5 Tips to Keep Stir-Fry Night Healthy
Don't go overboard with oil. Even a vegetable stir-fry can rack up calories if you keep pouring in the oil. Make sure you use a discerning eye when adding oil, and pour conservatively (if you want to know exactly how many calories you're using, measure your oil out by tablespoon). If you feel like your stir-fry is getting too dry, add a few drops of water and cover for a minute or so to steam veggies and keep them from soaking up too much oil.
Choose your sauce wisely. You may think that store-bought sauces are more convenient, but you can actually make a quick homemade sauce with condiments you may already have in your pantry — one that will have less sugar and preservatives than that shelf bottle. Try this healthy ginger stir-fry sauce using low-sodium chicken stock or this low-calorie sauce using orange juice.
Load up on veggies. Even if you're adding meat, make vegetables the stars of your stir-fry. The variety of flavors and textures from different types of vegetables will keep your taste buds happy while keeping calorie counts low.
Serve atop these. You may think that nothing could be better than a bed of white rice to go with your stir-fry, but the blood-sugar spike may not be worth it. Opt for brown rice or soba noodles for a fiber-full, healthier side or use low-calorie shirataki noodles instead.
Drink tea. Asian stir-fry and tea often go hand in hand, so use this opportunity to brew a pot of fat-burning, antioxidant-boosting green tea. Not only will sipping clean-flavored green tea help clear your palate and slow you down while you eat, but the metabolism-boosting properties of green tea are an added bonus.
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