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An Unexpected
Stir-Fry
BY DANA JACOBI
FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH |
Once again,
a week after the New Year, it is time to reckon with broken resolutions.
Eating more healthfully has always appeared on my annual list
of well-intended commitments. Last year, I had reasonable success
with two ways to accomplish this, so I want to share them.
My first resolution
was to eat more fresh fruit. When I made it, I put a bowl of
apples on a table near the front door. Every day, on the way
out, I took one and ate it on the way to where I was going. With
this apple, plus the fruit I have at breakfast, in a smoothie
or on cereal, and as a snack before bed, I was eating at least
three servings of fruit a day. This lasted until sometime in
February, a record for my keeping a New Year’s resolution.
You may do even better. To your bowl of apples, you can add other
seasonal fruits easy to eat on the move, like grapes, cherries
and berries, already packed in a bag and ready to go.
The second
resolution, to eat more vegetables, has been more successful.
I found quick ways to include them in meals, relying on one-dish
cooking, particularly stir-frys. This strategy has produced a
permanent increase in my vegetable consumption. So have a few
creative discoveries.
I’ve found
that stir-fry and soy sauce need not be synonymous. Sometimes
I use Mediterranean ingredients and seasonings, as in this week’s
Italian stir-fry. Other times, I toss bite-size pieces of boneless
chicken, canned black beans, chopped onion and garlic, corn and
jalapeños into the wok, with a dollop of salsa at the
end. After cleaning what was becoming a permanent oil-slick on
the stove, I tried using a skillet, especially for stir-frys
with non-Asian ingredients. As long as your stove can be turned
up to super-hot, this produces a perfect stir-fry, with less
mess than cooking in a wok.
Italian
Stir-Fry - Makes
4 servings.
- 1 Tbsp. extra
virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in 3/4-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut in 1-inch pieces
1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise, cut in 3/4-inch slices
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 large (about 3/4 lb.) portobello mushrooms, stemmed, cut in
1 1/2-inch
- 1 tsp. dried
basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked brown rice
Place a large
skillet over high heat. Add oil, swirl to coat the pan and heat
oil until very hot. Add chicken and stir-fry until it loses its
pink color. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from pan and
set aside.
Add red peppers,
zucchini and garlic to the pan. Stir-fry until the garlic is
fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms. Stir-fry until
they release their liquid, about 2 minutes.
Return chicken
to the pan. Add basil, oregano, red pepper and chicken broth.
Stir-fry until chicken is opaque all the way through, about 4
minutes. Add cheese and toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately
over brown rice, including juices from the pan.
Per serving: 272 calories, 6 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat),
28 g. carbohydrate, 25 g. protein, 3 g. dietary fiber, 179 mg.
sodium.
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“Something Different” is written by Dana Jacobi, author
of 12 Best Foods Cookbook and contributor to AICR’s New
American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy
Life.