If you are like me, you have a few select dinner recipes in your repertoire that you do well and that the kids will eat and that’s what you make. You cycle through your repertoire and then recycle again but it gets boring real quick.Â
My husband and I are foodies and love trying new things. Once we had kids, we kept right on making exotic dishes for a while and then the girls discovered two things that changed our lives forever 1) the word no 2) chicken nuggets. Since then, it’s been like pulling teeth to get them to try new things.
We have a strict “try everything twice†rule in the house when it comes to food. Believe me, I am the living example; I tried kidney bean salad this week (twice), first and last time ever. I’ve eaten rattlesnake, goat and alligator and I prefer all three to kidney bean salad but if I want the girls to adhere to this rule, so should I.
I’ve been searching for foods that are a little more versatile than chicken nuggets and pasta that the whole family can enjoy together. I want the girls to be adventurous in their food choices and open minded in life in general. I think it’s my job to teach them that different is not bad, it’s just different, and in a lot of cases, it’s more awesome than you could have imagined.
I found this recipe for Beef, Broccoli & Bok Choy Stir-Fry in a magazine and I had to try it. The girls are kind of addicted to Panda Expresses orange chicken and anyone who’s had it knows, though it may be tolerable, it is so unhealthy and, quite frankly, a poor excuse for Asian cuisine. If you want to try an alternative to fast food Asian Cuisine, with only 449 calories per serving, this recipe is awesome.
Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 45 Minutes Serves: 5
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups black rice (dry)
- 1 pound grass-fed boneless sirloin steak
- 1-cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1-tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced and peeled
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 2 cups oyster mushrooms, trimmed and cut in half
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 4 heads baby bok choy, coarsely chopped
Directions
- Cook black rice according to package directions.
- Trim fat from steak. Cut beef into thin slices.
- Whisk together broth, cornstarch, and soy sauce in small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry 1 minute. Add beef and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add red peppers, mushrooms and broccoli and stir-fry 3 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture; sauté 2-3 minutes. Add bok choy and stir-fry 1 minute.
- Serve over rice with ¾ cup shelled edamame, cooked, plus a pinch of iodized salt. Enjoy with your family.
What recipe have you used at home to replace a favorite fast food so that you can offer your family a healthier choice and greater variety?
Photo Credit: Adie Reed
