Orange Ginger Stir Fry

Over the past year and a half,I have made a lot of changes to my eating habits and lifestyle. Joining the NutraPhoria community has been just one of the ways that I have taken control of my life and empowered myself to move towards a more balanced, holistic lifestyle. My family and I recently took a risk and decided to uproot ourselves from city life. We made our dream a reality and bought a house in a rural area, surrounded by trees and wildlife. We are incorporating exercise into our lives and choosing healthy food options. We are learning to slow down and enjoy all the little moments in life. My stress levels have gone way down and my anxiety levels have greatly improved. I feel motivated and empowered to be on this path to better health, vitality and longevity.
Not so long ago, we used to be the family that bought those store bought stir fry sauces. I had no idea what was in them, just that they tasted good and were easy to use. I thought I was doing a good thing by adding vegetables and tofu to them. Now that I am more informed, I realize they are full of sugar and chemicals and not a healthy option. I wanted to cook a stir fry that was loaded with tasty veggies and flavour but not loaded with extra sugars. Below is one of my creations.
Now, I must say, that I am notorious for not following a recipe. I often use them as guides, adjusting to the taste of my family and myself. I also adjust them based on what ingredients I may have on hand. If I don’t have, for example, green beans in the fridge but I do have broccoli or snap peas, then in they go instead or as well. I made this stir fry not too long ago and only had clementine’s instead of oranges, works just as well! I actually added some segments of clementine and it was a great addition. If you don’t want to use tofu, then maybe substitute for tempeh, throw in some beans or just omit and stick with veggies. I used Vermicelli rice noodles most recently, but jasmine or brown rice works great too. My amounts are also guestimates, which may scare some people off, but I think it affords the freedom to taste your food and decide for yourself what works best. You can stick to the recipe as it is, or add or decrease amounts or make substitutions based on the ingredients that are available to you. Experiment with what you have on hand and you will create a delicious stir fry that is packed with tasty veggies and free of extra added sugars and chemicals. My 7-year-old also loves this stir fry, which is a big plus!

Orange Ginger Stir Fry

Serves: 6

Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp. organic virgin coconut oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1.5″ of fresh ginger, minced
• 2 Portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1 package organic firm or extra firm tofu (drained and pressed), cut into small cubes
• 1 orange, zested and then cut in half
• 2-3 tsp tamari soy sauce
• 1-2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 cups of green beans
• 1 tsp chilli flakes (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 package of Vermicelli Rice Noodles, softened as per package directions
  pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large pan or wok, melt the tbsp of coconut oil over medium heat.
• Add one red onion, 2-3 cloves of garlic and 1.5″ of fresh ginger and let cook for a few minutes to soften.
• Add the 2 Portobello mushrooms, chopped into bite-sized pieces and cook another 3-5 min.
• Add the tofu pieces and the juice from half the orange, 2-3 tsp of tamari sauce and a tbsp. of lime juice. Season with pepper. Let cook for about 10 min.
• Add the carrots, 2 cups green beans and chopped pepper, along with the tsp of chili flakes and some orange zest. Let cook 10-12 minutes.
• Add the vermicelli noodles and mix together. You can add the rest of the tamari sauce, lime juice and other half of the orange juice to flavour the noodles and sauce now. If you want more of a saucy base, feel free to add a little water to contribute to the sauce.
• Once noodles are warmed through its ready to serve!