Pork and Broccoli Noodle Stir Fry

A couple of years ago, I lost a few pounds.  It's irrelevant how many, how or why.  The point is, apparently they've been out there searching for me all this time.  Guess what?  All of a sudden, someone ratted me out and they've found me.  :/  Ughhh!  Sure, I could speculate about the calendar, my time, my stress levels, my age, etc.  But it sure won't change anything.   That's not to say I won't still make desserts and things my kids love; but if I want to feel more comfortable in my skin, it's time to buckle down and get a little more serious about eating better.  Anyone else out there feeling the same way?  

"Eating better" and having picky kids in the house is definitely a challenge shared by gazillions of parents out there.  I can feel you rolling your eyes.  That's why I'm so excited about this recipe (which I found while browsing through a Diabetes magazine).  We've made this a few times now, and my "I can NOT manage to choke down broccoli" child has loved it.  Okay, so he didn't eat the florets, but he DID find out that he was really cool with the carrot and broccoli noodles... and that was a HUGE step forward for us!  And without having actual pasta noodles in the dish, it's much lower in carbs than a "real" noodle stir fry.   *Before y'all get all excited and start messaging me, I do NOT have diabetes.  But the magazines are a wealth of information on excellent low carb recipes!  

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Ingredients: (4-6 servings)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• you can opt for the reduced sodium version here
• 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• or sub sriracha sauce 
• 2 large heads broccoli with the stems
• choose the longest stems you can find
• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2-3 tsp garlic paste
• or 2-3 large cloves garlic, minced fine 
• 4 green onions
• cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1- 1.25 lb lean boneless pork
• cut into thin, bite-sized strips
• 1 cup snow peas
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted peanuts (optional*)

Step-by-Step:

Step 1.  Let's Prep.

Prep the vegetable noodles first.  Peel the carrots first, and then using the same vegetable peeler, apply deep pressure to make these beautiful carrot ribbon noodles.  

Cut the florets from the broccoli as close as you can to the top, then peel the tough outer skin from the stem.  It's quite fibrous, so get it all.  I'm sure there are many ways to make the broccoli ribbon noodles, but we found that it was convenient to use either....  the vegetable peeler.....

or the mandoline set to the middle setting.  If you opt for the mandoline, please be aware that this is NOT a good job for the children.  This is an extremely sharp device.  But it does make the job easier and most uniform. 

So here is our pile of vegetable ribbon "noodles."  All ready to go.  

Step 2.  Let's make the sauce.  

Just dump it all together and mix it up. 

4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) soy sauce

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Step 3.  Lets Stir Fry!

To your wok (or pan of choice), add vegetable oil over medium to medium high heat.

Add garlic paste (or minced garlic) and stir just until fragrant but do not allow to burn.

2-3 tsp garlic paste (or 2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced)

Quickly add broccoli florets.  My strategy was to add the longest cooking vegetables first.  But even these do not take long.  I only cooked them for a couple of minutes.  *You may need to add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.  

a couple cups broccoli florets

After a couple of minutes, add in those gorgeous carrot ribbons. 

After another minute, you can add the broccoli "noodles."  The carrots and broccoli only need to cook a few minutes and they will be tender crisp.  You don't want to over cook them, or they will be mushy and lose all their texture and color.  

Remove the vegetables to a dish.

Add in the pork strips to the wok.  Allow it to get a little sear and color on all the sides first.

Then, stir fry the pork with the sauce that we made at the beginning.  

Finally, add the vegetables back into the wok.

At the end, add in the 1-inch pieces of green onion and snow peas.  They only require about two minutes to be done.  

Finish the dish with a sprinkle of chopped, roasted peanuts (which I inconveniently forgot to add for the photo).  Sorry folks.  :( 

This is super yummy... AND healthy!!!!  Give it a shot.

Written Method:

Step 1.  Let's Prep.

• Prep the vegetable noodles first.  Peel the carrots first, and then using the same vegetable peeler, apply deep pressure to make these beautiful carrot ribbon noodles.  
• Cut the florets from the broccoli as close as you can to the top, then peel the tough outer skin from the stem.  It's quite fibrous, so get it all.  I'm sure there are many ways to make the broccoli ribbon noodles, but we found that it was convenient to use either....  the vegetable peeler.....or the mandoline set to the middle setting.  If you opt for the mandoline, please be aware that this is NOT a good job for the children.  This is an extremely sharp device.  But it does make the job easier and most uniform. 

Step 2.  Let's make the sauce.  

• Just dump it all together and mix it up. 

Step 3.  Lets Stir Fry!

• To your wok (or pan of choice), add vegetable oil over medium to medium high heat.
• Add garlic paste (or minced garlic) and stir just until fragrant but do not allow to burn.
• Quickly add broccoli florets.  We want to add the longest cooking vegetables first.  But even these do not take long.  Only cook these for a couple of minutes.  *You may need to add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.  
• After a couple of minutes, add in those gorgeous carrot ribbons. 
• After another minute, you can add the broccoli "noodles."  The carrots and broccoli only need to cook a few minutes and they will be tender crisp.  You don't want to over cook them, or they will be mushy and lose all their texture and color.  
• Remove the vegetables to a dish.
• Add in the pork strips to the wok.  Allow it to get a little sear and color on all the sides first.
• Then, stir fry the pork with the sauce that we made at the beginning.  
• Finally, add the vegetables back into the wok.
• At the end, add in the 1-inch pieces of green onion and snow peas.  They only require about two minutes to be done.  
• Finish the dish with a sprinkle of chopped, roasted peanuts 

Here are some healthy bonus recipes:
Classic Cobb Salad

Oatmeal Banana Smoothies

Cranberry Cherry Chicken Wrap

Thai Chicken Salad Cones/Wraps

Grilled Chicken Southwestern Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Marinated Seared Tuna Steaks

Thai Chicken Flatbread Pizza

These work great for a variety of occasions - you need quick after school meals, your house has been invaded by teenagers, your family is going to sit around and have movie night?  You name it!  These are fun, easy, and the main components can be made ahead of time for quick assembly.

I personally love so many Thai dishes.  I just love the way the flavors come together, and this dish is no exception.  You get the full gamut of sweet, salty, crunchy, smooth, some heat, and some cool all in the same bite! Mmmmm!  Flatbread is relatively easy to find these days in most grocery stores, but if you can't, you can use naan or even a pocketless pita bread for this this.  You can even ask your local pizza joint to sell you some dough and make your own pizza crust, or in a pinch perhaps break open one of those pizza-crust-in-a-can things and cook that for your dough before you start. Hey - this is not about stressing.  This is about having fun with your peeps!   

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Ingredients:

Peanut Curry Sauce - (yield 2 cups)

• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 Tbsp red curry paste
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• (my personal favorite is Peter Pan Honey Roasted but use what makes you happy)
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 5 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 Tbsp chili garlic sauce

Each Pizza

• 1 square flatbread (approx 10" x 10")
• 2 - 3 tsp peanut curry sauce
• 2 - 3 slices fresh mozzarella, depending on size
• 3 oz grilled or cooked chicken (covered in another tsp peanut sauce)
• 1/4 cup total of mixed and yellow bell peppers 
• 2 - 3 Tbsp cucumber matchsticks (no seeds)
• ~ 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
• ~ 1 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts

** The peanut curry sauce can be made ahead of time.  It can be stored in the refrigerator in a closed container (such as a jar) for up to a week.  It's enough to make several pizzas.

Step-by-Step:
For the peanut curry sauce, all you do is combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  That's all folks!  :)

For the pizza, just assemble leaving the cold crunchy stuff until last.  Here we go:

We are starting off with a few ounces of cooked chicken.  This could be grilled/roasted/leftover chicken you have in the fridge.  So that it won't dry out, wrap in in some parchment or waxed paper to heat it up so that it will steam a bit. 

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Add a few spoons of the peanut curry sauce to the pieces of chicken in a small bowl.

Take some frozen peppers out of the freezer and pop them into the microwave.  Easy peezy!  They won't take long.  Maybe 45 seconds to a minute.

You'll  need to blog these guys dry afterwards, because they will give off a lot of water.  But the advantage of using the frozen peppers is that they break down really quickly.

 See what I mean?

Okay, grab a flatbread of your choice.  You can also use Naan or a pita bread.  Whatever you want. If you want to use a premade pizza crust, try that.  I throw mine in the panini grill first to get some nice grill marks on it; but you can also just put it in a skillet and heat both sides, or on your pizza stone.

Time to start assembly.

Spread some peanut curry sauce on the warm flatbread.  Notice, I am "building" my pizza on the backside of a cookie sheet turned upside down.  That means, when it's finished cooking, I'll be able to easily slide it off without having to worry about navigating the edge or lip of the cookie sheet. 

 Next, add some pieces of torn, fresh mozzarella.

Next, some of the chicken that has been bathing in the peanut curry sauce.

Next, add some strips of the pepper strips (which you have patted dry).

Okay, pop your pizza under the broiler.

It's done when the cheese gets ooey gooey and everything is hot and melty.  (I mean, how else can you describe it?)  Honestly though, everything is cooked, you are just needing everything to come together here. 

So......

We have all the hot components.  Now it's time to balance this out with the cold crunchy stuff.

We start off with cool, crisp cucumber matchsticks that have been rid of all the seeds.

Then we add the pan roasted, chopped peanuts.

And finally we finish off with some bright cilantro (or parsley if you aren't a cilantro person).  This gives a gorgeous Thai Chicken Pizza with a balance of sweet, spicy, smooth, crunchy, hot, cold. Mmmmmm!  And if you are thinking that a 10"x10" pizza wouldn't fill you up, you would be surprised!   

I hope you enjoyed this fabulous and easy recipe!

There are hundreds more in my Recipe Index, just waiting to be chosen and cooked!  You can also visit my Film strips for pinning page, to see whole recipes at a glance, and to click-and-go right to the recipe.

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Here are some bonus recipes for you:

Stuffed Zucchini

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

Chicken Piccata with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Honey Maple Granola

Ritzy Cheddar Baked Chicken

Individual White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Puddings

Written Method:

For the peanut curry sauce, all you do is combine all the ingredients in a bowl.  That's all folks!  :)

For the pizza, just assemble leaving the cold crunchy stuff until last.  Here we go:

We are starting off with a few ounces of cooked chicken.  This could be grilled/roasted/leftover chicken you have in the fridge.  So that it won't dry out, wrap in in some parchment or waxed paper to heat it up so that it will steam a bit.  Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and set aside.  Add a few spoons of the peanut curry sauce to the pieces of chicken in a small bowl.

Take some frozen peppers out of the freezer and pop them into the microwave.  Easy peezy!  They won't take long.  Maybe 45 seconds to a minute.  You'll  need to blog these guys dry afterwards, because they will give off a lot of water.  But the advantage of using the frozen peppers is that they break down really quickly.

Okay, grab a flatbread of your choice.  You can also use Naan or a pita bread.  Whatever you want. If you want to use a premade pizza crust, try that.  I throw mine in the panini grill first to get some nice grill marks on it; but you can also just put it in a skillet and heat both sides, or on your pizza stone.

Time to start assembly.  Spread some peanut curry sauce on the warm flatbread.  Notice, I am "building" my pizza on the backside of a cookie sheet turned upside down.  That means, when it's finished cooking, I'll be able to easily slide it off without having to worry about navigating the edge or lip of the cookie sheet.   Next, add some pieces of torn, fresh mozzarella.  Next, some of the chicken that has been bathing in the peanut curry sauce.  Next, add some strips of the pepper strips (which you have patted dry).  Okay, pop your pizza under the broiler.  It's done when the cheese gets ooey gooey and everything is hot and melty.  (I mean, how else can you describe it?)  Honestly though, everything is cooked, you are just needing everything to come together here. 

So......We have all the hot components.  Now it's time to balance this out with the cold crunchy stuff.

We start off with cool, crisp cucumber matchsticks that have been rid of all the seeds.  Then we add the pan roasted, chopped peanuts.  And finally we finish off with some bright cilantro (or parsley if you aren't a cilantro person).  This gives a gorgeous Thai Chicken Pizza with a balance of sweet, spicy, smooth, crunchy, hot, cold. Mmmmmm!  And if you are thinking that a 10"x10" pizza wouldn't fill you up, you would be surprised!