Healthy Asian Stir Fry & Salad Recipes

There are so many times during the week where I just don’t feel like or have the extra time to cook a big dinner. I don’t like to get take out since it is usually unhealthy, expensive, or I don’t feel like leaving my house to go get it!! This is the perfect time for stir fry!

I love making stir fry. It’s fast and healthy. You can use fresh ingredients or you can use your leftovers! The recipe here is for fresh beef (or you can use chicken, pork, tofu, or just vegetables) or you can substitute the fresh beef with already cooked leftover protein that you already have kicking around in your fridge! Just add it at the end of cooking to heat it up. You can also choose whatever veggies you want to use. Make it colorful. Choose colorful peppers, red or white cabbage, zucchini, steamed broccoli. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables. Whatever you choose to use, have fun with it and enjoy!

Orange Beef Stir Fry (4 servings)

1/4 tsp baking soda mixed with a Tbsp water

1-pound beef sliced thin (London broil, flank, strip, or chicken, pork or tofu!)

2-3 Tbsp cornstarch, divided

2 Tbsp water to mix into the cornstarch

1/2 Cup low sodium soy sauce (can thin it with some chicken broth if it is too salty for you)

2-3 Tbsp brown sugar (to taste)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1 Tbsp sherry wine

Cooking spray

4 Cups green beans (lightly steamed)

1/2 - 1 Cup thin sliced onions

1/2 - 1 Cup julienned carrots

1/2 jar orange marmalade (I use sugar free)

Water, if the sauce seems too thick while cooking

Optional garnishes at the end: Sriracha, chopped scallions, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, a touch of white vinegar

In a bowl, add the beef and the baking soda mixture. Stir well and let sit for 5 minutes. This will tenderize the meat.

Combine a little more than half the cornstarch with the same amount of water and stir into the beef and let that sit for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, the rest of the corn starch, sugar, sherry, garlic, and ginger. Stir that into the beef and let it marinate for 15 minutes while you cook the vegetables.

Spray a heated skillet (on high) or wok and add the onions and carrots. Cook for a few minutes and add the beef reserving the marinade. Let the beef sear and flip it around to sear both sides, turning down the heat if necessary. Add the green beans and the reserved marinade and stir until everything is combined. Cover and let simmer for a few minutes stirring occasionally. Add water if it gets too thick or starts to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the marmalade and stir to combine. Let sit for a few minutes and serve over brown rice, cauliflower rice, noodles, or eat it on its own. Garnish with sriracha, chopped scallions, sesame seeds, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, a splash white vinegar or with nothing at all!

This cucumber salad was a staple in my house when I was a child. My mother made this almost every day and it goes well with anything!! We still make it all the time and whenever any of us serve a nice dinner there is always a bowl of cucumber salad on the table!

Asian Cucumber Salad

1 cucumber sliced thin (a seedless hothouse one is the best)

radishes, sliced thin, fresh dill or parsley, shredded or very thin sliced carrots

1-2 Tbsp Seasoned Gourmet rice vinegar to taste

1-2 Tbsp cider vinegar or white vinegar to taste

1/4-1/2 tsp salt to taste

Mix everything in a bowl and let sit. The salt will draw out the water in the cucumber. Taste and add more vinegar if needed. Stir on occasion and pour off the water before serving.