Stir Fried Broccoli with Brown Rice

 

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Brown Rice {Meat Optional}

Yield: 4 Servings

 

Prep Time: 10minutes mins

Cook Time: 15minutes mins

Total Time: 25minutes mins

Ingredients

Vegetables:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable, canola or coconut oil
• 3-4 cups bite-size broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed

Sauce:

• ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 teaspoons low-sodium gluten free soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon gluten free Thai sweet chili sauce (see note)
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For serving:

• Hot cooked brown rice (see note)

Instructions 

• In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat until hot and rippling. If using meat, add it now and stir-fry until cooked through. Remove the meat to a plate.
• Add the broccoli to the hot skillet (you may need to add another teaspoon or so of oil if the skillet is completely dry) and cook, stirring often, until the broccoli has turned bright green and is lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. It won’t cook much more after this so it should be crisp-tender. I like a bit of bite to the broccoli but if you want it more tender, add on a few minutes cooking time.
• Stir in the garlic and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring, for a minute or so.
• Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and pour over the broccoli. Add the meat if you cooked it in step 1. Stir the ingredients together until well coated with the sauce and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed.
• Serve immediately over hot, cooked rice.

Notes

Rice: I use this baking method. 

Sauce: for the Thai chili sauce, you can substitute Asian chili-garlic sauce or hoisin sauce. I’ve used both before with good results, although the flavor is a bit different.

Meat: when using meat, I usually cook about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of shrimp or chicken pieces lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper.
Source:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Skillet Fajita Nachos Dairy and Gluten Free

 

Quick Skillet Fajita Nachos

Yield: 6 servings

 

Prep Time: 15minutes mins

Cook Time: 15minutes mins

Total Time: 30minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½ cup sliced red or yellow onion
• 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and sliced or diced
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (gluten free)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can gluten free black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup chopped Roma or cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup chicken broth (dairy and gluten free)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin (gluten free)
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano (gluten free)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3 cups cooked chopped chicken, (or leftover turkey!)
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, or a combination (skip for dairy free)
• Tortilla chips
• Optional toppings: salsa, olives, fresh cilantro, avocado, or any other topping you like

Instructions 

• In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, bell pepper, corn, salt and pepper.
• Saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until they have softened and onions have turned translucent.
• Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, cumin, and oregano. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Stir in the chicken and lime juice. Cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
• (skip this step for dairy free) Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the mixture and cover with a lid or foil until the cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes.
• Serve the fajita mixture over tortilla chips with any taco/fajita toppings you like.

Notes

Adaptations: this recipe is so yummy and adaptable! Serve it in tortillas as fajitas/tacos rather than over chips, if you like. You could probably use canned (drained first) diced tomatoes in place of the chopped, fresh tomatoes, if you want to experiment.

Chicken: also, if you don’t have cooked chicken or turkey on hand, you can cook cubed chicken in the hot skillet with a little olive oil until cooked through and browned (or use this method for quick shredded chicken); remove to a plate and proceed with the recipe.
Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe