Protein Veggie Stir-Fry

A veggie stir-fry can have just as much protein as its animal protein counterpart. In several “controversial” documentaries on modern-day food systems including Forks Over Knives, What the Health, and Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, it is argued that many chronic diseases can be reversed, improved and/or treated by a plant-based diet. Moreover, plant-based foods like vegetables, contain necessary fiber, amino acids and phytochemicals that you cannot get from meat. Whether you have chosen to take on a new lifestyle change through diet or you simply want to increase your vegetable intake, a veggie stir fry is just the trick to a healthy, balanced meal.

Here’s an easy 3 step process to PROTEIN UP your veggie stir fry!

Choose your grain (if you want).

It’s typical to use white rice in a stir fry which only has 3-4 grams (g) of protein per 1 cup cooked. However, if you want to increase your meal's protein content, you can opt for other grains like brown rice (5g of protein in 1 cup), quinoa (8g of protein in 1 cup) or wild rice (7g of protein in 1 cup).

Choose your vegetables.

Vegetables have protein and when paired together properly, you can easily increase your meal’s protein load. Normal stir fry veggies like spinach (½ cup cooked) and mushrooms (1 cup diced) both contain 3g of protein. Additionally, green peas have 9g of protein per 1 cup and broccoli has 4g of protein per 1 cup. Other veggies like cabbage, hearts of palm, zuchinni, peppers and carrots are good options too.

Bulk it up with more protein sources.

Beans, nuts, seeds, tofu and tempeh are easy ways to get additional protein into your veggie stir fry while also making it even tastier! Just a ½ cup of slivered almonds is 12g of protein while 1 cup of black beans is 15g of protein. Tofu is an excellent source of protein at approximately 20g of protein in just ½ cup. Try other protein sources such as tempeh, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, garbanzo beans and lentils to ammo up your stir fry.Here’s a yummy recipe to give a try!We are also here to help! If you’re ready for support or want more information on healthy eating, drop us an email or give us a call at 877-293-9355 ext. 0! And let us know what’s cookin’ in your kitchen! Send us your pics and recipes!