We eat a lot of stir-fry in our house. It is a quick, healthy, delicious and versatile dish to fix. I love making stir-fry the night before I head to the grocery store. It helps me use up what is left before I purchase new things for the week.
I just love a good stir-fry. They are so easy to make and can be put together a million and one ways. They’re an excellent way to use up those random vegetables in your fridge that you’re just not sure what to do with before they start going bad.
A lot of times I will use frozen veggies, especially during the winter. I typically use broccoli, peas, a bell pepper, carrots, onions, and cauliflower. The options are really endless though. My husband loves it when I add bok choy and water chestnuts for a little extra crunch.
If you don’t have stir-fry on your regular meal rotation you have got to start adding them in! It’s one of my family’s favorite meals. Stir-fry is such a versatile meal. You can literally use whatever veggies and protein you have on hand. It is such a great way to help clean out the refrigerator and freezer.
For nights that are really busy, or you get home late, stir-fry is a perfect choice. You can put this whole meal together in about 30 minutes. No need to grab takeout! If you want to really to give yourself a leg up on dinner, make a big batch of rice the next time you are making rice and then freeze in 2 c. portions. The rice reheats so well and you’re only doing the work and clean up once.
This recipe is for just a basic stir-fry sauce. You can obviously doctor it up and add or subtract as you feel necessary. I realize not everyone is going to love their sauce the same way that my family loves our sauce. That’s another perk of stir-fry, you can totally make it your own!
To make this stir-fry, start by making your sauce. You can use Bragg’s Liquid aminos, soy sauce or even tamari (for you gluten-free folks) for the base of your sauce. In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Set it aside.
Next dice the protein of your choice into bite size pieces. I typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can always use steak or shrimp too. The shrimp you can leave whole.
In a large skillet or wok (if you have one) heat up 1 t. oil over medium-highheat. When the oil starts popping add your meat. Saute until the meat is done, stirring frequently. The smaller the chunks of meat, the quicker this will go.
If you are using frozen vegetables place them in a strainer and rinse under hot water. This will defrost them just enough so they don’t take forever to warm up in the pan. I’m all about getting dinner done as fast as possible! I’ve got five hungry kids to feed!
Once the meat is done cooking, add thevegetables to the pan. If you are using fresh vegetables, you will need to stir them around for 4-5 minutes so they start cooking before you add your sauce. When they are starting to feel tender, but still have a lot of bite to them, add the sauce.
Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve your stir-fry over brown rice or quinoa. If you choose to serve it over quinoa make sure you rinse it very very well. If you do not it will have a terrible bitter taste and it will ruin your dish.
I always try to make enough of the stir-fry so that there are leftovers the next day. It makes the perfect light lunch option!
Basic Stir-fry Sauce (THM: FP, low-carb, low-fat, sugar-free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. chicken or beef broth (depending on which meat is in your stir-fry)
- 1/4 c. Bragg's Liquid Aminos, soy sauce or tamari
- 1 T. olive oil (for another oil to your taste)
- 1/4 t.THM Super Sweet or if not eating THM, sugarto taste
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients well and pour over meat and stir-fry vegetables ofyour choice.
Notes
***For a spicier version you could add 1-2 t. of Sriracha. This is VERY spicy, so start with a small quantity and add more if needed.