You know my biggest topics I love to talk about are: 1) Healthy food, 2) Delicious & New foods, and 3) Affordable food, right? Well, if you didn’t you do now.
Not much lights me up more than finding or creating a recipe that is good for you, quick and easy to make, and also draws rave reviews from a somewhat finicky eater. Stir fry is almost always one of those meals. Stir fry is always in my top ten for one simple reason: you can put just about anything in it.
Seriously. Chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, scrambled eggs, fish, tofu, tempeh. Broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, water chestnuts. Ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, onions, garlic, nuts.
All of the above.
Sure, there are sometimes occasional fails (for the love of god, do not put oregano into your stir fry, just trust me. Also this is proof I’ve loved stir fry at least since 2011, and how far both my cooking and writing have come since then!). But the majority of the time, the recipe of Protein + Veggie + Rice + Sauce = Magic.
For this particular recipe, I had just made a batch of My Homemade Pickled Ginger and it had aged in the refrigerator a week or two, so I was eager to try it out. I also had some black sesame seeds which had been a Christmas gift and I still hadn’t yet used. Combine that with a cheap $1 store bagged mix of broccoli slaw, free green onions that grow wild in my yard, a cup of brown rice, and some other ingredients I always have on hand, and I had a super quick, super cheap, and super satisfying dinner.
A few notes on substitutions: If you do not like cashews or don’t buy them because of cost, you can easily substitute peanuts or almonds. Or if you’re allergic, definitely omit them! (You could add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a boost of vitamins if you like). If you don’t like onions, use chives, or parsley, or just don’t add it in. I used brown rice because I like the texture and I like the nutrition as compared to white, but you can totally use white rice, or a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture! You can use shredded or powdered ginger instead of fresh. And if you don’t like bagged store mixes, feel free to shred your own broccoli, cabbage, and/or carrots.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup cooked diced or shredded chicken
- 1 bag broccoli slaw mix
- 2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup chicken stock (or veggie stock or water)
- Optional: 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 tbsp sliced pickled ginger
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp crushed cashew pieces
- 2 tbsp chopped green onion/chives
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Step 1: Put the bagged slaw mix and mushrooms in a large pan with the olive oil and stock or water and cover. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5-7 minutes. Once the veggies are softened, remove the lid and add the soy sauce and ginger. Add in the chicken, mix well to coat, and let the liquid evaporate until most is gone.
Step 2: Put about 1/2 cup cooked rice and 1/2 the cooked mixture on a place in whatever way visually pleases you.
Step 3: Sprinkle the crushed cashews and green onions on top. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and enjoy!
