A Southern Grace: it's all about compromise

July 14, 2016

it's all about compromise

Yum

My husband is someone who would happily dine on meat and bread at every meal. Don't misunderstand...I mean just meat and bread. I, on the other hand, would just as soon compose my plate of 90% veggies.


To satisfy both of our dining desires (as well as my deep-seated need to balance his diet), I often add a lot more veggies to casseroles, quiches, and sautes than one would normally include. This recipe is no exception. Most stir-fry formulas I've seen list only 1-2 cups of veggies per batch, but I doubled that, and I'm not sorry about it.


As we were eating, we ranked the veggies in order of deliciousness in this recipe. In case you were wondering, we were in complete agreement--broccoli got top honors, while edamame came in second, the peas finished third, and the peppers were apparently just there to add some color. The sum of the parts was quite tasty, and both of us left the table satisfied, which is always a good goal.

Veggie-Heavy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fry
(printable recipe)
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided use
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 6 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
  • 1-2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
  • 1 cup snap peas, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup edamame
  • 1 cup broccoli florets
  • 1/2 cup basil, julienned
Directions:
Combine egg whites and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pat the chicken pieces dry and add to bowl; toss to coat.
Combine remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch, ketchup, water, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and salt in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pepper and peas to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add edamame and broccoli to pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the veggie mixture to a plate.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add chicken mixture, allowing any excess egg white mixture to drip back into bowl. Stir-fry 6 minutes or until chicken is browned and done.
Add ketchup mixture and veggie mixture to pan. Bring to a simmer; simmer 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
Sprinkle with basil; serve immediately with rice.

11 comments:

Królowa Karo said...

Rice with vegetables is the best!

Cheri Savory Spoon said...

I always add extra veggies too!, lovely meal Grace.

Food Gal said...

My husband could dine on just meat, meat and meat! LOL He "says'' he can eat a vegetarian meal. But I have my doubts. I'll just enjoy this dish all to myself.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Fortunately my husband loves a veggie rich meal. Although somehow when *he* cooks the vegetables are an afterthought or missing altogether.

Angie's Recipes said...

My husband eats LOTS of salads, but not veggies..he loves peppers, green beans, and carrots..but they have to be RAW...he would make a face if they were cooked. Your stirfry looks very delicious. I love the tender chicken pieces and that delicious sauce.

Inger @ Art of Natural Living said...

Yup, that's why married men are healthier (one of the reasons anyway)!

Marjie said...

I always use lots of veggies in my stir-fry, but always include meat, usually chicken. It's good for them; they should suck it up. Just as a point of pride, Ryan and his father always comment on how good veggie-laden stir fry is, while Mark just grumbles. Your combination looks really good, Grace!

Sonia Cerca said...

My whole family is like your husband. I'm the only one stuffing my plate with veggies. And I don't understand what's the point of eating bread with meat.

Unknown said...

Double the veggies..Yum! I love your veggie rankings, how is it that broccoli always tastes the best in every stir fry :)

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies said...

My husband refuses to try edamame. I should just make this dish and not tell him they are in there. Once he tells me how good it is, then I'll tell him what's all in there!

Marcelle said...

Yep, my husband would eat just meat if I wasn't around. I don't even think he would buy bread! I love veggies and I love that there are so many in your recipe :) looks great!