Easy as Stir Fry

Stir fry is one of the easiest dishes to make. It's a great solution for a busy week-night meal and can be tailored for anyone's tastes. You can pack it full of lean protein, veggies, and whole grains and smile as you watch your children (and husband who despises "diet" food) eat it up. This is also a great dish for using up stray vegetables or meats before they go bad. Be creative!

Here's one my versions of this yummy dinner:

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice, uncooked

1 1/2 - 2 cups frozen Italian cut green beans (the wide, flat ones), thawed

1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

3/4 pound chicken breast or lean steak, cut into thin strips

2/3 cup Teriyaki sauce (I use House of Tsang Korean Teriyaki Stir Fry Sauce)

1 tbsp canola oil

Directions:

1. Use 1/3 cup sauce to marinade meat. Place both in a plastic bag and stash in the fridge until ready to cook.

2. Cook rice according to package directions.

3. When rice has about 10 minutes left, heat skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, add the meat to the skillet, leaving excess marinade in the bag. If using chicken, cook until no longer pink. If using steak, just give it a sear on both sides. Remove meat to plate and cover.

4. Add vegetables to pan with 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce and stir to coat. Add about 1/8 cup or so of water to pan and cover. Steam until beans are bright green, about 5 minutes. Return meat to pan.

5. Add cooked rice and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.