (which stay juicy) instead of ground turkey (which is dry, flavorless, and generally nasty!).

Ingredients

• 6 oz turkey breast tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ¼ C. chopped onion
• 2 cloves, garlic minced
• ¹⁄3 C. uncooked rice ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 C. fat free reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
• 2 C. fresh spinach leaves, torn (chopped collard greens or chard would also be nice)
  
• 2⁄3 C. diced plum tomatoes
• 3 Tbs parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

Season the turkey with salt. Heat oil in medium skillet. Add turkey pieces; cook & stir until lightly browned. Remove from skillet. Reduce heat to low. Add onion & garlic; cook & stir until tender. Return turkey to skillet. Stir in rice, Italian seasoning & pepper.

Reserve 2 tablespoons chicken broth. Stir remaining broth into mixture in skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes or until the turkey is just barely pink in the middle. Stir in spinach and reserved broth. Cover; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and spinach is wilted. Stir in tomatoes; heat through. Serve with parmesan cheese. Makes 2+ servings