Cheap and Easy Turkey Stir Fry

Cooking hot and fast is the key with a stir fry.  This recipe should be considered merely a guideline for you to use whatever combination of vegetables you want.   This was inspired by my friend Kate at Savour Fare and her recipe, 10 Minute Thai Style Turkey.  It’s decidedly less fancy than Kate’s version, (but hers is simply delicious!) using ingredients you may already keep on hand, but it should serve as inspiration for your own personal creation.

Cheap and Easy Turkey Stir Fry

Ingredients

2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vegetable or canola oil
2-3 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 green onion, diced
1 lb ground turkey
1 zucchini sliced and then cut into match stick size pieces (julienne)
1 carrot julienne sliced
½ lb French green beans (these are the thin kind, fresh or Trader Joe’s sells them frozen and they’re great)
1 clove crushed garlic
2 tbl fresh parsley, chopped
3 tbl hoisin  or teriyaki sauce (flavors are different, just use what you prefer)

Directions

A little fancier than you have to do using mushrooms, zucchini, carrots and bell peppers

In large skillet or wok, heat oils and crushed garlic over medium heat until fragrant.  Add turkey, thoroughly break up and cook until browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.
Turn heat up slightly to medium-high, add vegetables and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.  Add turkey back, combine thoroughly, add onion and hoisin sauce, continue to stir to incorporate keeping heat up so a slight bit of carmelization occurs.  Add parsely and soy sauce, stir for one more minute and then serve with steamed brown rice with extra soy sauce on the side.

Grilled Chicken with Balsamic Glaze and Vegetable Stir Fry

This recipe is flexible and easy to make more than needed in order to have leftovers.  There is very little added fat.  It’s great to pack for lunch the next day or just make extra chicken for slicing and using in salad later in the week.  The sauté of vegetables is essentially a guideline; broccoli, zucchini and carrots are easy, usually accessible year round and inexpensive.  But you can use whatever veggies are seasonal and make you happy when you eat them.

Ingredients
4 Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) or whatever chicken portion you prefer
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons honey
¼ c. balsamic vinegar

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to preferred taste. 
Prepare grill and be sure grates are oiled.
Heat the honey in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it becomes thin.  Add balsamic vinegar and let boil and reduce for 3-5 minutes.  Be careful, it can splatter while boiling; keep a close eye on it.  Remove from heat.

Place chicken on hot grill, grill for about 4 minutes until grill marks have formed, and then flip over.  Baste with glaze and grill for another 4 minutes.  Flip over and baste again, the flip one more time and apply more glaze.  Be sure they are cooked through, then remove from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.

Stir Fry

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Salt-free seasoning like Mrs. Dash or Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Salute
1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 carrots, sliced thin
1 head broccoli, chopped
2 medium zucchini, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan on medium-high heat, add olive oil and garlic and heat stirring for 1 minute.    Add carrots and cook, stirring a few times for 2 minutes.  Add broccoli and zucchini, stir to combine and cover pan and let steam for 2 minutes.  Remove lid, add seasoning and continue to stir until vegetables are just beginning to wilt.  Add balsamic vinegar and stir to coat vegetables and begin to caramelize.  Remove from heat and serve.