Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp canola oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets
1 Tbsp ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World), divided
2 Tbsps water
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper *
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth **
2 Tbsps hoisin sauce **
2 Tbsps rice wine vinegar **
2 Tbps low-sodium soy sauce **
1 tsp cornstarch **
4 garlic cloves, minced **
2 Tbsps coarsely chopped salted peanuts
Cooked rice

Combine broth through garlic cloves in a small bowl & stir with a whisk; set aside
Heat 2 tsps oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat
Add 1 tsp ginger, crushed red pepper, & chicken
Cook 4 mins or until chicken is cooked, stirring frequently
While chicken cooks, heat 1 tsp oil in smaller nonstick pan over medium-high heat
Add broccoli & 2 tsps ginger to pan; sauté 1 min
Add 2 Tbsps water; cover & cook 2 mins or until broccoli is crisp-tender
Remove from heat; keep warm
Add broth mixture to chicken mixture & cook 1 min or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly
Add broccoli to pan; toss to coat
Serve over cooked rice with peanuts sprinkled on top

* My husband & I like spicy food - I increased the amount of red pepper flakes to about 1 1/2 - 2 tsps

** My husband & I also like sauces a lot, I doubled the amount of sauce to ensure we'd get lots of sauce to go with the rice

Walnut Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
3 Tbsps buttermilk
1 cup finely ground walnuts
1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 package mixed salad greens
2 - 3 carrots, chopped
1 cup (4 oz) shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend
16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half *
Salad dressing of choice (I used Italian)

Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin
Brush buttermilk evenly over chicken
Combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, & salt in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in mixture
Pour oil into a large skillet; place over medium-high heat until hot
Add chicken & cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden
Remove from heat; cool slightly
Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices
Combine salad greens, tomatoes, & carrots and arrange on each of 4 individual plates
Sprinkle with cheese, top with chicken, & add salad dressing

* I used on the vine tomatoes because the store was out of cherry tomatoes