Healthy Stir Fry Recipes
and Cooking With a Wok

Healthy stir fry recipes can include a variety of low carb vegetables, tasty marinades, and different types of meats. And cooking healthy stir fry recipes with a wok can make stir frying a lot easier and very quick. 

Many claim that this method of cooking seals in the flavor of foods while preserving the color of your vegetables. And except for prep time, healthy stir fry recipes will only take a few minutes to cook. 

Chinese cooks have traditionally used peanut oil for stir frying which does have a high smoke point.  However, some better choices for healthy stir fry recipes can be ghee, macadamia nut oil, and avocado oil - which all have high smoke points.

Tips for Cooking with a Wok

Most chefs seem to prefer the carbon steel or cast iron wok because they both seem to conduct heat the best and most efficiently.

And there are also two types of bottoms on a wok.

A flat bottom wok works with just about any stove and the round bottom wok needs an appropriate wok-ring to work with either an electric or gas stove.

BTW, the round bottom wok may actually cook foods more evenly and may be better for healthy stir fry recipes.

Be sure to season your wok to keep it from rusting and seasoning keeps foods from sticking to the wok.

Cooking with a wok is a more fuel efficient way to cook foods quickly. You can even get away with using less oil when deep frying with a wok.

Because of its design the heat will spread more evenly and up higher. You can also toss foods more easily with this type of cooking utensil.

Most woks are relatively inexpensive and there are several sizes of woks to choose from.  However, the higher quality woks will be made from carbon steel or cast iron.

Stir Fry Basics

  1. Heat your Wok up to a Medium High or High Heat.
  2. Use a Wok or Curved Pan that Cooks with High Heat.
  3. And use a High Smoke Point Oil or One that can Take the "Heat".
  4. Prep all Your Ingredients Before Stir Frying.
  5. Only Cook 2 Portions or Servings at one time - to Prevent Steaming your Food.
  6. Stir Fry ingredients for a total of Only 2 or 3 Minutes.
  7. Toss ingredients or Use a Wooden Spoon to Constantly Move Food around While Cooking.

Prep Your Ingredients!

It's imperative to have all of your ingredients cut and ready to go. 

Once your wok is ready - it will only be a few minutes of cooking time.

Healthy stir fry recipes are a way to use up those extra herbs and vegetables in the fridge.

And you can use a variety of vegetables and proteins like seafood, chicken, beef, or pork to make your healthy stir fry recipes. 

Just be sure to slice your meats against the grain.  That way you'll end up with a tender piece of meat to enjoy in your healthy stir fry recipes.

Healthy Stir Fry Recipes
- Paleo Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:

  • Ghee or Organic Coconut Oil
  • 1 lb. of Grass Fed Beef Sirloin Tips (thinly sliced against the grain)

Marinade Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. of Coconut Aminos
  • 1 Tbsp. Gluten Free Fish Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Oil

Aromatic Ingredients:

  • 3 Large Organic Garlic Cloves (finely minced)
  • 3 inch of Organic Ginger (thinly sliced and long)
  • 2 Red Chili Peppers (seeds removed and thinly cut strips)
  • 3 Scallion Bulbs (cut into 3 inch length and separate the white from green parts)

Mongolian beef is what my daughter and I would order whenever we would go to a Chinese restaurant.

This is a much healthier recipe then what you'll be served at almost all Chinese restaurants.

Instructions:

  1. Pour coconut aminos, fish sauce, and sesame oil over cut meat in a bowl.  Toss and marinate for 20 minutes.
  2. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.  And when hot, lower the heat to medium.
  3. Then add 1 Tbsp. cooking oil and stir fry the beef with the marinade until meat is no longer pink.  Then set aside.
  4. Add a bit more cooking oil and saute ginger, garlic, red chili peppers, and white colored part of scallions.
  5. Heat until vegetables become fragrant.  Season with a pinch of salt and add back the meat along with the green colored part of the scallions.
  6. Toss everything to combine and then remove from heat.

Healthy Stir Fry Recipes
- Low Carb Chinese Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients:

  • 1. lb. 1 oz. of Rib-eye Steak (cut into slices)
  • 7 oz. of Organic Broccoli Florets
  • 3 oz. of Organic Red Bell Peppers (cut into strips)
  • 2 oz. Organic Water Chestnuts (thickly sliced)
  • 1 Tbsp. of Organic Grated Garlic
  • 4 Tbsp. Roasted Sesame Seed Oil or Favorite High Smoke Point Oil
  • 6 Tbsp. Unsalted Grass Fed Butter or Ghee
  • 8 oz. Organic White Mushrooms (thickly sliced)
  • 1/4 tsp. Organic Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp. Organic Ginger Powder or Fresh Ginger
  • 2 Tbsp. of Organic Tamari

A Chinese stir fry recipe is usually flavored with soy sauce.  And almost all soy sauce will contain gluten.

Be sure to use Tamari or a gluten free soy alternative - it will say its gluten free on the label.

You can serve your healthy stir fry recipe with the usual white steamed rice.  Or you could try brown steamed rice for a change.

You could also have your healthy stir fry recipes with fermented quinoa.

Or try a low carb cauliflower rice or mash if you want to cut down on the amount of carbohydrates in your diet.

Instructions:

  1. Heat up wok or deep sided skillet on medium heat and add butter or ghee.  Then add mushrooms and fry until golden brown on both sides.
  2. Use a slotted spoon to remove and set aside.
  3. Add in broccoli, bell pepper, and water chestnuts.  Stir a few times and add in 1 Tbsp. of sesame oil.  Toss well to coat the vegetables. 
  4. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. ginger over the vegetables and gently toss for 1 to 2 minutes before removing from wok.
  5. Turn up wok to medium high heat and add remaining oil.   Add the salt, ginger, and cayenne pepper.  Stir to infuse oil.
  6. Lay the cut meat on a single layer in wok and fry for about 3 minutes.  Distribute grated garlic and sprinkle Tamari over the meat.
  7. Flip meat and fry for 1 to 2 more minutes.  Then toss meat a few times to absorb more flavor.
  8. Reduce heat to low and add back your cooked vegetables.  Toss continuously for about 1 minute and then turn off heat.  Serve hot!
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