Chicken Mango (or Broccoli) Basil Stir Fry

The flavors in this stir fry were amazing! We subbed out the mango for broccoli and loved how it soaked up the delicious sauce. Recipe is from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10-12 mins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
5 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Pinch of red pepper flakes (I used sriracha)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 – 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 teaspoons vegetable or coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced or 1 to 1 1/2 cups pineapple (I used 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli)
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced (I used 1 small red and 1 small yellow)
1 medium red onion, diced or cut into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces
Hot, cooked rice, quinoa or noodles for serving

Directions:
In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the broth, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, vinegar, red pepper flakes and sugar until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and remaining 3 teaspoons cornstarch.
In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until hot and rippling. Add the chicken, breaking up any clumps, and cook until it is golden brown on all sides and just barely cooked through (it will cook a few minutes longer later in the recipe). Scrape the chicken onto a plate, keeping as much liquid in the skillet as possible.
Add the garlic, mango, bell pepper, and onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp-tender.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet over medium heat. Whisk the sauce quickly before pouring it into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, while the sauce simmers and thickens, 1-2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
Sprinkle with basil and serve over rice, noodles, quinoa or by itself.

Chicken Stir Fry with Sugar Snap Peas and Carrots

I tried a new recipe again...it's a miracle :-)!!! With my photography business really picking up this fall and not dying down since, I have been cooking a lot less. I just needed to let something go, and most nights that is one thing that does. We have been eating a lot of dinners that are partially prepped already to cut down on my involvement, but I do miss trying new recipes so often. Last week I was in the mood for a fresh, light meal and turned to Skinnytaste for ideas. This stir fry was pretty quick to make and super yummy! (I served it on brown basmati rice)

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or Tamari f or GF)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
For the Stir Fry:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
salt, to taste
1 tbsp rice bran oil, or canola
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup carrots, sliced diagonally
scallions for garnish

Directions:
Combine soy sauce, lime juice, water and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix together and set aside.
Season chicken lightly with salt. Heat a large wok over high heat. When the wok is very hot, add half of the oil, then add the chicken. Stir fry, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and browned, about 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
Add the remaining oil to the wok; add the garlic and ginger, stir for 20 seconds. Add the sugar snap peas and carrots, stirring over medium high heat until tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.
Return the chicken to the wok, add the soy sauce-lime mixture, mix well and cook another 30 seconds to one minute. Serve immediately and top with fresh scallions.

Servings:4 • Size:just under 1 cup • Calories:179 • Fat:5.6 g • Carb:7 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein:27 g • Sugar:1.5 g Sodium:238 mg • Cholest: 0 mg

Honey Cashew Chicken

I absolutely loved this stir-fry! One of my favorites ever I think...plus it was so pretty. I love broccoli and peppers and edamame AND cashews! In my opinion you could definitely leave the chicken out and it would still be delicious, or use tofu instead if you wanted to make it a meatless meal. The sauce was slightly sweet and slightly spicy, a perfect combination. I was excited to have it as leftovers for a couple days after we had it for dinner! (recipe from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:
* 1 cup instant rice (I used a combination of basmati and brown and made 3 cups)
* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon canola oil
* 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
* 2 cups broccoli florets
* 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
* 1 red bell pepper, sliced
* 1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews, unsalted
* 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
* 3 tablespoons honey
* 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon Sriracha

Directions:
1. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. Combine chicken and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss to coat.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola and sesame oils. Add chicken mixture, and sauté for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Increase heat to high, and add broccoli and the next 4 ingredients (through red bell pepper). Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in cashews.
4. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat. Serve with rice.

Serving 1/2 c rice and 1 c chicken mixture: Calories: 470 Fat: 17.6g Protein: 29g Carbs: 50g Fiber: 4.5g Chol: 49mg Sodium 638mg

Easy Asian Stir-Fry

This recipe was in the Sunday paper's Parade magazine not too long ago. It uses all my favorite veggies (asparagus, broccoli and zucchini) so I had to give it a try. It was surprisingly flavorful despite being pretty much veggies and soy sauce. I loved it and I loved that I felt good eating it! (and it makes lots, so be prepared for leftovers!)

Ingredients:
1 each green, orange and red bell pepper (I used yellow instead of green)
2 large zucchini
1/2 onion
1 head broccoli
15 asparagus spears
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T olive oil (I used sesame oil)
2 T soy sauce (I used low-sodium)
salt and black pepper
(I also sprinkled some ground ginger on it)

Directions:
1. Chop or slice all of the vegetables into bite size pieces.
2. Lightly oil a wok or skillet; heat over low until very hot.
3. Add the garlic; saute to a golden brown.
4. Add all the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender.
5. Add the soy sauce and stir well to blend.
6. Transfer to a large bowl, adjust season and serve with rice (I used jasmine rice).

Vegetable Stir Fry

Although the kids weren't thrilled with this Rachael Ray meal, Mike and I loved it...especially me! And the leftovers for lunch the next day were just as good. I'll add more of the bok choy next time, but overall I thought it was perfect. I loved all the fresh veggies and the sauce had a great flavor to it!

Ingredients:1 pound whole grain spaghetti or linguine pasta (I used GlutenFree spaghetti)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs, beaten
2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 small bunch scallions, chopped into 3-inch lengths
1/2 cup shredded carrots
A handful of snow peas, thinly sliced on an angle
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons black bean sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce or sambal olek sauce
1 tablespoon honey or sugar (I used sugar)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Directions:1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
2.While the pasta is working, in a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan, over high heat. Add the eggs and scramble until firm. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns of the pan, and heat until smoking. Add the bok choy, bell pepper, scallions, carrots and snow peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
3.In a small bowl, stir together the tamari, black bean sauce, lime juice, hot sauce, honey and sesame oil.
4.Toss the pasta with the sauce and vegetables. Top with the egg.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

This SUPER yummy stir fry recipe is from Kill the Gluten. (I wish they were still posting recipes on their blog, but I still have quite a few left to try.) Even Mike raved about the great flavor of this stir fry and I loved it so much I never got tired of the leftovers, eating it for a couple days after. This is a definite new favorite!

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, sliced thin
2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips (our store was out, so I used an orange one)
2 large carrots, sliced thin on the diagonal
1/2 lb snow peas
handful of cashew halves
Sauce:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Hot cooked rice (I made basmati rice)

Directions:
Mix all sauce ingredients with a whisk. Set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp sesame oil in large skillet over high heat, being careful not to let burn. Add chicken, ginger, and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until the chicken is no longer pink. Add onion, peppers, and carrots, sauteing for another minute or two. When vegetables are crisp-tender, add snow peas, cashews and sauce. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

Amazing Beef Stir Fry

After reading all about how delicious this was on Taste Buds I couldn't wait to give it a try! And it was definitely a winner! As it was cooking I had the thought that it would have been a good St. Patrick's Day dinner too with all the green veggies. The sauce was flavorful but still light and a cinch to make. You could put any veggies/meat you want with it and I'm sure it would be delicious, but these ones made me feel nice healthy for having eaten them :-)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs beef sirloin, top round or flank steak
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 cups asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup edamame

3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tsp corn starch
2 tsp grated gingerroot
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
Combine ingredients for stir fry sauce and set aside.
Thinly slice steak across grain into strips (you can place meat in freezer for about 15-20 min to make this a little easier.)
Heat a large skillet over med heat. Add olive oil and onions and cook until onions are soft. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add beef and cook to desired doneness (3-7 min) Add asparagus, broccoli and sauce and cook until crisp tender, stirring frequently. Lower heat and if needed put a lid on skillet and steam vegetables until done. Add edamame and warm through.
Serve over or along side rice (I used jasmine).

Beef and Snow Pea Stir Fry

This recipe is from the blog Favorite Family Recipes. I wasn't sure how good it would be with only the snow peas and no other veggies, but it was great! The meat had a great flavor from the marinade and I loved the crunchiness of the snow peas with it. Mike and Ella really liked this one too and they're not big on stir fry.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/8 inch strips
1 tsp cornstarch
2 cups fresh snow peas
4 tsp canola oil, divided
rice

Directions:
-In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, broth, and garlic. Reserve 1/4 cup of mixture for later.
-Place beef in a resealable plastic bag. Add the larger part of the soy sauce mixture; seal and mix. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
-Place cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir in the reserved 1/4 c. soy sauce mixture until smooth; set aside.
-In a nonstick skillet, stir-fry snow peas in 2 tsp hot oil for 3-4 minutes or until snow peas are crisp-tender and bright green. Remove and keep warm.
-Drain and discard marinade from beef.
-In same skillet, stir-fry beef in remaining oil for 2 minutes. Stir cornstarch mixture; add to skillet.
-Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Combine with snow peas.
-Serve over rice.

Sweet & Sour Chicken with Pineapple and Red Onion

I decided to try this recipe from Jamie's Cookbook despite the fact that I'm not a fan of fruit in my dinners. I must admit I liked the bites I took without pineapple better, but even those with it were pretty dang good. I really liked the overall flavor of the dish...especially with some soy sauce on top.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts (thinly sliced)
1 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium red onion (long, thin strips)
20oz can pineapple tidbits, drained and reserve some liquid
3 medium scallions (green parts: ¼" lengths & white parts: minced)
1 T garlic (minced)
1 T fresh ginger (minced)
1 recipe sweet and sour stir-fry sauce (see below)

Directions:
-Toss the chicken with the soy sauce and vinegar in a medium bowl; set aside for 15 minutes, tossing once or twice.
-Heat skillet over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 T oil and swirl it so the oil evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Heat the oil until it just starts to shimmer and smoke.
-Drain the chicken and add it to the pan. Stir-fry until seared and about three-quarters cooked, 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Scrape the cooked chicken and all of the liquid into a bowl. Cover and keep warm.
-Let the pan come back up to temperature, 1 to 2 minutes. When it is hot, drizzle in 2 teaspoons oil. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the onions and stir-fry until just tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook 1 minute. Add the scallion greens and cook 15 to 30 seconds.
-Clear the center of the pan and add the white parts of the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Drizzle with ½ teaspoon oil. Mash into the pan with the back of a spatula. Cook until fragrant but not colored. Remove the pan from heat and stir the scallions, garlic, and ginger into the vegetables for 20 seconds.
-Return the pan to the heat and add the cooked chicken. Stir in the sauce and stir-fry until the ingredients are well coated with sauce and sizzling hot, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with rice.

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:
3 T red wine vinegar
3 T sugar
1 ½ T tomato sauce
1 ½ T pineapple juice
¼ t salt
*Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

I got this recipe from Jamie's Cookbook. She has another recipe I really want to try, but this week I'm all for the simple meals, if you hadn't noticed by our menu :-). This is super simple, but still tastes good!

Ingredients:
1-2 Chicken Breasts
1-2 cups Frozen Broccoli
Terriyaki Marinade
Zesty Italian Dressing

Directions:
- Cut of the chicken breasts into strips and put into pan (I put a little sesame oil in first). Season chicken as desired, I used some crushed red pepper, ginger and garlic salt. Brown chicken on both sides.
- Pour in Italian dressing and Terriyaki Marinade to desired amount. I put half and half and next time I think I will put more marinade than dressing in. Stir to coat chicken.
- Add frozen broccoli and stir again. Place under broiler on low and let it cook for few minutes. (if your pan is like mine and has a plastic handle, just cover it with boil to place in over)
-Serve with rice. She suggests calrose rice because it is so sticky...we used brown rice tonight.