Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Credit: The Comfort of Cooking
Recipe: http://www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/08/crock-pot-honey-sesame-chicken.html?m=1

Cochran Comments: This was super easy and super yummy! Lots of flavor. I only did a few things different from the recipe. I used 2 pounds of frozen chicken thighs. I threw them in the slow cooker, and generously seasoned them with salt and pepper. I didn't do both sides as the recipe indicated since my chicken was frozen. I would've thawed and seasoned both sides if this wasn't a last minute dinner effort. I then cooked my meal for 3 hours on high since the chicken was frozen. They were done and tender.

I removed the chicken and made the sauce as indicated. After the sauce thickened, I threw in about a cup of frozen sweet peas and let them cook in the sauce on warm until we were ready to eat (15-20 mins). I opted to omit the scallions because my boys are not fans, and added peas to incorporate a veggie. It turned out great, and everyone was happy.

As for the rice, I made four servings of brown Jasmine (sticky) rice in our rice cooker. This was the perfect amount. The quantity of chicken suggested in this recipe made 4 servings plus a small toddler serving for our family. We had some sauce leftover, but not an obnoxious amount. I think what I'll do next time is go ahead with the entire 3 lb bag of chicken and follow the same sauce measurements. Enjoy!

Below is a picture of our meal:

Chinese take out with a healthy focus

Guess who didn't make dinner last night? Me! We ordered Chinese take out per my husband's pleading to satisfy a recent craving. Is your jaw off the floor yet? :)

Why am I blogging about take out on my food blog, you may ask. Well, since our son was born we have done our best to keep eating healthy, but sometimes sleep deprivation and time have made eating out and sweets appealing more often than my waistline can handle. I'm really trying to stay focused on a healthy lifestyle again. Usually, I think all indulge and no smart choices when we decide on take out. What's the point, right? However, this time I agreed to take out, but did some research about making healthier choices before my husband got home.

Having a healthy lifestyle is about cooking at home, exercise, and making intelligent choices when you indulge while eating out. I found my research very eye opening and thought you may, too.

References:

• http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/healthy-chinese-food
• http://www.fitsugar.com/How-Order-Healthy-Chinese-Takeout-24048436

Worst:

• Crispy
• Egg Rolls
• Spare Ribs
• Sweet & Sour
• Fried Rice

Best:

• Soup
• Chinese Vegetables
• Dim Sum/Dumplings
• Steamed, or other safe words Jum, Chu, Kow, & Shu
• Stir Fry - ask for light on oil

Top Soups

1. Wonton
2. Egg Drop
3. Hot & Sour

Top Meals

1. Moo Goo Gai Pan
2. Kung Pao Chicken
3. Beef & Broccolli

Tips:

• Ask for your food to be cooked Stock Velveted (in vegetable stock as opposed to oil). This can save 150-300 calories and 15-30 grams of fat.
• Always ask for half sauce. The ideal sauces are hot mustard, hoisin, and oyster. Sauces like sweet and sour, BBQ, General Tso's, etc have a lot of corn starch, which pack on the pounds.
• Have some fun, and use chopsticks! This will result in less sauce consumption and eating slower... all great things for eating healthier.

Hope this helps you next time you decide to enjoy take out! Enjoy!