Many things in my life have changed since having kids, but one thing in particular is always certain: It takes FOREVER to get out of the house to go somewhere.
TVs and lights shut off, toys put away, dishes cleaned (I can't stand coming home to a dirty house), doors locked, hair (mine and both my daughters') brushed, clothes and shoes on...the list goes on.
Single Lauren just had to grab purse, keys, and phone, and she was out the door! Married with children Lauren has to be sure to have 'the essentials'. Snacks, water bottles, diapers, a change of clothes, and (depending on the day) hats, jackets, jewelry, toys, and whatever else the girls want to drag from their room into the car. It can be a nightmare!
This mayhem makes it difficult to go anywhere, so we often opt to stay home and make our meals and rent movies. One of our favorite meals to make is this stir-fry.
In my opinion, just as there are essentials for a diaper bag, there are essentials for a good stir-fry:
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Scallions
- Organic soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- Vinegar
- Toasted sesame oil
The type of grain, protein, or vegetables can easily vary in this recipe, but these six ingredients give it an authentic taste that will remind you of your favorite Chinese restaurant (minus the MSG).
Vegetable and Quinoa Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 c. dry quinoa cooked
- 2 T. coconut or grapeseed oil
- 1 t. toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 T. fresh ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ t. red pepper flakes
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 ½ c. broccoli florets chopped
- 1 4 oz can water chestnuts rinsed and drained (optional, but gives the dish a nice crunch)
- 1-2 T. soy sauce to taste
- 1-2 t. brown rice vinegar to taste (apple cider vinegar or lime juice can be used if grain-free)
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oils together in a deep skillet.
- Add in the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and saute the mix for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add in the carrots and celery, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the broccoli and water chestnuts, and cook three minutes, until broccoli is bright green.
- Add in the cooked quinoa, soy sauce, and vinegar, and stir everything to combine.
- Heat everything through for another 2-3 minutes.
- Top with sesame seeds and extra soy sauce, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
I've made this a variety of ways over the years, including using short brown rice in place of the quinoa, cabbage or bok choy instead of broccoli, or toasted cashews instead of sesame seeds. My husband and kids love this with chicken added in, but I usually prefer mine with extra veggies and a scrambled egg. 🙂
The best thing about this dish is that it can be tailored to suit just about any diet type, which is nice when you're cooking for people with allergies or who just wish to eat a certain way for their general health.
Do you prefer to go out or stay in?
Even in my early twenties, I was a homebody, so having kids was an easy (and delightful) transition for me. 🙂
Crystal
Why is this tagged as paleo? Quinoa is not paleo...
Lauren
Sorry, wrong recipe. Quinoa is paleo by some standards. It is a seed, not a grain.
Laura | My Little Gourmet
No kidding! I think having a boy I've got it a little easier when trying to get out of the house...but not much. Stir-fry is the best and this looks delicious, as usual!
jodye @ whole pure recipes
This looks like a great dish, and I love how versatile it is. My boyfriend and I have completely different tastes, and I usually make two dinners to suit both of our tastes. I love having dishes like this that we can both enjoy, and easily switch up the veggies to our liking.
I'm such a homebody! I don't really enjoy going out to eat because 1. it costs a lot, and 2. I'd rather know exactly what's going into my food - I'm more picky than I'd like to admit! I love having friends over and cooking for them, though!
Lauren
Oh, I relate so much to everything you wrote! I often make two meals here as well: one vegetable-packed one for me, and one with meat for everyone else!
Audrey
I must admit...I love eating out and have always taken my children, too. My youngest is 15 now! But this recipe sounds easy, and I want to try it!
Susan
I couldn't agree with you more about the stir-fry essentials. In reading the recipe, I found myself intrigued by the combination of coconut oil and toasted sesame oil. I think I might like that.
Most of the time I prefer to stay in and eat at home, even though I don't have kids (way, way too old for that!). But we have a restaurant here that is almost like home to us, so I do like to go there periodically. It's also handy when we run out of time for cooking. I think part of the reason I like to be at home is because we eat out so much when we travel. We do spend a lot of time traveling. When we are home, we don't rent movies. We're content with TV.