Chinese Chicken Salad

This is INSANELY yummy. I went back for thirds. The end.

"This chain restaurant classic needed a serious makeover, and we started by nixing anything from a can. The salad bar pile-ons (chow mein noodles, sprouts, snow peas, fried wonton strips, and water chestnuts) also got the ax, and instead, we started with crisp romaine lettuce and Napa cabbage, bell peppers, fresh cilantro, and scallions. To keep the title ingredient from tasting like an afterthought, we eschewed rotisserie chicken, instead poaching boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a flavorful mixture of soy sauce, orange juice, rice vinegar, and ginger. We whisked more of the same mixture with sesame and vegetable oils to make a bold dressing for our salad and finished the whole thing off with orange segments—fresh, of course—and crunchy roasted peanuts. Serves 6."

You can substitute one clove of minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for the Asian chili-garlic sauce.

2 oranges
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), sliced thin
1/2 small head napa cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups)
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
6 scallions, sliced thin

1. Cut thin slice from top and bottom of oranges, then slice off rind and pith. Working over bowl, cut orange segments from thin membrane and transfer segments to second bowl; set aside. Squeeze juice from membrane into first bowl (juice should measure ¼ cup).

2. Combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sugar, and chili-garlic sauce in bowl; transfer ½ cup orange juice mixture to 12-inch skillet. Slowly whisk vegetable oil and sesame oil into remaining orange juice mixture to make vinaigrette; set aside.

3. Bring orange juice mixture in skillet to boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meat registers 160 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to plate and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, boil pan juices until reduced to 1/4 cup, 1 to 3 minutes; set aside. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Off heat, add chicken, any accumulated juices, and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette to skillet. Toss to coat and let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Toss romaine, cabbage, bell peppers, cilantro, peanuts, and scallions with remaining vinaigrette in large bowl. Transfer to serving platter and top with chicken and oranges. Serve.

Grapefruit & Avocado Tostadas

I totally loved these and not just because the fresh flavors and crispness has broken up the monotony of our cold-weather soup and slow cooker routine, but rather, at 147 calories each you can inhale three of them and not be stuffed with guilt. Makes 6 servings.

6 yellow corn tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups fresh grapefruit segments (squeezing and reserving juice from the membranes)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced into rings
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips and halved on the bias
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
salt and black pepper to taste
Queso fresco cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil, transfer to a baking sheet, and bake until crisp, about 15 minutes.

Toss together grapefruit, avocado, jalapeno, bell pepper, cilantro, cumin, and coriander in a large bowl. Season mixture with salt and black pepper, then add 1 tablespoon of reserved grapefruit juice and toss.

Divide topping evenly among tortillas. Sprinkle queso fresco over each tostada to garnish.

Per serving: 147 cal; 8g total fat (1g sat); 0mg chol; 9mg sodium; 19g carb; 5g fiber; 2g protein