Saturday Chinese Eat In Instead of Take Out!

I have been back and forth to work this week and haven't been able to blog. We are still on a dinner budget. My bill at the grocery store was $88.11 with $34.83 in coupon savings. Finally I should be back to a normal check. Our budget was stretched due to Xmas holiday and school days off. (My paycheck was cut in half) I am glad though because it gave me a chance to clean out my freezer and pantry.

Some good news this week though. I may be a donor again for someone who needs a stem cell transplant. It will be two years since my last donation in April. If all goes well I will be donating around the same time. So that's even more incentive for me loose some pounds!

I am happy to report we are down to 18lbs of rice lol! I have been trying to make something with rice at least 2-3 times a week.

Today it was Chicken, Broccoli and Sugar Snap Peas in Hosin sauce. Dessert is a new recipe I saw on a new series on the Cooking Channel named "Hungry Girl." It's for Yum Yum Brownie Muffins. They were awesome!

First the Chicken Broccoli and Sugar Snap Peas

3 heads of broccoli cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 package sugar snap peas frozen
1 cup chicken broth
2 TBSP cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into 1 in pieces
1/2 onion diced
1/4 c Hosin Sauce
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP canola oil

Brown chicken over medium heat in the oil until no longer pink. Add onion and saute with the chicken for 2 minutes or so. Add chicken broth and soy sauce. Place broccoli over the chicken and cover with lid for 3-5 minutes until broccoli becomes tender. Stir in frozen snap peas. Take Hosin sauce and combine with dissolved cornstarch and warm water mixture. Add slowly to chicken broth in pan. Let come to a boil and remove from heat. Serve over white rice and top with chow mein noodles.

This is a easy very tasty and low cal idea I saw on TV last weekend.

Yum Yum Brownies from Hungry Girl on the Cooking Channel
1 box Devils food cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin pie puree'

Set oven to 400 degrees. Pour cake mix into a bowl and add pumpkin puree. DO NOT add eggs nor oil. I used a electric mixer and the batter came together quickly. I also used a ice cream scoop to divide the mixture into 12 muffin tins. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry. Allow to cool and serve with berries. I had mine with a dollop of fat free cool whip.
1 muffin is 181 calories, 3.5g fat 37g carbs, and 2g fiber.