Turkey-Jasmine Rice Meatballs with Baby Bok Choy

So, I made this recipe last week from my new Cooking Light cookbook.  Delicious!!!  It took a bit of time and a ton of different ingredients, but was well worth it.  Sorry, I forgot to take pictures, so this is the one from CL magazine.  Please note that this recipe calls for steaming the bok choy, so make sure you have a steamer (or a dutch oven and a steamer basket)...I didn't and overcooked it, but it was still good.

 

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.  Serve sauce over meatballs and 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.

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

CALORIES 251 (35% from fat); FAT 9.8g; IRON 2.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; CALCIUM 135mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18g; SODIUM 832mg; PROTEIN 21.3g; FIBER 1.9g

 

By the way, I think baby bok choy may be the cutest vegetable ever!  I mean, they're adorable.  They just make me smile!

** Chopped bok choy can substitute for whole baby bok choy, but they won't be nearly as cute.