LO MEIN AND CHINESE LONG BEANS WITH HOT CHILI SAUCE

We love Chinese food in The Food of Love kitchen, but the cost to our collective waistlines means we don't eat it as often as we'd like. While I make stir fry, some of the tastier items in Column A aren't as figure friendly.Yet I found myself craving some lo mein and some of those great green beans that appear on every Chinese buffet, but unwilling to use two days' worth of points to pay for it. The recipe for Chinese long beans with hot chili sauce was very points friendly. With a bit of tinkering, I was able to produce a satisfying lo mein that came in at just 7 points for a generous serving. If I didn't tell you this was a healthy version, you would not suspect it all.

Lo Mein - 5 servings, 7 WW pts per serving
1/2 lb spaghetti
1 pkg shredded coleslaw mix (dry)
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
1 small red pepper, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or substitute cooked pork or beef or raw shrimp)
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 T creamy peanut butter

In a large pot, cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Place the coleslaw mix in a colander in the sink. Reserve a 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta into the colander over the coleslaw.

In the now empty spaghetti pot, heat the oil and stir fry the onion and pepper for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chicken and stir fry another 2 minutes, until the meat is just heated. Add the soy sauce and the Worcestershire sauce, the 1/2 cup of pasta water, and the peanut butter. Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients. Add the pasta and coleslaw mix, turn down the heat, and simmer until the watery liquid is nearly evaporated.

Chinese long beans with hot chili sauce (from Take 5)
4 Servings - 1 WW pt per serving
1 lb Chinese long beans--or green beans
1 tsp dark sesame oil
2 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 tsp Asian hot chili sauce
1 tsp brown sugar

Place the beans in a large steamer basket and set in a large saucepan over 1 inch water. Cover and steam 5-6 minutes. Refresh with cold water to keep the color of the beans bright green.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the garlic. Cook, crushing the garlic with a spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and chili sauce; sprinkle with the brown sugar and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.
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TASTE NOTES
Both the lo mein and the beans got a big thumbs up. I had read the trick about using the coleslaw mix a while back and filed it away. This was the perfect opportunity to put it to use. The sweet and spicy beans would have been good with almost any protein and I'll definitely be making them again. I had no idea what Chinese long beans look like, but there was nothing bearing that name in my supermarket. The lo mein went together so quickly that it, too, will be included in our rotation of favorites. Nothing is as satisfying as being able to recreate a favorite meal at home that is both delicious and healthy.