Stir fry is delicious and filling; and makes a great complete meal that can be made in a short time when you are famished.
The majority of kids, including the picky eaters, will be happy with a colorful stir-fry for dinner.
Cooking Stir Fry
Stir fry can be made in a Wok, which is a great cooking method as it cooks this food properly without having to add a lot of oil. A wok is built to heat up in such a way that food cooks fast, meats get a nice sear and vegetables cook quickly so they are not overcooked and retain their nutrients.
But, if you don’t have a Wok, you can use a regular old pan, cast iron skillets work good and also non-stick or hard anodized cookware as well, but, make sure they are really hot before adding the ingredients.
Healthy Oil
Always use healthy oils to cook your stir fry for heart health.
Healthy cooking oils include, Canola, Grapeseed and Vegetable oil.
Canola is always the best choice as it has only 7% of unhealthy saturated fats, lower than any other oil, including, sunflower oil that has 12% saturated fat and corn oil that has 13%.
Additionally, it also offers good fats, known as, unsaturated fats and it is rich in omega-6 fatty acid, linolenic acid, and has the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) than any other oil except Flaxseed oil.
Vegetables – Low In Calories and Fat and Filling
One of the best things about stir fry is that you can add a lot of vegetables. Vegetables are low in calories and have no fat and so they can be eaten in abundance.
Many of the vegetables that can be added to stir fry such as cabbage, broccoli, peas, green beans, mushrooms and peppers, are high in fiber and so they fill you up and keep you full longer without too many calories.
Lean Proteins
To make stir fry even more appealing is the fact that you can choose a variety of lean protein that is also low in fat and calories.
Consider using white meat chicken or turkey breast, or even ground turkey in your stir fry to significantly reduce the amount of fat and calories from fat as opposed to red meat.
Avoid adding too much oil and salt to your stir fry for a healthier meal that does not add on the pounds.
In addition you are at liberty to experiment with different ingredients to create a finger-licking good stir fry full of healthy goodness.
Rice Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients needed
- 1 Large Onion- Peeled and Diced
- 1 Tbs Salt
- 2 Cloves of Garlic – Peeled and Crushed
- 1 Cup Brown Rice
- ½ Cup Cubed Carrots
- 1 Cup Boiled Red Beans
- ½ Cup Bell Pepper Cut into Strips
- ½ Cup Diced Tomatoes
- A Bunch of Coriander, Washed and Finely Chopped
- ½ Tbs Red Powdered Chili Powder
- Canola Oil
- Optional: Add chicken, beef, shrimp or turkey
Directions
In a large pot put in 2 cups of water and a tablespoonful of salt and bring to the boil. Add in brown rice, cover the pot and cook. Put off the heat and keep covered as you prepare the vegetables.
In a large pan or wok, heat oil and add the onions. Allow the onions to be tender before adding in the crashed garlic. Always allow garlic to stand for a few minutes after crushing to allow allicin production that provides antiviral and antibacterial properties when consumed to strengthen your immune system.
When the garlic turns light brown, add in the cubed carrots and allow cooking for 3 minutes.
Add in the tomatoes and cook for a minute. Add in the bell peppers and mix thoroughly enjoying the delicious aroma in your kitchen.
Add red powdered pepper.
Reduce the heat and add in your cooked brown rice stirring gently.
Add in the chopped coriander and turn off the heat.
Allow to stand for one minute and serve. This is a complete meal.
Chicken and Spaghetti Stir Fry
Ingredients Needed:
- Cubed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tbs of Healthy Cooking Oil (Canola is a good choice)
- 1 Tbs Salt
- 1 Cup of Boiled Peas
- 1 Pound Dry Whole Grain Pasta
- 1 Cup Cubed Ripe Pineapples
- 2 Small Plantains Peeled and Chopped Into Thin Slices
- 2 Large Tomatoes Diced
Directions
Boil water and a pinch of salt in a big pot. Make sure that there is enough room for the spaghetti to expand as it cooks. Cook the pasta until tender. Strain, return to the pot and keep warm.
Add oil to a large pan.
Put in the chicken pieces and allow to brown on one side before flipping to the other side.
Add in the tomatoes and mix well, juices from the tomatoes will prevent your chicken from drying out and sticking to the pan.
Add in the plantains and cook for a minute.
Add in the boiled peas and the diced pineapples and allow cooking for 3 minutes.
Keep the pan covered when you are not stirring to facilitate maximum absorption of flavor into your chicken.
Add in your boiled pasta and mix, remove from heat and sit to enjoy your sumptuous meal served on a warmed plate.
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