Quick & Easy Stir Fry Veggies // GF & DF

I have to admit that even as a Nutritionist, there are several places where I struggle (off and on) when it comes to my nutrition. Depending on the level of “busyness” I am allowing to take over my life, I can sometimes end up skipping meals or snacks, lacking in my water intake, and the big one… not getting my veggies in.

Every now and then I go through these stages (again, probably when life is too busy and eating well slips down on my list of priorities) where I scramble to grab a complex carb, protein, and some healthy fats for a meal or snack but totally ignore the veggies.

Here’s the thing.

If veggies are just steamed or raw on their own, I’m not a huge fan. I much more prefer raw veggies dipped in hummus, guacamole, or something similar… or cooked veggies to roasted in a sauce, sprinkled with herbs, or flavoured in some yummy way. The problem is, this usually takes time that I just don’t have.

So often, my solution at these low-veggie-intake times is to first, recognize the lack (and take responsibilty for my own nutritional intake!) and second, do something about it!

That ‘something’ is usually this go-to recipe for easy, peasy, quick stir fry veggies.

Not only does it take less than 10-minutes to whip up, these veggies are yummy, healthy, and a great way to use up veggies that need to be eaten to avoid to getting tossed out.

In this recipe I use broccoli, peppers, and zucchini… but it’s very versatile, and any veggie combination will do (think: cauliflower, carrots, bok choy, onions, celery, kale, mushrooms…etc.).

Another bonus with this recipe, versus many other stir fry recipes is that the sauce is light, healthy, and not overloaded with sugar. Unfortunately many stir fry sauces or store bought sauces like teriyaki or sweet & sour, tend to be loaded with refined sugars and other additives, thickeners, and not-so-great ingredients.

Garlic, ginger, lime, honey, oil, coconut aminos (or GF soy sauce) and tapioca come together to make a slightly sweet, fresh, and tangy sauce that just lightly coats the veggies for a subtle but still flavourful side dish.

I love to whip up a big batch of these stir-fry veggies and keep them in the fridge for a few days to pair with proteins and soba noodles, brown rice, roasted potatoes, or even just enjoy them on their own when I’m feeling that veggie deficit in my diet!

How do you make sure you get enough veggies in your diet during busy times? I’d love to hear your tips or tricks in the comments below!

Quick & Easy Stir Fry Veggies (GF/DF)

Prep time

2 mins

Cook time

7 mins

Total time

9 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

1 cup broccoli florets
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 zucchini, diced
1 cup other veggie of choice (cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, etc.)
Stir Fry Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 large lime
1 tablespoon raw honey
¼ cup coconut aminos (or GF soy sauce)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp tapioca starch
1 tsp grated ginger (optional)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted or not)

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients and make sure the tapioca starch is completely dissolved.
Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat.
Add in the sauce and allow it to bubble slightly and thicken, stirring constantly.
Add in the veggies and toss with the sauce to coat.
Reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir and toss until veggies are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Enjoy!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

P.S. If you didn’t catch my last post… make sure you do! It’s a great roundup of Simple Summer Health Tips from 25 AWESOME Health Pro Bloggers!