Turkey-Jasmine Rice Meatballs with Baby Bok Choy

Jasmine rice has a pleasant aroma that underscores the other Asian ingredients, but any long-grain white rice will work to help keep the meatballs moist and add a bit of texture. Chopped bok choy can substitute for whole baby bok choy.

Meatballs:
1 cup water
1/3 cup uncooked jasmine rice
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
2 large egg whites
1 garlic clove, minced
Cooking spray

Bok choy:
6 baby bok choy (about 1 1/3 pounds)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon shredded peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup water
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch

To prepare meatballs, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in jasmine rice; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until rice is almost tender. Drain; cool. Combine rice, breadcrumbs, and next 6 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove). Shape mixture into 18 meatballs.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add meatballs; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook for 10 minutes or until done, turning often. Remove from heat; keep warm.

While the meatballs cook, prepare bok choy. Cut each bok choy in half lengthwise. Rinse under cold running water; drain well. Arrange bok choy in a steamer basket, overlapping pieces.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup onions, ginger, and 1 garlic clove; sauté 30 seconds. Place steamer basket in pan. Combine water and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper); pour over bok choy. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and steam over medium-low heat 20 minutes or until bok choy is tender, rearranging bok choy after 10 minutes. Remove the bok choy and steamer basket from pan; cover and keep warm.

Combine sherry and cornstarch; add to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick.


Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 meatballs, 2 bok choy halves, and 3 tablespoons sauce)

CALORIES 251 (35% from fat); FAT 9.8g (satfat 2.4g, monofat 3.4g, polyfat 2.9g); PROTEIN 21.3g; CARBOHYDRATE 18g; FIBER 1.9g; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; IRON 2.6mg; SODIUM 832mg; CALCIUM 135mg;

Note: This is from Cooking Light magazine. The meatballs are very tasty!

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