20 Weight Watchers Stir Fry Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the 3 rules of stir-frying? ›

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

Adding Aromatics

Aromatics give additional flavor to your stir fry, but they must be added only in the last part of the cooking, before adding the sauce. You can use a small amount of finely chopped fresh ginger, garlic, lemongrass, chilies, or green onions (scallion).

A stir-fry is a great way to get a healthy dose of vegetables. If you add a little lean protein, a flavorful sauce, and serve your stir-fry over steamed brown rice, you've got a well-balanced meal. It's also quick to make if you use precooked brown rice.

The key to stir-frying is to constantly stir. Your veggies must have enough room to move around in the wok. A -crowded wok will lead to veggies that are soggy instead of crunchy. If your wok is getting too full, cook your meat and then veggies in batches.

So many different oils, the good news is you can stick with what you know – canola is great! The best oils for stir frys are the oils with the higher smoke points. These tend to be the “thinner” oils such as peanut, grapeseed or canola.

Stir-fry onions first, then add hard vegetables such as carrot and broccoli. Quick-cooking vegetables, such as snow peas, leafy greens and bean sprouts, should be added towards the end of cooking. If using vegies that have a combination of both textures, such as gai laan, add the stems first and the leaves later.

Aromatic ingredients like garlic, ginger, green onions, chilies and spices. These ingredients are typically added to the oil first to infuse it with flavor. You won't need much; a few teaspoons to a tablespoon of total aromatic ingredients per person adds a serious amount of flavor.

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

For the best results, use Chinese-style medium-grain rice, jasmine rice, or sushi rice. Rice should either be cooked fresh, spread on a tray, and allowed to cool for five minutes, or, alternatively, transferred to a loosely covered container and refrigerated for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.

It is all about what you add to it. Straight vegetables do not have all of the nutrients that your body needs. If you have some source of protein, (meat or plant based) either separately or as part of your stir-fry, and some carbohydrates (rice or noodles) it is probably a pretty healthy diet.

Can I eat stir-fry every day? ›

It's a great way to use up bits of vegetables you don't know what to do with, and to get a big dose of colorful veggies into your diet! We call this an “everyday”stir-fry, because it's such a flexible recipe, you could eat it every day, and still have variety.

Using the Wrong Oil: Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil, to prevent burning. Olive oil, for instance, might not be suitable for high-heat stir-frying. Adding Too Much Sauce: While sauce adds flavor, using too much can make the stir-fry soggy.

Start with the hard vegetables like carrots and broccoli. Stir and scoop vegetables to the side to make room for more. Then add the softer vegetables, like sliced mushrooms and zucchini. Pour in some stock or water and always keep the veggies moving in the pan.

Four Steps to Food Safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. Following four simple steps at home—Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill—can help protect you and your loved ones from food poisoning.

Start with the hard vegetables like carrots and broccoli. Stir and scoop vegetables to the side to make room for more. Then add the softer vegetables, like sliced mushrooms and zucchini. Pour in some stock or water and always keep the veggies moving in the pan.