Beef Lo Mein

I love to order Chinese takeout, but it really doesn’t help me much when it comes to eating better and watching my weight.  So, I was excited when I noticed a Beef Lo Mein recipe in The Best of Cooking Light Everyday Favorites.  As I mentioned before, I don’t follow recipes well.  As per usual, I switched this one up a bit.  It was originally a recipe for six, but since I was just cooking for my husband and me, I cut everything in half.  I switched up the veggies quite a bit, and I used Barilla Plus pasta instead of regular pasta… It adds a few extra calories, but it also adds a lot of protein and fiber, which I think is a fair trade.

I like the idea of posting the nutrition facts on my recipes – at least the recipes that are meant to be somewhat healthy.  If I come up with a fabulous dessert, I might have to skip the data – sometimes you just don’t want to know!  So, here are the stats on this recipe – for about 3 servings:

Calories: 445; Total Fat: 12g (Sat Fat: 3g); Cholesterol: 67mg; Sodium: 749mg; Carbs: 47g; Fiber: 6g; Sugars: 14g; Protein: 38g

Ingredients:

(Adapted from The Best of Cooking Light Everyday Favorites)

• 4 ounces thin spaghetti (I used Barilla Plus)
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 5 ounces broccoli florets
• 5 ounces snap peas, trimmed
• 8 ounces lean beef (I think I used flank steak), thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons garlic chili sauce (sambal oelek)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• Toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions and drain.  Set aside.

Be sure to prep all of the ingredients before you start stir frying since everything will cook quickly! In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic chili sauce, and sesame oil.  Set aside.

Add the peanut oil to a large skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add the the vegetables and stir fry for 2 minutes.  Add the beef and continue to stir fry for an additional 4-5 minutes, until the beef is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Add the noodles and the sauce to the pan and cook for an additional minute.  Remove from heat.  Serve topped with toasted sesame seeds.