A Vegetarian Delight: Bright Summer Stir Fry

June 1, 2015

This dish truly is a vegetarian delight. It's beautiful to look at, delicious to eat and very low in calories. The best part is that since it's vegetarian, you don't have to "scrutinize" the calorie counts... Just be sure to watch the carbs... this recipe calls for 1/4 C of steamed rice. It's not much. Here's a secret, I make a bed of rice, make a well in the center (you know, like mashed potatoes) then I fill the hole with the stir fry. For me, it's all about illusion. If it pleases my eye and appears to be plenty, then I feel that way. It's a little weird.

Bright Summer Stir Fry

GTLF: Vegetables p. 67

Serves 4, working time: 40 min., total time: 40 min.

1 C long grain rice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cups small broccoli florets

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal

1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 in. thick slices

1 C reduced sodium chicken broth, de fatted, or reduced sodium vegetable broth

1/4 pound sugar snap peas

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice and 2 C of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, about 17 min.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil until hot but not smokin over medium high heat. Add the broccoli, celery, onion, bell pepper, and squash and cook, stirring constantly, until the onion is softened, about 5 min. Stir in the broth, snap peas, and ginger and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are crisp tender, about 5 min.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the soy sauce mixture. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and is slightly thickened, about 1 min. Stir in the cilantro. Serve the stir fry with the rice.

Nutritional Information: 4 g fat, 299 calories, 0.5 g sat. fat, 58 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 0 mg cholesterol, 682 mg sodium.

Tips:

1. GTLF suggests ways to change up the vegetables... here's the rule, find vegetables that have similar texture. Yellow squash / zucchini; broccoli/ cauliflower; snap peas/green beans... I'm so amazed I never thought about this before GTLF.  So, besides food couplings, food with similar textures also help with recipe versatility.