Recipe of the Week: Thai Stir Fry

Remember the posts I used to put up about my subscription to Louisville Vegan Jerky? Mmm, I sure do love that jerky! Although I quit the sub awhile back because I just couldn't spare the extra funds, I did use my Amazon Christmas gift card to buy a ten-pack of their Smokey Carolina BBQ flavor (it's my favorite!). It got me thinking about the item used to make the jerky: soy curls. I've heard about soy curls here and there over the years but I have never cooked with them, so I thought maybe it was high time that I bought some. 

Man, I didn't know what I was missing! I've made so many good dishes with them recently that they will now be a staple in my house. I've made Beefless Stew, Fried Chik'n Strips, BBQ Soy curls, and my new favorite: Thai Stir Fry. Not only was this dish delicious, but it was healthy and super easy to make. Read on to find out just how easy it is!

Thai Stir Fry Served over Quinoa-Rice Blend

Ingredients:

1/2 head cauliflower, cut up into florets+

3 large carrots, peeled and sliced+

12 ounces brussel sprouts, cut in half and outer leaves peeled off+

2 handfuls (about 2 cups) of snap peas, cut in half+

1/2 head onion, cut into large pieces+

1/2 pkg soy curls*

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

salt and pepper to taste

1 bottle Thai peanut sauce

1 cup rice**

1/2 cup quinoa**

3 cups water

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Prepare your vegetables, then dump into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and some salt and pepper, mixing well.

3. Dump vegetables into a large baking dish, and put into preheated oven. Bake, stirring well once, for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from oven.

4. While the vegetables are roasting, add the grains and water to a saucepan on high heat. When water begins to boil, stir well, turn heat down to simmer, cover pan, and let the grains cook until water has been absorbed, roughly 15 minutes. Turn off heat and fluff with a fork. Cover until ready to eat.

5. While the grains are cooking, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a dutch oven over medium-high heat on the stove. When oil begins to ripple, add soy curls. Stir occasionally until curls are browned on a few sides.

6. Add half of the Thai peanut sauce and stir to coat well. Add a few tablespoons of water if the consistency is too thick. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the soy curls have absorbed some sauce. If the curls need more sauce, add the rest of the Thai peanut sauce and a couple of tablespoons of water.***

7. Add the vegetables to the pan with the soy curls, stirring well to coat. Add more sauce or a bit of water if needed.

8. Remove from heat, and serve over rice-quinoa mix.

9. Enjoy!

Notes:

+ You can use any vegetables you want. These were the ones that I had on hand. You should get roughly 8-10 cups of vegetables before baking.

*To use the soy curls, you first have to soak them in hot water for about an hour or longer. When they are rehydrated, drain, and squeeze the excess water out before using.

**Again, you can use any grains you want. I always have these two on hand and they're lovely cooked together.

***You don't want a super-thick sauce. You want a lighter sauce that the curls will absorb some of and leave enough behind to just coat the vegetables. I typically mix the sauce in a bowl with some warm water (just enough to thin it out, about two to four tablespoons, depending on the thickness of the sauce) ahead of time, then pour in the pan as needed. I find that method works so much better. If you want a thick sauce, then by all means make it thick!