So one of the challenges of being a busy working mom is that we often feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. Learning how to prioritize the actual important things has been a huge lesson since I became a mom, which has been painful at times because yeah, I wish my house was cleaner sometimes lol.
And one thing that I know is such a HUGE pain point is meal prep and planning. Especially during the week, us busy moms need:
simple
quick
delicious
and healthy, of course!
Which is why I'm always experimenting with recipes so I can give you and my clients some go-to family meals that you can whip up in 30 minutes or less.
Enter the stirfry. One of my go-to cooking methods and almost a one-pan meal that you can get on the dinner table ASAP and avoid hangry kiddos (and parents lol).
I LOVE this recipe because it's so versatile. You can swap out the shrimp for another protein if you like, or sub different veggies based on what's currently in your fridge.
Whatever way you opt to try this, give this recipe a try, and let me know how you like it in the comments below (so that we can all benefit from different variations of this easy dish!).
Happy weeknight cooking!
Sweet & Spicy Pineapple Shrimp Stirfry
Prep time: 15min | Cook time: 15min | Total time: 30min
Makes: 6 servings | Gluten-free | Dairy-free | Nut-free
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups short-grain, quick cook brown rice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 lb shrimp, deveined and thawed
2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
1 broccoli, cut into florets
3 large carrots, peeled & sliced
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cups chopped pineapple
Sesame seeds, for serving
PINEAPPLE STIR FRY SAUCE
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup pineapple (or orange) juice
1/4cup hoisin sauce*
1/4 cup low-sodium Tamari OR soy sauce*
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
Sea salt, to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sriracha*
Instructions:
In a medium-sized pot, add brown rice and 3 1/4 cups water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer until all the water has been absorbed and the rice fluffs easily with a fork.
While rice cooks, prep the shrimp: whisk the cornstarch, onion powder, and garlic powder in a medium-sized bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat (this batter will turn sticky and that's ok!).
Next, make the stir fry sauce: in a small bowl, add the cornstarch, a little bit of pineapple juice and mix it into a paste. Now add the rest of the juice and the remaining sauce ingredients.
Heat half of the coconut oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and spread them out in the pan so that they are in a single layer. Cook them for 2 minutes on each side then remove them from the pan.
Add the remaining oil and the broccoli, bell pepper, carrots and pineapple, and cook the veggies for 3-4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender.
Return the shrimp to the pan, give the sauce a stir then pour it over the shrimp and veggies, then mix everything together. Let the sauce cook for 1 minute to thicken it then remove it from the heat.
Serve it up: place 1 cupped handful brown rice in a bowl, add 2 cupped handfuls shrimp stir-fry, and garnish with sesame seeds sprinkled on the top. YUM!
*NOTES:
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: you can find Hoisin sauce and Tamari in most Asian grocery stores or sections.
MAKE IT KID-FRIENDLY: Kiddos usually can't handle the heat of sriracha hot sauce, so I would omit this in the recipe and just add a touch to your own bowl if you like heat. I also find most kids won't eat strifry veg that's overly cooked - make sure to cook them tender-crisp!
WEIGHT/FAT-LOSS GOAL: opt for a smaller portion of rice (half cupped handful) OR sub riced cauliflower for the brown rice for added veg!
MAKE IT VEGETARIAN/VEGAN: Sub tofu/tempeh for shrimp and use the exact cooking method/timing.
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR PROTEIN: you can easily swap the shrimp for chicken or beef, but the cooking time will vary with each (chicken will take longest to ensure fully cooked and safe to consume).
SUBSTITUTIONS FOR VEGGIES: you can use snap peas, bean sprouts, box chop, asparagus, cauliflower....whatever you have in your fridge!
Ready to take the guess work out even more and dial in your nutrition & fitness this summer? Then join us for my FREE Sip & Sweat Challenge, where you'll get 7 delicious smoothie recipes and 4 follow-along workouts to stay on focused on your goals. Join us!!!