Sensible Sesame

There's no doubt that our commitment to P90X has me and Bill eating a bit differently than we did in the past. It's not that we were unhealthy before, it's just that we showed a bit less restraint because we love food so much. Now, a lot of people will tell you that when you make a healthy change like this you stop craving junk. Those people are liars.

There are days when I can think of nothing more spectacular than a giant banana spilt or an ooey, gooey slice of deep dish pizza. Add to these cravings the mysterious little Chinese fortunes that I keep finding in my purse or wallet (weird, I know), and you have a recipe for disaster. When I come across one of those thin, little strips of white paper proclaiming that my luck is about to change, I'm pretty sure it doesn't mean that calories suddenly don't count. Nonetheless, it makes me want nothing more than crispy fried, sticky sweet deliciousness in a takeout container.

Luckily, Martha Stewart must feel the same way. And so she came to my rescue when I landed on a lighter version of sesame chicken a few weeks ago. I immediately pinned that shiznit! I've had less-than-perfect experiences with some of Martha's recipes in the past, but this one proved to be a winner. The egg white and cornstarch coating gives the chicken just a little boost in the crisp department, and the sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and saucy (in fact, I was wishing there was more of it!). I'm not going to guarantee that you won't miss the crunchy, deep-fried batter you'll find on the real thing, but this is certainly a suitable substitute (at least until we reach a point when we can indulge!).

Lighter Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:
1 cup rice, uncooked

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 egg whites

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch chunks

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups broccoli, cut into large florets

Directions:
Bring 1 1/2 cups water and rice to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 18 minutes. When done, remove from heat, fluff with fork, and keep covered to keep warm.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce by combining honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare broccoli buy bringing a small amount of water to a simmer over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add broccoli, cover, and cook 4 to 6 minutes, until broccoli is bright green and tender.

Add broccoli and reserved sauce to skillet with chicken and toss to coat. Serve over rice.