Every Wednesday I take a class in the evening and on those nights I like to throw together a really quick and easy dinner for the kids. In exchange for being able to watch TV while eating dinner (only when mommy and daddy are not home) I usually let the kids pick the entree… with only a few minor stipulations…
1. It has to be “healthy”… no, frozen spinach pies do not count…
2. Has to contain at least one vegetable… no, ketchup does not count…
3. Has to be served with at least one raw fruit or vegetable on the side that is not the same color as what’s cooked in the bowl…
4. And, yes frozen homemade fruit pops can be eaten immediately following the meal, but chocolate chip cookies… only after daddy arrives…
So last night, after quite the deliberation (one only wanted apple cider, the other was craving yogurt squeezers)… the kids settled on their favorite veggie stir fry.
This stir fry is so easy to make, I probably make it every other week. One loves broccoli and the other, green peas, so we added both to the dish this time. The marrying of the ginger, garlic, green onions, and soy make the sauce so light and yummy that the kids like to lick it off the vegetables as they are eating each and every bite. And I like that dinner is done in less then 30 minutes from refrigerator to bowl parked in front of the British TV show Peppa Pig on PBS every Wednesday night. (What is it with the adorable little pigs, in the perfect 4 unit family, that my kids love so much anyway?…)
I warn you though, this stir fry is so delicious you might be eating leftovers even if you get home past 10pm at night. Quickly heating up a bowl, adding a bit of soy and devouring every last bite while watching the last episode of Downton you’ve been waiting to catch up on for the past 6 nights…
Ahh, British TV productions, (secretly wanting to go back to London, circa 1920) the abbey, their outfits, a live in chef, maid and butler, getting dressed up for dinner every night, going for long strolls on wide open grounds, or out for a horse ride if you really feel like a workout, afternoon tea time…. darn it, even their accents are a complete delight!
- 1 cup uncooked white or brown rice
- 2 tbsp. canola oil
- ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 12 oz. extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1 in squares
- 6 cloves garlic, pealed and minced
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 inch piece of ginger, skin removed and shredded
- 2 heads broccoli florets
- 1 cup frozen peas
- fresh carrot sticks (to serve along side)
- Cook rice according to directions on the packet.
- In a large sauté pan, on medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of the oil. Let heat and then add the tofu and ¼ cup of the soy sauce. Let the soy cook in and evaporate and the tofu brown, about 5 minutes, flipping a few times during cooking. Remove the tofu form the pan and set aside.
- Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic, ginger, and green onions and let cook a few minutes until soft. Add the broccoli and peas and the remaining ½ cup soy sauce. Stir and cook for a few minutes until broccoli is tender but still has a nice bite. Add in the tofu and stir. Turn off the heat.
- Serve with the rice. Add more soy sauce if needed.