Asian-Inspired No Oil Vegetable Stir-Fry

We can replace a broken blender, a defective hair dryer, or a smashed car. Things can be replaced. But our bodies cannot be.

We only get one body and if we destroy it or damage it beyond repair, we lose.

After losing my husband unexpectedly, I’ve become more conscious of my eating choices. I decided to put in my body only what will help it heal, repair, and thrive.

So I returned to my roots–the lessons my herb-growing, natural remedies mom taught me–proper nutrition is necessary for the body to heal and repair.

So what is proper nutrition?

We all probably know that eating vegetables and fruits are helpful to the body. But stopping here isn’t enough. If we cover our fruits with sugar and deep fry our vegetables in oil, we’ll weaken our health.

I had to find a way of eating that really supported my body and didn’t work against it.

Several years ago, I stumbled upon some information about plant-based eating with limited added sugars and no oil. I was suffering from a poor health condition at the time and was desperate for relief.

So I tried it. And my body healed. It even amazed my doctor.

It wasn’t just the vegetables and fruits that supported my body so it could do its work of repair, it was also the removal of oil and processed sugars.

How do I know?

Because after a couple of years of good health following that plan, I started to occasionally add back in the oil (“healthy” oils only) and more added sugars than I needed, and my symptoms began to reappear.

This inspired me to find and create recipes that omitted these triggers, yet still tasted good. 

One of the first dishes I started with was a no oil vegetable stir-fry because not only was stir-fry one of my favorite dishes, it was an easier one to adjust. Instead of using oil to “fry” the vegetables, I use a little water or broth.

And I usually make my own stir-fry sauce using ginger, garlic, and other seasonings. However, when I’m in a time crunch, I’ll use a prepared sauce that’s low in sugar and has no oil added.

This no oil vegetable stir-fry recipe is very versatile, so it’s easy to adjust the ingredients based on your tastes. I’ve even found a combination that my kids love. Hope you love it too!

Print Recipe

Asian-Inspired No-Oil Vegetable Stir-Fry

Oil-free stir-fry that doesn't skimp on the taste.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time30 mins

Course: Main Dish

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice cooked
• 1/2 cup carrot sticks
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 cups broccoli steamed
• 1 tsp ginger paste (can use minced ginger)
• 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp General Tso's Sauce use oil-free version
• 2 tbsp Orange Sauce use oil-free version
• 1 block tofu optional

Instructions

• "Saute" chopped onion and carrot sticks in the water or vegetable broth on medium heat. Stir frequently. After about 2 minutes, add in ginger paste and stir to mix.
  
• Continue stirring onions and carrots until onions are translucent. If using tofu, break tofu into chunks and add to pan. Continue cooking until most of the water/broth has been absorbed. Add in broccoli and stir briefly to incorporate into the vegetable/tofu mixture.
  
• Pour half of the General Tso's and Orange sauces over the mixture and stir to coat the vegetables with the sauce.
  
• In portions, add in the cooked rice, stiring gently to mix it in with the vegetable mixture. Pour remaining sauces over the mixture so that rice is coated. Adjust the amount of sauce to your taste.
  
• Once rice is coated with the sauce, remove from heat and serve.
  

Notes

This recipe is quite versatile. Another option we use is the "chicken" fried tofu from my Tofu Chicken Salad recipe. Add the vegetables you love and make this a family favorite.