Simple Stir Fry

Dinner can be difficult to prepare, especially after a long day of work.  I am not ashamed to admit that sometimes I am so tired that I could really care less about the economics and sustainability of the evening meal.  Consequently, dinner time is when I am most apt to eat poorly or eat out at a restaurant.  And I know I'm not the only one who suffers from this dilemma. 

So, what can be done to make that final meal healthy and sustainable, as well as simple to prepare?  First and foremost, a little preparation over the weekend can alleviate a great deal of the burden involved in getting supper on the table.  Put together a menu for the week and spend some time on Saturday or Sunday cutting vegetables, making soups, stews, rice or chili.  That way when you arrive home in the evening the only task involved in getting dinner ready will be throwing some ingredients together, warming up a pre-cooked meal or turning off the slow-cooker.

A favorite, quick, simple dinner in my home is stir fry.  The possibilities are only as limited as what's available in your fridge.  And if it's the end of the month, and pickings are slim, you can't beat stir fry for a healthy meal.  Even the barest of ingredients can make a delicious meal that will fill up the whole family.

For this stir fry I used the bare essentials:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Onion
• Shrimp
• Whole Grain Pasta

I would provide at least a 1/2 cup of each ingredient per person, with a little more pasta to make sure everyone's full.

The shrimp in this recipe is pre-peeled, cooked and frozen. It can be found in the frozen food aisle and is around $5.00 a bag here in the Midwest.

Season with:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Bragg's Liquid Aminos
• Chili powder

I was out of garlic, so I used chili powder to season. Feel free to use whatever fresh or dry spices you like.

Preparation is the key to a great stir fry. Be sure all of your ingredients are cut, prepped and ready to go before you begin. Another key to great stir fry is to cook the ingredients in layers, starting with the ingredients that take the longest to cook.

While you are getting the ingredients together, put a pot of hot water on the stove for the pasta. I use angel hair since it only takes about 8 minutes for it to cook. I was able to make the stir fry in the time it took the pasta to cook. (If you have prepared rice, heat it in the microwave.)

1. Place 2 Tbsp. of oil in a hot wok or deep frying pan.
2. Place broccoli, carrots and onion in the pan. (When making a chicken or beef stir fry, the meat would go in first.)
3. Salt and pepper the vegetables.
4. Stir often to keep them from sticking.
5. Heat vegetables until they have brightened in color. Adjust the heat so that nothing burns.
6. Add the shrimp. (I also use prepared Dry Fry Tofu at this stage, which makes the meal even more sustainable.)
7. Salt and pepper the shrimp.
8. Add chili powder and Bragg's Liquid Aminos to taste.
9. Cook the shrimp and vegetables until the shrimp is thawed and pink in color.
10. Turn off the heat.

At this point the pasta should be finished. Drain it and add it directly to the stir fry.

Mix the pasta with the vegetables and shrimp, finishing with Bragg's Liquid Aminos for plenty of flavor and protein.

Remove from the pan and serve.