Crunchy Chinese Salad

This is an easy kid-friendly recipe that's great for Chinese New Year. Making your own dressing with natural sweeteners like honey helps avoid the high fructose corn syrup found in many commercial salad dressings. Your kids will be introduced to different greens that are more nutrient dense than the usual iceberg lettuce. The nutritious almonds are a crunchy alternative to fried chinese noodles. 

Crunchy Chinese Salad (serves 4)

Salad Ingredients
4 cups shredded Napa cabbage (or green cabbage)
1 cup sliced bok choy

Topping
1 12 oz can Mandarin oranges (drained)
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Dressing
1 t Chinese five spice powder
1 T soy sauce
2 T honey
1/8 cup orange juice (with heavy pulp)
3 T sesame oil
1 T rice vinegar

Directions

1. Place shredded cabbage and bok choy in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, make the dressing: Combine Chinese five spice powder, soy sauce, honey, orange juice, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Whisk until oil is mixed in well.
3. Pour dressing into salad and toss. Divide salad among four plates and top with mandarin oranges and sliced almonds.

Thai Chicken Burritos

Save money and make your own gourmet burritos! These are flavor-packed, nutrition-packed portable meals. Note that you can make extra and freeze them in Ziploc bags. To eat, defrost overnight and heat in microwave.

Ingredients

For Chicken

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 T light brown sugar

2 1/2 T low-sodium soy sauce

2 t grated fresh ginger

1 t grated lime rind

1 garlic clove, minced

For Peanut Sauce

2 T light brown sugar

3 T low-sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 T fresh lime juice

4 T natural-style, creamy peanut butter

1/4 t crushed red pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

Thin out with water if necessary

For Filling

2 cups Jasmine rice, cooked

2 cups broccoli and carrots, blanched (cut into 1-inch pieces, drop into boiling water for about 3 minutes, then rinse in cold water)

4-6 large white flour tortillas

Directions

1. To make chicken, combine all the ingredients in a large Ziploc bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let marinate. Spread out the chicken strips on a baking tray and bake uncovered at 375F for about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. To make peanut sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl.
3. To assemble burritos, divide filling into 4-6 servings. Pile rice, chicken, peanut sauce, and vegetables in a heap on one side of the tortilla; fold sides in and roll up.