I have been on an Asian food kick lately -- well, really all my life I guess, but for the past few years, I didn't really think I could incorporate Asian food into my diet in a healthy way {other than stirfry, but let's be honest, a girl gets tired of stirfry after a while, am I right?}
When I was a kid, we did take out once a week, every Friday night. It was our family night (something I plan on incorporating into my family when we have kids of our own) & I looked forward to it every week. We would order from this little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant and I would fill my tummy with plain lo mein noodles, beef & broccoli and chicken wings. All, of course, while playing a very intense round of Sorry, Clue or whichever board game we were obsessed with at the time.
And while I am all for takeout every once in a while {the past few years, I have become a huge Indian food fan. Holy wow their veggie entrees are amazeballs}, when I started becoming more conscious of my health, I was so taken back by the lack of nutritional value found in Chinese food. So, for a long time into my quest towards a healthier me, I stuck to very simple clean meals. Boiled or baked chicken, steamed vegetables, the occasional brown rice or quinoa. But guess what? Turns out eating like that gets old FAST, and I've learned that eating healthy doesn't mean eating boring foods. It has actually opened up a world of spice and unique blends of ingredients that have changed my world and my relationship to food.
For all of my Chinese foods lovers (and veggie/vegan heads), this might be the recipe for you.
Asian Inspired Veggie Medley
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2/3 of Cooked quinoa
- 4 big handfuls of brussel sprouts, ends cut off and chopped in half (in my opinion, you can never have enough)
- 1/2 head of a small red cabbage, sliced
- 2 tbsp. Sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. Rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. Tamari (a lower sodium version of Soy Sauce)
- Optional: Any other veggies you love (ex. water chestnuts, shredded carrots), Extra firm Tofu, sesame seeds
Directions
Heat 1 tbsp of Sesame oil in a skillet on medium to medium high heat. {If using tofu, press the water out of it by using a paper towel and applying pressure. Then cut into cubes and sear in skillet until brown on both sides}. If you're not using tofu, toss the brussel sprouts into the skillet for 5-7 minutes.
Meanwhile, have your quinoa cooking in a separate pot. My personal preference for cooking it? Add uncooked quinoa and double the amount of water into a small pot. Turn on high heat until it reaches a boil & then put heat to low and cover until water is gone (usually about 7-10 minutes).
In a separate bowl, add remaining sesame oil, rice vinegar and tamari.
Once the brussel sprouts have started to brown, add the red cabbage (and any optional additional veggies). Let cook for 2 minutes before adding remainder of the sauce. Let simmer until vegetables are cooked to your liking. Personally, I like them not to lose all of their crunch so I let it go for 3-5 minutes more. If you're feeling fun, sprinkle some sesame seeds overtop of the medley the last minute that they are cooking!
In a bowl, place 1/3 cup cooked quinoa and half of the veggies and VOILA, you've got a nutritious & delicious Asian inspired meal!