I don’t like to cook as much as I used to. It cuts into my photography, scrapping and blogging time. It also messes up the kitchen. So I tend to serve simple meals: grilled meat (no sauce), baked potato or rice and a steamed vegetable. Not bad, quite healthy, but boring for sure. So, after having not cooked a single meal for 12 days and coming home to a fridge that was so empty it was frightening, I took out a cookbook, picked a recipe and went to the Co-op and bought all the necessary ingredients. Having a plan and writing it down was just what my addled brain needed. I wanted something healthy, tasty and interesting so I reached for my old cookbook “Rose Riesman Brings Home Light Pasta” which I’ve had for years. It’s an excellent source of low-fat, healthy pasta recipes. In 1995, the sale of this cookbook helped raise funds for Breast Cancer Research. The recipe is a real winner and was a huge success on this wintry first night back in the frozen north.
Orange and Pineapple Chicken Stir-Fry
10 oz linguine
10 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced
Sauce
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup orange juice
1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp soya sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 ½ tsp crushed garlic
1 ½ tsp crushed ginger root
Veggies, etc.
Veggies, etc.
2 tsp oil
1 ½ cups chopped asparagus
1 cup sliced sweet red peppers
1 cup chopped baby corn cobs
¾ cup sliced water chestnuts
1 cup pineapple pieces
¾ cup mandarin oranges
Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and place in serving bowl.
In large non-stick skillet sauté chicken with a bit of oil until browned but not cooked through, set aside.
Make the sauce: In small bowl combine sugar, stock, orange juice, cornstarch, soya sauce, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Mix well, set aside.
In skillet, heat oil; sauté asparagus and red peppers until tender crisp, about 2 minutes. Add corn, water chestnuts, pineapple pieces, sauce and chicken. Cook just until chicken is no longer pink and sauce has thickened slightly, approximately 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add mandarin orange pieces. Pour over pasta and toss.
Tips
Sauce can be prepared up to a day ahead.
Have all veggies chopped and ready before you start to cook.