Chop Chop Three Way Stir Fry

Sometimes trying to eat healthy gets boring so I love to experiment with difference combinations of the things that are on my “OK for me to eat” list. Everyone’s list is different but my body functions best when I eat lean proteins with veggies, and limit processed foods and sugars. I love to get creative with different lean proteins and a variety of veggies to keep things interesting!

Last week I experimented with some of my favorite flavors and came up with an absolutely delicious combination. I could eat it every day. It was truly awesome all by itself.

Then I tried serving it over brown rice. Also great.

Then I decided to stir it into cooked quinoa, a grain that is high in protein and fiber. My thinking was, add a scrambled egg and it would be like fried rice only with a higher protein grain. I wasn’t as happy with this version. I love quinoa but when I mixed the two together, the texture was a little mushy and the taste was a little bland. I should have added more flavor at that point or… just left the stir fry and the quinoa separate. I brought a batch to the office and the gals liked it so… I’ve decided to call this Three Way Stir Fry (You can see this version pictured below.)

The beauty of a recipe like this is that it’s just a base recipe. You can adjust the flavors and the vegetables to suit your taste. I love a recipe that lets me get creative. You get to make it your own!

There is a lot of chopping  (hence the name) but it’s worth it. Also, marinate your chicken the night before you make this for extra flavor.

Chop-Chop Three Way Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 ounce package sliced mushrooms, chopped
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into small pieces
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small bunch broccoli, chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 5 ounce package baby spinach leaves

The night before you want to prepare this meal, combine honey, soy sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic, ground ginger and five spice powder. Add chicken, cover (or place in a sealed plastic bag) and place in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to prepare, remove chicken from the refrigerator.

Heat a large, wide-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and then add half of the chicken pieces using a slotted spoon. Brown the chicken on all sides. Check to make sure they are cooked through and then remove to a large bowl. Cook the second batch of chicken, adding a little oil if needed. Remove to bowl. Pour the marinade into the hot pan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer for two minutes and then add to the chicken. (This is an important step – do not skip – raw chicken was in this marinade so it must come to a boil to make it safe to consume!)

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and garlic. Stir fry, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes or until asparagus is crisp tender. Transfer to the bowl with the chicken.

Add broccoli and red pepper to the pan along with 2 tablespoons of water (or chicken stock, orange juice or white wine if you have any on hand). Cook, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Cook just until broccoli is crisp tender.

Add chicken and vegetables from the bowl back to the pan and stir in the carrots and green onions. Cook and stir for 2 minutes to heat everything through. Stir in the spinach.

Serve as is for a yummy, low-carb meal. If you like a little heat, you can sprinkle with a little dried red pepper flakes.

Version Two:

Serve over prepared brown rice or whole grain noodles for a nutrition family dinner.

Version Three: Quinoa Fried “Rice”:

Before you begin to stir fry the chicken, prepare quinoa as follows:

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup quinoa with 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed. (Read directions on box of quinoa to verify cooking times.) Remove from heat.

Stir quinoa into prepared stir fry. In a small skillet, scramble 2-3 eggs. Stir into the mixture and serve.
Enjoy whichever version sounds the best to you!

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn