Whenever I go out to eat at a chain restaurant, I always look at the nutrition facts before I go. They usually scare me away because of the high calories or high fat. T.G.I. Friday's is a somewhat new chain restaurant in my hometown, and I somehow always end up there. The only thing I get there is the Asian Zen pot stickers at 500 calories and 10 grams of fat per order, which isn't too bad seeing as I make it my meal. The only issue I have is that at around $10 with tip every time I go there is a little steep for an appetizer, I mean come on, I'm a broke college student! Top the night off with a few coors lights and we're already at around $20. So I began researching how to make lower calorie pot stickers that were affordable. I was able to put T.G.I Fridays to shame by cutting their calories and fat in half, along with making 5 batches for the same price as one order there. Another great thing about this recipe is that it actually calls for you to freeze them before eating, so it's a quick meal from the freezer to boiling water. Dinner in about 5 minutes, once you've done all of the prep work. The main recipe I'm focusing on here is the Pot stickers, since the Lo Mein is so easy - Whole wheat pasta, sliced scallions, cooked diced carrots and onions, throw it all together with some sesame seeds, soy sauce and teriyaki sauce and there ya go!
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of wonton wrappers (I buy the nasoya brand which is located in the tofu section of the grocery store.)
- 8 oz of ground turkey
- 1 cup of small diced carrots
- 1 cup of small diced onion
- 1 cup of small diced celery
- 1 tbsp of light sodium reduced soy sauce for recipe and additional if you want to use it as a dipping sauce.
Directions:
For filling- heat up the ground turkey in one frying pan and cook until there is no pink left. Add the tbsp of soy sauce and set aside. In another frying pan, heat up the diced carrots, onion, and celery until the onions are transparent looking, or until the veggies are fully cooked. Once those are done, combine it with the ground turkey mixture. Mix all of the ingredients well, and you have your filling! Now to make the pot stickers. Take one wonton wrapper and lay on a flat surface. Spoon in about 1/2 tbsp of the mixture into the center of the wonton. Wet the edges of the wonton wrapper with water by using your finger tip. Seal the edges together in an accordion fashion for design. If this part is too tricky, just crease them in half. They'll taste the same, just won't have the design look to them. Repeat for all 40 wontons. Once you are done, place them on a cookie sheet with wax paper sprayed lightly with pam. Place entire cookie sheet in the freezer. Wait about an hour or until they are completely frozen. Take out only what you want to eat since the rest need to stay in the freezer until boiled. Take a large cooking pot and put a steamer inside (like you're boiling broccoli.) Fill up with water just under the edge of the steamer. Make sure to spray the metal part of the steamer with pam. Place on high and wait until the water is boiling. Once the water is boiling, place your desired amount of pot stickers in the steamer and cover with a lid. It only takes around 3 minutes or so for them to fully cook. You will know when they are done when the wontons look clear and the centers are mushy. Thats all! I usually also use soy sauce as a dipping sauce for them.
Nutrition facts for 4 pot stickers (This recipe should make around 40)
Calories- 132
Carbs- 18
Fat - 2
Protein- 9
Sodium- 335 (without dipping soy sauce)
Fiber- 2
