Takeout Makeover: Crab Rangoon

Are you ready to have your mind blown? I just developed a recipe for tasty crab rangoon that have ONLY 41 calories a piece! And then take 15 minutes, start to finish, to make. Hold onto your hats because there is a bit of a back-story...

I was in a bit of a blogging slump this weekend. I love blogging, it is something that has become an amazing outlet for me as well as a way to connect with lots of wonderful people. My day job is very serious and analytical, so I appreciate the opportunity to be creative with food, writing and photography. But, as any food blogger will tell you, sometimes all the shopping, cooking, styling, photo taking, cleaning up, writing, posting, and editing gets exhausting. So I was feeling a little down about it and, of course, Craig comes to the rescue. He started throwing out dozens of yummy recipe ideas and offering to help with the cooking and clean up. He is such a sweetheart. One of the things he begged me to make was crab rangoon.

Now. I don't like crab rangoon. I've never understood the appeal of deep fried pockets of melted cream cheese. I will try one from time to time, but its not something I ever order or enjoy. Apparently, this puts me in the minority because most people think I'm absolutely insane. Our favorite new Thai place in Somerville, Sweet Ginger (see post about our visit there) makes curry crab rangoon, which is quite a nice twist. Everyone who tries them has raved (including the Boston Globe). So. Craig begs me to make curry crab rangoon and all of a sudden the wheels start turning in my head.....

I figured there has to be a better way to prepare these. So I thought about what I don't like about the ones I've had. First, that they are deep fried, and second, that there is so little crab and too much cream cheese. With my new inspiration, I set out to makeover the traditional crab rangoon. Make them light and healthy while keeping the delicious flavors and texture associated with the unhealthy version.

I am so happy to say these were a smashing success! I LOVED them. I couldn't stop gobbling them up. I made 24 and Craig and I demolished them in 5 minutes. Here's the best part: my skinny recipe has only 41 calories per rangoon!!!!!! So you can enjoy this indulgence without racking up a ton of calories. These also can be made in only 15 minutes.I was going to make a dipping sauce for these, but turns out the flavors are so intense that you don't need one at all. I decided to forgo the extra calories of a sauce and just enjoy the complex curry deliciousness.

Here's the deal: I bought some really nice jumbo lump crab meat (frozen will do fine if you thaw it first) and mixed that with curry powder, ground ginger and cayenne. I added just enough cream cheese to make them melty and creamy, but not to overpower the delicious crab and spices. I then placed wonton wrappers in a mini muffin tin, filled them with the crab mixture, and folded the ends over. 10 minutes in the oven and you are ready to serve. I am just bummed I didn't make these before the holidays - this would be a fabulous party food! Now I want to have a party just for an excuse to make them again...

Read more for the full recipe!
Read more »

Bok Choy Fried Rice

I love coming up with new versions of takeout-style dishes. One of my favorites is throwing together some random ingredients to make fried rice. In the early days of this blog, I featured one of my favorite quick dinner recipes, bok choy fried rice. You can see the original post here. I decided to make it again, with some updates and modifications.

I love this recipe for many reasons, but mostly because it is really quick. This recipe took me a total of 20  minutes to make, start to finish. It's packed with a ton of veggies, lean protein and fiber.

Read more for the full recipe!
Read more »

Chicken Empanadas with Ancho Chili Sauce

For my one year anniversary and 200th post, I wanted to make something yummy and special, but I didn't want to have to run to the store to get all new ingredients. Craig has been begging me for months to make empanadas, he recently discovered them at our local Peruvian restaurant and fell in love, so I figured tonight was the night. Empanadas are small stuffed pastries or breads that can be baked and fried. They feature prominently in most Latin American cuisines and are a popular and delicious street food. You can stuff them with almost anything, but it is usually a combination of meat, potatoes and vegetables.

I decided to make a Mexican inspired healthy empanada, using some of the fantastic dried chillies I picked up in Texas this weekend. My awesome Grandpa Joe took me down to the Supermercado near his house and I stocked up on lots of exotic dried chilies and spices. It is so hard to find authentic Mexican ingredients up in Boston, so I was in heaven. Everything in the store looked and smelled sooo fantastic. So, to go with my empanadas, I decided to make a spicy ancho chili sauce.

These empanadas are certainly not traditional. I made a bunch of substitutions to make them healthier. I used whole wheat flour, cut way down on the traditional butter and lard, and filled them with lean chicken breast and fiber-filled pinto beans. Instead of deep frying them, I just baked them until they got nice and crispy.

Full recipe and photos after the jump!
Read more »

Takeout Makeover: General Tso's Chicken

General Tso's Chicken is a popular Americanized Chinese take out dish that is super delicious and also super terrible for you. Battered and fried chunks of chicken thighs are tossed with a spicy and sweet sauce and usually served over white rice. I have always loved this tasty dish, but avoided it because of the high calorie, fat and sodium content. It seemed this was the perfect recipe for my next takeout makeover. Instead of deep frying dark meat, I baked some lean chicken breast and topped it with my own sauce, which is light on the sugar and sodium, while packing quite a spicy punch. I put this dish together in 20 minutes, so it's fast and easy for a weeknight. I apologize for the lack of step by step photos - my camera battery died while I was cooking this. The best part, one serving of this dish has only 236 calories! Pair it with some steamed broccoli and brown rice and you have a healthy and filling dinner.

Read more for the full recipe!
Read more »

Chicken Satay

Chicken satay is one of my favorite take out foods. The blend of spices and creamy dipping sauce makes for a tasty appetizer or main course. Because it's served on sticks, it is also an easy finger food for any party or get together you throw. There are many different versions of this dish, but this is a Thai inspired one. It is marinated in a lemongrass ginger marinade and then grilled (you can also use a George Forman Grill if you like) and served with peanut sauce. It takes some time to put together, but overall it is quite simple and soooo delicious!

Read more for the full recipe!
Read more »

Chicken Lo Mein

I decided to do another Takeout Makeover tonight using one of Craig's favorites: chicken lo mein. In Cantonese, lo mein means "stirred noodles," and this dish comes in many variations with all different combinations of meat and veggies. Traditionally, lo mein is a high calorie dish filled with sodium and fat. In this version, I used whole wheat spaghetti, lean skinless chicken breast, and lots of veggies. I also cut back the fat and sodium by using only one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and a small amount of low sodium soy sauce. Fresh garlic and ginger flavor this dish, which highlights lots of crisp fresh veggies. Next time you feel like reaching for a take out menu, try throwing this together instead.

Read more for the full recipe
Read more »

Bacon, Ricotta and Pistachio Pizza

Homemade pizza is always a special treat. This is a very unique combination of ingredients, but it makes for a delicious gourmet pizza. Crisp bacon and salty pistachios compliment the whole wheat crust and creamy ricotta. The secret to this pizza is to rub the crust with garlic and olive oil and bake it briefly before adding all the toppings. This adds a lot of flavor and character to the pizza. This is a filling meal, but could also be an impressive appetizer or dish to bring to a potluck.

Read more for the full recipe.
Read more »

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao is a classic dish in Sichuan cuisine, originating in the Sichuan province of Western China. This is a protein packed dish that has a robust, spicy flavor. At any western restaurant, this is a calorie bomb, but this version is very lean, packing only 276 calories per serving. Adjust the level of spice to your liking by using less sriracha sauce and chili oil. Ideally, you should use dried chilies for this recipe, but I have no clue where to buy those, so I made do with fresh. Serve over brown rice for a complete, 30 minute meal.

Read more for the full recipe
Read more »

Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

A takeout favorite, this is a Thai street dish filled with flavor and heat. Called drunken noodles because the dish was designed for late night partiers who needed a pick me up, the basil, chilies and lime create a unique flavor that is highly addictive. I made some changes to this dish, substituting brown rice vermicelli for broad rice noodles and adding lots of veggies. Lean ground turkey is a great choice for this dish, but shrimp or tofu would be just as tasty. The sauce is light and far lower in sodium than a traditional recipe, a little will go a long way. If you prefer a milder version, cut out the chilies. Best of all it's a quick 30 minute dinner that can be thrown together on a busy weeknight!

Full recipe after the jump.
Read more »