Quick Tips for a Healthier Stir-Fry
Keeping up with your healthy eating doesn’t have to be hard, especially when you are in a time crunch. One of the easiest and healthiest meals you can make yourself is a stir-fry. Here are some great tips for how to make these quick meals even better.
Prep in Advance
Stir-fries only take about 15 minutes to heat up, and can help you get in two to three servings of vegetables in one meal. The best way to cut back on time is to have everything chopped and prepped. Why not chop several vegetables at the beginning of the week to make it easier to dump the ingredients in during your dinner rush? Leftover grilled meat would also make a nice addition. Save even more time stir-frying your meal by cutting all of your vegetables into thin pieces.
Don’t Be Afraid to Blend Flavors
Typically stir-fries include broccoli and bell peppers. However, you can get as creative as you want with your stir-fry. Try adding small chunks of sweet potato or small slivers of hot peppers for a unique taste and health boost.
Be Smart About Oil
Not all cooking oil is made equally. Some oils are very unhealthy to cook with, such as vegetable oil and canola oil. Even healthy oils, such as olive oil, are bad choices since they do not have a high cooking temperature. Stick with coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee for the healthiest oils for your stir-fry.
Be Cautious of Carbs
The addition of carbohydrates to a stir-fry can balance the meal and provide you with all of the essential nutrients. However, be aware that it is easy to go overboard with the carbs, making this your healthy stir-fry a waistline increaser. Keep your brown rice portion to three-fourths of a cup and be mindful of how many starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes and peas.
The Right Sauce
So far, you have a very healthy stir-fry. Where most people ruin the health benefits of their meal is when they drown it in a sodium or sugar-filled sauce. Try doing a combination of fish oil, rice vinegar, and coconut aminos for a tasty sauce. Don’t forget to season with beneficial spices, such as ginger.
With stir-fries, there is no excuse not to eat healthy. There are so many different meats and vegetables combinations to try, so you will never get bored of making this.