Spaghetti with Chicken, Bacon, and Spinach

*This is a great one to prep ahead: you see mine already portioned out for later. This is one of those tomato sauces that is better for sitting a day or two and reheating, and it also freezes well!

INGREDIENTS 

1/2lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

14oz rice noodles

1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 28oz can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes (if you can’t find San Marzano’s, just buy diced tomatoes)

32oz fresh spinach

Garlic

1/2C fat free half and half

3oz fresh Parmesan, grated

Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1C pasta water when done; drain.

Wilt the spinach in batches in a large microwave-safe bowl, three minutes at a time.

Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Sauté in a large skillet (I’m using cast iron) coated with pan spray until no longer pink. Remove chicken; set aside and tent with foil to keep warm.

Add garlic and tomatoes to skillet. Use a - well, I’m using one of those kitchen tools to break up hamburger, I don’t know what you call such things! A potato-masher would work too - use something to break up your tomatoes. Heat to a low simmer; add half and half and Parmesan. Keep at a low simmer five minutes.

In a large serving bowl, toss pasta, spinach, bacon, chicken, and sauce. Top with Parmesan for serving.

Servings: 8

Calories per serving: 310

Beef Lo Mein

This was supposed to be a beef and broccoli lo mein, but I somehow managed not to put broccoli on the grocery list. So it is turning into a beef, green bean, cauliflower, and edamame lo mein, because stir fries are good like that - you can toss almost any vegetables in them.

Rice noodles.

First off, you’ve got to have the right rice noodles.

Go to your local oriental market, order online (I’ve found them on Amazon, during the pandemic), or Thai Kitchen makes some that they sell at the local grocery stores. You want the ones whose ingredients are ‘rice and water’ or ‘rice flour and water.’

These rice noodles you don’t have to boil, just soak in  hot water for 7 minutes or so (longer if you’re using thicker ones). I’ve started my water boiling in the electric tea kettle while I get the beef ready.

As I get the beef sliced, I’m tossing it in a ziplock bag with soy sauce (maybe 2T), some sugar (probably just a teaspoon), and some cornstarch (probably 2T). Measurements aren’t all that important for a marinade. Toss it in the fridge for a few minutes.

I’m getting the green beans and cauliflower trimmed up and microwaved to tender-crisp, about five minutes each. 

Also steaming an 8 oz bag of frozen edamame. (Buy the shelled beans for this.)

Be steaming your veggies while the beef marinades and the noodles cook. 

Then mix your soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce together - IF YOU ARE GLUTEN FREE, NOTE THAT WOK MEI MAKES A GLUTEN FREE OYSTER SAUCE, AND YOU CAN BUY IT ONLINE! - and get your pan spray, ginger, and garlic out.

Pan spray, garlic, ginger into the wok until fragrant - then toss in the contents of your ziplock of marinaded beef.

Once your beef is done, toss in the tender crisp veggies and the sauce. Stir well. And - well, you can see here - I’d say toss the pasta in, but that won’t fit in my wok. So!

Serve hot over rice noodles.

*How about that?

EDITED: I made it again, with broccoli - I got my grocery list right this time, LoL!  Here is a picture of the beef and broccoli lo mein.

BEEF LO MEIN

1lb stir fry beef, cut into strips

Marinade: 2T gluten free soy sauce, 1t sugar, 2T cornstarch

14oz rice noodles

4 cups cauliflower florets

3 cups green beans

8oz frozen shelled edamame

Pan spray

3T ginger paste

3T minced garlic

Sauce: 1/4C soy sauce (such as Tamari), 1/4 C gluten free oyster sauce (such as Wok Mei), 2T sugar

Start water boiling to soak rice noodles. Cut beef into stir fry strips; add to a gallon ziplock bag with marinade ingredients. Stick beef in the fridge. 

Pour boiling water over noodles. Stir. Set timer for seven minutes; continue soaking, stirring occasionally. Drain noodles when al dente.

Trim green beans. Microwave 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring once.

Trim cauliflower. Microwave 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring once.

Steam edamame. Mix sauce ingredients together.

Coat wok with pan spray, turn to medium-high heat,  and add ginger and garlic. When ginger and garlic are fragrant, add contents of beef/marinade ziplock. Stirring, cook until beef is done.

Add vegetables and sauce. Stir until mixed. Serve over hot noodles.

Servings: 7

Calories per serving:  350