Thrifty Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry with Crunchy Seeds

You know those nights when you look in the fridge and have plenty of bits & pieces to make use of? Well this recipe is perfect for such occasions. Thrifty and pretty tasty too!

I found myself peering into the fridge at one chicken breast, vegetables from the Farmers Market and one lonely egg white (among other things). I'm not a fan of waste so before I cooked anything else I wanted to make ensure these nutritious ingredients were whipped into an economical dinner for two. I even use the broccoli stem which is often thrown away. Peeled and sliced into smaller pieces it's perfect to add to dinners like this.

It's amazing how far you can make a smaller piece of meat such as one chicken breast go. Slice it fairly but not overly thick, add plenty of fresh vegetables, a few eggs and some toasted nuts & seeds and voila...dinner! Served with steamed brown rice for a hungry builder and dinner is ready.

Try and restrain and cook your vegetables ever so slightly so they retain crunch and their vibrant colour. It only means more nutrients for you. Chicken is a wonderful source of protein and Vitamin-B12 for energy. The egg provides choline and lutein. Choline is an essential nutrient which is especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women for it's role in brain development both before and after birth. Lutein is an antioxidant that is important for supporting optimal eye sight health and function.

As you can tell, I'm a nut and seed fanatic so I always add a handful to my meals. I love the taste and nutrients they provide but also the wonderful texture they add.

You can use any combination of vegetables you have in your fridge as well as whatever protein you have on hand (i.e. beef, pork or tofu). Let your imagination soar!

Thrifty Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry with Crunchy Seeds

Serves 2

1 skinless chicken breast, sliced reasonably thinly
1 Tbspn olive oil
1 Tbspn sesame oil
2 brown onions, peeled & sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly crushed
Iodised salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 stalks of celery, sliced
2 carrots, washed and sliced
1/2 broccoli head, cut into smaller florets
1/2 broccoli stem, peeled and cut into similar sized pieces as the celery
2 free-range eggs, lightly whisked
1 Tbspn soy sauce
1 Tbspn fish sauce
1/4 cup cashew nuts, toasted
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Heat the olive oil in deep pan suitable for stir-frying. Add the chicken and cook over a high heat until the chicken and is brown and sealed on both sides. Remove and set aside on a plate.
To the same pan, add the whisked eggs and make an 'egg pancake' on the bottom of the pan. Once the bottom has set and the top slightly so, slide the 'egg pancake' out of the pan onto a plate and set aside to cool. It doesn't matter if the egg isn't completely cooked, it will go back into the pan later. Once cooled slightly, cut the egg into chunky pieces.
Using the same pan (saving on dishes!), add the sesame oil followed by the onion, garlic and salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 2 minutes,
Next add the sliced celery, carrots and broccoli stem and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the broccoli with dash of water and stir-fry all of the vegetables for a further 2 minutes.
Add the chicken and it's juices back to the pan along with the soy and fish sauce and stir everything together.
Add the egg back to the pan and gently combine all of the ingredients, taking care not to break up the egg.
Once the egg is heated through, serve a pile on a plate topped with the toasted nuts and seeds.