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love a recipe that’s full of flavor, healthy and easy!  This one is all 3 and tastes so good you won’t even know you are eating healthy. What makes it healthy you may ask?  It is low cal, low fat and full of lean protein and veggies. Just don’t tell that to the guys- lol. At least our guys that is.  If they get an inkling that it’s “low fat” or “full of veggies” they automatically veto it. BUT… they all LOVE this dish! This will just be our secret of course.   Of course you can always make it healthier by reducing or skipping the dipping sauce and choosing lower sodium ingredients when possible. You might like to serve this with baked sweet potatoes, brown rice or quinoa to round out the meal.  

INGREDIENTS for 4 – 6 servings

6 tbsp. soy sauce (low sodium works great)

6 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

5 tbsp. hoisin sauce

3 tbsp. Smooth or crunchy peanut butter (the low cal peanut butter powder works great in this recipe)

1 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

½ cup of diced zucchini

½ cup of matchstick cut carrots (diced would work as well)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1tsp. Ground ginger (if you use fresh is should be 1 tbsp.)

Red pepper flakes to taste

1 lb. ground chicken breast (be careful to buy ground breast, regular ground chicken is not all very low in fat or calories)

1 small can of diced water chestnuts

5 green onions, thinly sliced

1 bunch of chopped, fresh Cilantro

1 cup of raw bean sprouts

Large leafy lettuce -leaves separated (I use regular iceberg but any variety you like will work.  You could even skip the leaves and put this over a bowl of bagged salad for a different spin), and two limes, quartered for serving

DIRECTIONS

• Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk or blend (I like to give it a whirl in my Ninja mini) together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut butter, red pepper flakes and sesame oil. (reserve half for dipping later)
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onions, carrots, zucchini and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then stir in water chestnuts, garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more. Add ground chicken breast and cook until opaque and mostly cooked through, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. 
• Pour in ½ of the sauce sauce and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces slightly and chicken is cooked through completely. Place about ⅓ -½ cup of chicken meat into lettuce leaf and top with a sprinkle of sliced green onions, cilantro, bean sprouts a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of the reserved sauce.  Delish!