|
|
|
2007-8-30 13:59:47 |
|
AICR Ever Green, Ever Healthy August 2007 Topic: Food Stir fries are easy to make, healthy and delicious. They can be made in just minutes and can be low in calories and fat. And who can resist crisp cooked veggies mixed with tender chicken marinated in soy sauce? A stir fry is typically two-thirds vegetables and one-third poultry, which is compatible with the New American Plate meal plan advocated by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). The idea is to increase the proportion of vegetables to meat in any dish you are cooking. Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that work together to arm the body against damage done to cells. So a stir fry that is at least 2/3 vegetables helps lower cancer risk. This stir fry is a summer classic and will take you very little time to make. Ideally, you will want to purchase vegetables of a variety of colors to amp the number of different phytochemicals offered by different colored veggies. Traditional Stir-Fry 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, plus 2 tsp., divided 2 tsp. sugar, divided 2 Tbsp. Mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine), divided or fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth plus a pinch of sugar 1/2 tsp. minced scallion (optional) 1/4 tsp. minced ginger (optional) 1 cup thinly-sliced chicken, meat or fish 1 tsp. cornstarch 2-3 Tbsp. peanut or canola oil 1 cup cut-up green vegetables, e.g. snow peas, string beans or broccoli 1 cup cut-up red or orange vegetables, e.g. carrot, bell pepper or red onion 1 cup cut-up light-colored vegetable, e.g. bok choy, onion, zucchini 3 cups steamed rice (preferably brown) In a shallow pan, mix together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of Mirin, the scallion and ginger. Add the chicken and marinate 10-30 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels. (Discard used marinade, which should never be reused, as it may be contaminated by potentially harmful bacteria and could lead to food-borne illness.) Meanwhile, in a small bowl or cup mix together the remaining soy sauce, Mirin and sugar with the corn starch until well blended. Set aside to use later. Heat pan until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, or enough to stir-fry meat, and heat until very hot. Add meat and stir-fry until it turns color. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Using small amounts of oil as needed, stir-fry vegetables. Do not overcrowd the pan; cook in batches if necessary, starting with those that take the longest to cook. Transfer cooked vegetables to a covered dish to keep warm. When all the vegetables are tender-crisp, add back to the pan any that were removed and the meat. Stir the sauce to recombine and add, stirring until sauce thickens. Serve immediately with steamed rice. Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 350 calories, 10 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 46 g. carbohydrate, 18 g. protein, 5 g. dietary fiber, 665 mg. sodium. |
