Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry

Sometimes I get in a rut. I'm definitely a creature of habit. When I find something that works, I stick with it. For example, I may or may not have packed the same lunch every day from kindergarten to eighth grade. And the only reason I had to switch things up was because I got braces (and sandwiches are not braces friendly). While finding a recipe that works is great, I constantly have to remind myself to switch things up a bit and try something new.

This Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry is a great example of that. I make my Basic Stir Fry almost every week. Yes, I'll add chicken or shrimp or change the sauce slightly, but for the most part I eat the same thing repeatedly. It was time for a change. Wanting to make something similar to fried rice, I thought I'd make quinoa and add that to the stir fry.

Not only does the quinoa add bulk and nutrition, but it adds lots of flavor. The quinoa cooked in broth soaks up the delicious stir fry sauce and adds a depth of flavor to the dish that did not exist in my original stir fry recipe. Feel free to switch up the proportions-if you like more quinoa, double the quinoa that you cook. I happen to like an equal proportion of vegetables to quinoa, so this recipe is a good balance of carbs and vegetables. If you are a fan of fried rice, you should give this Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry a try!

Quinoa Veggie Stir Fry
(2-3 servings)

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
1 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
6 Tbsp water
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
salt and pepper to taste
optional: 4-5 splashes hot sauce
optional: fresh or ground ginger

2 eggs
1 bag frozen stir fry vegetables, thawed and drained of excess liquid

Add quinoa and chicken broth to a medium size pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of the chicken broth is completely absorbed.

Meanwhile, prepare the stir fry sauce by combining the flour, soy sauce, water, minced garlic, and mustard (add hot sauce and/or ginger now if using) in a bowl. Whisk until ingredients are combined. Set aside.

Heat wok or skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray and scramble eggs. Remove the eggs from pan and place on a plate until ready to serve. Add the frozen vegetables to the same wok and stir fry for 5-8 minutes or until heated through and starting to brown. Add stir fry sauce to vegetables and mix together. The sauce should boil and thicken. Add cooked quinoa to wok and stir ingredients together. Mix in scrambled eggs. Serve immediately.

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Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 245.7
Total Fat: 5.7 g
Cholesterol: 123.3 mg
Sodium: 415.8 mg
Total Carbs: 37.7 g
Fiber: 6.0 g
Sugars: 2.1 g
Protein: 12.8 g

Pros:
-Very easy to make
-One dish dinner (great as a main dish or side dish)
-Versatile-add chicken, beef, pork, shrimp to stir fry, adjust seasonings to increase heat or spiciness
-Great leftovers

Cons:
-Can be high in sodium-be sure to use low sodium broth and soy sauce