No Takeout Tonight

This is a recipe I got from my friend Laura. It's from one of the Weight Watcher's cookbooks; unfortunately I'm not sure which one so I'm not able to site the exact source. The original recipe is for Spicy Orange Beef, however I usually substitute chicken instead. It's a great, healthier alternative to ordering takeout when you have a craving for Chinese food.


I make this dish all the time. It makes a great weeknight meal, as it does not require too much prepping. It's also very easy to adapt, depending on your tastes. This time, I used red and orange bell peppers with some onions, but that's just what I had on hand.

Spicy Orange Beef (Chicken)
from Weight Watcher's


3/4 lb beef top round, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into thin strips (I used 2 chicken breasts)
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp grated orange rind
1/2 cup low sodium beef broth (I used chicken broth)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
4 tsp canola oil
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 lb green beans, halved crosswise (I omitted these)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips (I used 1 red and 1 orange bell pepper)
1 carrot, cut into thin match stick thin strips (I used 1/2 small onion, chopped)

Combine beef, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and orange rind in medium bowl; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch, broth, orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, and chili garlic sauce in small bowl; set aside.

Heat nonstick wok or large, deep skilled over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in 2 tsp of oil, then add beef. Stir fry until cooked through, 2-3min; transfer to plate. Swirl remaining 2 tsp oil, then add ginger. Stir fry til fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add green beans, bell pepper, and carrot. Stir fry until crisp tender, 2-3 minutes. Add broth mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add beef and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Makes 4 servings
1 serving = 1 cup = 227 cal, 8 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 16 g carb, 2g fiber, 22g protein