By Olivia Federau (Contributor) – Email
Posted: February 22, 2014
I am not a big fan of salad. It might be the quickest way to get some vegetables into your dinner, but it is just so boring (unless you start adding exciting things like fancy dressings, nuts, and fruit, but then it isn’t really about the vegetables anymore). I prefer to consume my vegetables in other ways, like in a green smoothie, or this quick, delicious, and healthy stir-fry.
My favourite thing about stir-fry is you can change nearly anything about the recipe and tailor it to your preference without messing it up. The same goes for the sauce; you can adjust the sweetness, saltiness, spiciness, and garlicky-ness to taste.
I’ll eat this on its own in a pinch, but it’s great on a bed of rice, noodles, or, (my personal favourite) quinoa. You can also add more shrimp to bulk it up, and again, easily switch that out for a different protein like chicken or beef — just make sure it’s fully cooked.
To make things even easier next time you cook, chop up some extra vegetables while you prep and refrigerate them in plastic baggies for later use. Extra celery sticks make for a great snack, and chopping a whole onion instead of a part means getting the pain over with.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil (or whatever oil you have on hand)
- 1 bell pepper (I used green)
- 1/3 c. diced yellow onion
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 bunch of broccoli
- 1/4 c. brown sugar (not packed)
- 1/4 c. soy sauce
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic powder
- 2/3 c. (at least) of shrimp
Directions:
1. Chop up the veggies. The size is up to you, but keep in mind they will shrink as they fry.
2. Heat about 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Toss in the veggies.
3. Let it simmer for about ten minutes.
4. In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper, and two pinches each of garlic powder and red pepper flakes to taste.
(Side note: If you have it, fresh garlic really takes this dish to the next step. You can either add a few minced cloves with the vegetables in step one, but adding garlic powder at this stage is just fine.)
5. Add sauce to the sautéd veggies and stir until everything is coated. Make a little room on the side of the pan for the shrimp.
6. Add the shrimp to the pan and let it cook for a bit with a little more salt and garlic. After a minute or two, stir them in with the veggies.
7. Let the whole mixture simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until the shrimp are nice and pink. (This is an ideal time to start tidying up and doing dishes so you’re not left with them later.)
8. Enjoy with your choice of grains!
