"Going on Vacation" Stir Fry

"Going on Vacation" Stir Fry

This recipe was started on  the mere fact that I had a medium sized red onion and a head of garlic that I wanted to cook up before heading out of town for Christmas.  I literally started frying them up in a wok before I even knew what else I was going to add to the pan.  With my husband's input (who also put the beer mug in my ingredient photo), we decided on mixed vegetables, black beans and some cooked quinoa and brown rice.  The pan got hot really quickly so I added a bit of water and then some soy sauce to add flavor, along with some fresh grape tomatoes.  For a bit of crunch and extra protein and nutrients, I topped it off with pumpkin seeds, and to be honest, it was one of the most satisfying meals I have had in awhile. (maybe I was just really hungry!!)  Although I am sure I may end up with onion breath later tonight, I cooked the garlic and onion so long that they were definitely more sweet than anything and my husband and I cleaned our plates down to the last morsel of rice. Obviously, the whole point of this meal was to use what I had on hand and what I needed to get rid of before leaving for 10 days, so you could easily change up the vegetables you use, the starch, beans or even the seasoning.  But I had to share this because it came out so unexpectedly delicious.

Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry

Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry with Brown Rice
served over a bed of organic spinach

I love Chinese food.  I love getting takeout or going to a Chinese restaurant with my extended family and ordering a bunch of dishes and eating way too much.  But that usually leaves me with a slightly sick feeling in my stomach and a lot of grease swirling around inside of me.  This recipe is a healthy take on my usual go to favorite at any Asian restaurant.  Although I have rarely seen the meal "Broccoli and Bean Curd in Garlic Sauce" on a menu, I usually have no problem ordering "off the menu" since I know they have all the ingredients on hand.  Unfortunately I never know what exactly is in their "garlic sauce" and rarely can I find brown rice. What to do?  Make my own!

This is a very basic stir fry, but the special secret is the Asian Garlic Sauce recipe I have perfected.  Not too salty, not too sweet... with just the right amount of garlic and heat. During the summer months, my garden provides a much more interesting variety of vegetables to cook with and if I had had any on hand I would have used my favorite bok choy or fresh broccoli, or mushrooms, but I didn't have the time or money to go to the store again this week.  And I did have two bags of frozen broccoli that needed to get eaten right in my own freezer. Of course you can use whatever vegetables you like as well as chicken, pork or beef if you prefer. So the next time you get a craving for Chinese food, don't call out for something not so healthy, make this instead!!