Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 cups water + 1/2 cup
• 1/2 inch ginger, grated
• 1 pound flank or sirloin steak, sliced (1/4-inch thick slices)
• 1 tablespoon + 2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons + 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound brown or shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 3/4 pound broccoli, chopped
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions

Prepare beef marinade by adding ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 2 teaspoons cornstarch to a bowl. Add the beef slices and mix with fingers or a spatula until well combined. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

Cook the brown rice by combining the rice with 2 cups of water and bringing to a boil, covered, over high heat. Once the water boils, give the rice a stir. Cover and lower the heat to low, allowing rice to simmer for about 45 minutes.

Heat a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add broccoli with 1/2 cup water and stir-fry until water is absorbed (the water helps the broccoli cook faster and without burning).

Sprinkle with salt, and add mushrooms. Stir-fry until mushrooms are mostly cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Return pan to high heat. Add cooking oil and then beef to heated oil. Spread beef out into one layer if possible. Cook for 1 minute and then return broccoli and mushrooms to the pan; add garlic and stir.

In a separate bowl, make the stir-fry sauce by adding 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice vinegar, chicken stock and 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

Push all ingredients to the side, forming a donut in the middle of the pan. Give sauce a final stir and pour it into the hole. Let it sit until you see it darken in color and start to bubble a lot. When that happens, toss everything through. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Feel free to add a kick of hot sauce too. Enjoy over 1/2 cup of rice.

Nutrition Information

Serves: 4 |  Serving Size: 1/4 of beef stir-fry + 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

Per serving: Calories: 489; Total Fat: 17g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 57mg; Sodium: 614mg; Carbohydrate: 45g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 39g

Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 534mg; Iron: 17%; Vitamin A: 29%; Vitamin C: 72%; Calcium: 6%

Energizing Tips (optional)

• Add 1/2 cup corn kernels to the stir-fry to increase calories and carbs. (Per serving: Calories: 549; Fat: 18g; Carbohydrate: 55g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 41g)
• Replace the tomato paste with 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut butter to increase calories, fat and protein. (Per serving: Calories: 523; Fat: 20g; Carbohydrate: 46g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 41g)