From time to time, we all crave take away food, and sometimes there is nothing more appealing than a Chinese stir fry from the local takeaway. However, what isn’t so great are some of the ingredients added to these dishes, many of which are not disclosed to us before eating.

Many of the Chinese takeaway dishes on the local menu available to us can include risky levels of fat, salt and calories. Many animal protein sources contain added antibiotics and hormones. With some of the sauces used containing up-to 60 grams of refined sugar per meal. Consuming high levels of sugar isn’t just linked to piling on a few pounds, if eaten regularly in dangerous amounts you can also develop type 2 diabetes, inflammation, heart and liver disease.

With all of that in mind, we at We Are Half Human want you to continue enjoying a good stir-fry but just want to encourage you to eat the ones that you won’t pay for with your health down the line. And there is no better and safer way to enjoy a stir-fry than to make your own. That way you know 100% of what is going into your body, and what it is doing to your health. Check out our 3 easy, tasty and healthy stir-fry recipes below!

1) Chicken And Vegetable Stir-Fry (Gluten + Dairy Free)

Yield: 4 servings

Stiry-Fry Ingredients: (organic where possible)

• 500g free range, organic chicken thighs (chopped)
• 3 carrots (washed // sliced)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled // minced)
• ½ cup water
• 3 cups bok choy (ends cut // leaves separated)
• 6 stems asparagus (ends trimmed)
• avocado oil
• salt and pepper (if desired)
• buckwheat and quinoa noodles (enough per person eating)

Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients:

• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled // chopped)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Instructions:

1. Prep all veg and meat. Prep the stir-fry sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Prep a pan of water for the noodles.
2. Then heat the wok over a medium high heat, adding a little avocado oil to the bottom.
3. Add the chicken and cook thoroughly.
4. Once the chicken is done, remove the chicken from the wok and put it in a bowl to one side.
5. Then add a little more oil, a teaspoon of water and all the stir fry vegetable ingredients to the wok.
6. At this point, boil the water for the noodles.
7. After cooking for 2 minutes and stirring continuously ensuring the vegetables do not burn, add the chicken, the stir-fry sauce and the remaining water.
8. Also add the noodles to the water. Cooking as per the packet instructions.
9. Cook the wok contents for a further 10 minutes, stirring continuously.
10. Rinse and drain the noodles.
11. Take the wok off the heat, dish up and serve with hot noodles.

Nutritional Information Per Entire Dish:

Carbohydrate - 235.03 g

Protein - 123.99 g

Total lipid (fat) - 113.97 g

Iron, Fe - 15.53 mg

Calcium, Ca - 686 mg 

2) Roasted Mushroom Teriyaki Stir Fry (Vegan. Gluten + Dairy Free)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients: (organic where possible)

• 1 red chilli (sliced - optional)
• 8 stems broccolini
• 2 cups mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 tablespoons water
• avocado oil
• black rice noodles (enough per person eating)

Teriyaki Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground garlic
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Start by making the sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients to a pan on the hob over a medium heat, except the cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Cook for about 1 minute, until fully mixed and the sugar is dissolved.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch and ¼ cup water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Add the cornstarch mix to the sauce cooking on the hob. Mix together and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened up. Take off the heat and set the sauce aside in a bowl.
3. At this point begin boiling a pan of water for the noodles. Once ready, add the noodles and cook as per the noodle packet instructions state.
4. Then alongside cooking the noodles, add a splash of oil, 2 tablespoons of water to a wok on medium high heat, adding all the remaining stir-fry ingredients. Mix together and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the teriyaki sauce and combine well, cooking for upto 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and are well coated.
5. Serve the stir-fry with warm noodles and enjoy.

Nutritional Information Per Entire Dish:

Carbohydrate - 213.57 g

Protein - 21.61 g

Total lipid (fat) - 30.72 g

Iron, Fe - 3.78 mg

Calcium, Ca - 125 mg 

3) Salmon And Vegetable Stir-Fry (Gluten + Dairy Free)

Yield: 4 servings

Stir-Fry Ingredients: (organic where possible)

• 2 cups green beans (ends trimmed // sliced in half)
• carrots (ends removed // sliced into thin strips)
• red onion (peeled // sliced)
• spinach (4 cups)
• 1 orange bell pepper (deseeded // sliced into thin strips)
• 4 fresh salmon fillets (1 fillet per person)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• white rice noodles (enough per person)
• 1 garlic clove (peeled // crushed)

Thai Coconut Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (crushed)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves (peeled // crushed)
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 ¼ cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (gluten free)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade and place the salmon in the oven on a pre-greased baking tray.
2. While the salmon is cooking, get a pan ready filled with water for your noodles to cook later on. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, add all the sauce ingredients and give it a good mix. Set aside.
4. Heat a wok on medium-high heat, adding the oil and all the other stir-fry ingredients except the salmon and the rice noodles. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.
5. Then add the thai coconut sauce and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium heat. Stirring occasionally, let the vegetables cook in the sauce over the medium heat, allowing the sauce to thicken up. Simmer for 15 minutes.
6. During this time boil the water for the noodles, and then once ready add enough rice noodles for the amount of guests eating. Drain and set aside in a bowl once cooked.
7. Remove salmon from the oven and set aside.
8. Take the wok off the heat then serve with hot rice noodles and oven baked salmon.

Nutritional Information Per Entire Dish:

Carbohydrate - 242.01 g

Protein - 96.11 g

Total lipid (fat) - 131.46  g

Iron, Fe - 16.11 mg

Calcium, Ca - 447 mg

Cooking For One? No Problem!

Even if you might only be cooking for one and might therefore be thinking the above recipes create a lot of food waste. The good news is that all of our stir-fry recipes can be kept in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, and in the freezer for upto 2 months. Just be sure to heat each one through thoroughly before eating. Smart meal prep like this is a great way to ensure you have healthy food ready at your fingertips, especially if you are going through a busy period and trying to juggle daily life.