Oil Free Lemon Vegetable Stir Fry

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Oil Free Lemon Vegetable Stir Fry

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Fresh lemon gives this recipe a wonderful zesty flavor! I have tried it with fresh lemon and bottled lemon juice, and you can definitely tell a difference- fresh is best! I had never tried the “Soy Curls” before, but they are surprisingly good. They are made with only one ingredient: whole, non-GMO soy beans. Once rehydrated and cooked they have a very hearty texture, and take on the flavor of the sauce you use (similar to tofu). If you can’t find Soy Curls, feel free to substitute with other beans, tofu, or tempeh instead.

“Soy Curls”
“Soy Curls”

Also, don’t forget to serve with a lot of whole grains like brown rice or quinoa. Higher intake of complex carbohydrates (think whole grains, whole wheat, brown rice, oats, legumes, quinoa, barley, etc.) and lower intake of animal products (meat, dairy, eggs) has been associated with lower rates of diabetes. It seems so counter-intuitive to what most people are told regarding diabetes (too many carbs are “bad” for blood sugar), but it is actually dietary fat (particularly saturated fat) that is the main culprit (refined carbs and added sugar don’t help either). Dr. Neal Barnard with George Washington University School of Medicine and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine actually had tremendous success in helping patients lose weight, keep the weight off(!), and reverse diabetes by switching them to a whole food vegan diet with lots of whole grains and no added fats. Here is his website and a couple of his (many) publications for more information:

  • http://www.pcrm.org/shop/byNealBarnard/dr-barnards-program-for-reversing-diabetes
  • Barnard ND, Cohen J, Jenkins DJ, Turner-McGrievy G, Gloede L, Jaster B, Seidl K, Green AA, Talpers S. A low-fat, vegan diet improves glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in a randomized clinical trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diab Care. 2006; 29:1777-1783.
  • Barnard ND, Katcher HI, Jenkins DJA, Cohen J, Turner-McGrievy G. Vegetarian and vegan diets in type 2 diabetes management. Nutr Rev.2009;67:255-263.

 

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Oil Free Lemon Vegetable Stir Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • Water or vegetable broth for sautéing vegetables
  • 4 oz “Soy Curls” (can sub beans, tempeh, or tofu)
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 3 cups mixture of chopped broccoli, bell pepper, sliced carrots, snow peas
  • 10 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 4 to 5 chopped green onions
  • 1 tbsp dulse (type of seaweed) flakes (optional)
  • Brown rice or quinoa (for serving)

Sauce:

  • Juice from 1 large lemon
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 3-4 tbsp soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos
  • ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 tsp tapioca or corn starch dissolved in 2 tsp water

Directions:

  1. Soak the Soy Curls (if using) in water for 10 minutes. Then drain, and cook them on a non-stick skillet over medium heat for 4 to 8 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Take them off the heat and place them to the side while you prepare the vegetables.
  2. Place all the chopped vegetable mixture, mushrooms, and garlic in the skillet with a few tbsp. broth or water over medium heat. Stir for a few minutes, adding more liquid if necessary.
  3. Meanwhile, mix all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and add to the vegetables.
  4. Cook and stir for a few minutes to let the sauce begin to thicken. Then add the spinach and the Soy Curls.
  5. Mix all of the ingredients and cook for another minute to let the spinach wilt. Remove the food from heat and add the green onions and dulse (if using)
  6. Serve with a big helping of whole grains.

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