General Tso's Chicken (A bit lighter)

General Tso's Chicken

(adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine issue pg, page 34)

1/4 cup corn starch

1 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 teaspoons ginger (freshly grated or jarred)

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

2 large egg whites

salt and pepper

1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Brown Rice

~Cook rice according to package or rice cooker.

~In a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add snow peas, garlic, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and red pepper flakes; toss to combine and set aside.

~In another bowl, whisk together egg whites, remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.

~In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Lift half the chicken from the egg-white mixture (shaking off excess) and add to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining oil and chicken, set aside (reserve skillet)

~Add snow pea mixture to the skillet. Cook until snow peas are tender and sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to skillet (with any juices); toss to coat. Serve with brown rice.

Sesame Orange Shrimp

Sesame Orange Shrimp

(Adapted from Martha Stewart's Every Day Food, #13 page 76)

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sesame seeds

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten free)

1 tablespoon sugar

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

Steamed white rice

~In a large blow, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until frothy. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

~Heath 1/4 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches, cook shrimp until golden and crisp, 2-3 minutes per side; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Add more oil to skillet if necessary for remaining batches.

~Wipe skillet with a paper towel. Add orange juice, soy sauce and sugar; boil over high heat until syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup, 4-5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; add scallions and cook until heated through and coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

~Serve over steamed white rice.