Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry: A Flavorful & Healthy Delight

Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry in a bowl with chopsticks

Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry: A Flavorful & Healthy Delight

Are you in search of a delightful and palate-pleasing stir-fry that is bursting with flavors? Look no further! Today, I’m excited to share with you a fantastic recipe that will tickle your taste buds and make your dinner table a feast of colors and aromas. Introducing the Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry. This is absolutely one of the best dishes I’ve ever made and it rivals anything you would get in a restaurant!

This stir fry is not just an explosion of taste but also a healthy and nutritious meal option. It is packed with an array of vibrant vegetables (and you can use and substitute whatever you have in the frig) that not only adds a burst of color to your plate but also provides essential vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. The star of the show is the Napa cabbage (although you can substitute any type of cabbage you have on hand). Its delicate texture and mild, slightly sweet flavor make it an excellent base for absorbing the delectable sauce.

Speaking of sauce, the secret to this stir fry’s tantalizing taste lies in the well-balanced blend of spices and savory ingredients. The combination of hoisin sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, and the spicy kick of chili garlic oil (I love Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp for this) creates a symphony of flavors that will leave your taste buds craving more.

This Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry also allows for some customization, making it a versatile dish for your family and friends. If you want to amp up the protein content, feel free to add cooked chicken, pork, or shrimp to the mix. You can also throw in some bok choy to add another layer of texture and taste to the dish.

The best part about this stir fry is how quick and easy it is to make. In just 30 minutes, you’ll have a satisfying and wholesome meal ready to serve. Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a kitchen novice, this recipe is straightforward to follow, ensuring your success in the kitchen.

In addition to being incredibly delicious and a breeze to make, this stir fry proves to be a brilliant tactic to win over even the pickiest eaters, enticing them to relish a variety of nutritious vegetables. The combination of the savory sauce and perfectly cooked vegetables might just convert even the most stubborn vegetable skeptic into a fan.

So, the next time you find yourself craving a flavorful and nutritious meal that’s a cinch to prepare, remember the Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry. It’s a recipe that not only delights the senses but also brings joy to the dinner table as everyone relishes the incredible taste of this colorful stir fry. Enjoy!

Btw, everything you need for any of my Asian recipes (like my Soy-Marinated Eggs, Pork Loin, Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms), is available at Weee!, the best online source for all Asian ingredients. (Use this link to get $20 off your first two orders). They deliver in a day or two (and FREE delivery with a minimum purchase), and their prices are better than what you’ll find on Amazon or in brick-and-mortar stores.

Spicy Garlic Cabbage and Vegetable Stir Fry

This quick and easy stir fry is a colorful blend of Napa cabbage, snap peas, carrots, and more, perfectly coated in a savory, spicy sauce. A healthy and satisfying meal for any occasion!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Asian, noodles, snow peas, Stir Fry
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Author Tom

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger minced
  • 3 green onions sliced thin with whites and green parts separated
  • 4 cups shredded Napa cabbage any cabbage can be substituted
  • 1 carrot grated or julienned
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas
  • 1 cup broccoli florets with their thinly sliced stalks
  • 1 package Mi Goreng Hot & Spicy Instant Noodles with the seasoning packets see note

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce plus additional for serving
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½-1½ teaspoon Spicy chili crisp oil (Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp Sauce is a great brand) to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ⅓ cup of the cooking water. Add the seasoning packets to the noodles, stir and set aside.
  3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger and the whites of the green onions. Stir fry until fragrant., about 1-2 minutes.
  4. Turn the heat up to high, add the cabbage, sugar snap peas and carrots and stir fry until slightly tender, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add the sauce, noodles and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water (or more as needed). Toss and stir while cooking until everything is combined and the cabbage is tender, about 4-5 minutes.
  6. Remove from heat and garnish with the remaining green onion and sesame seeds. Drizzle with more Chili oil, additional hoisin or teriyaki sauce if desired.

Recipe Notes

• You can substitute most any ramen, but discard the seasoning packet
• Cooked chicken, pork or shrimp can be added.
• Bok Choy is also an excellent addition to this dish

How to Make an Air Fryer Your Best Friend in the Kitchen

 Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer

If you’re looking for a kitchen appliance that can do it all, then look no further than the air fryer. I was initially resistant to adding another appliance to my kitchen, but I’m so glad I changed my mind and decided to give the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer a try. This, the most highly rated air fryer, is an incredible appliance that can fry, bake, grill, and roast – all with little to no oil. Plus, it’s quick and easy to use, and clean-up is a breeze, making it perfect for busy weeknight dinners or last-minute gatherings.

In this blog post, I’ll give a quick overview of everything you need to know about air fryers – from what they are to the benefits of using one. I’ll also share some of our incredibly simple favorite air fryer recipes that are sure to please the entire family. So, whether you’re a beginner or a pro, there’s something for everyone!

Read More …

Quinoa with Sautéed Vegetables and Caramelized Onions

Quinoa (keen-wah). If you haven’t tried it, you really should give it shot. It’s a pseudocereal with a slightly nutty flavor, which makes it a great alternative to rice. Quinoa is extremely nutritious and has a very high protein content (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians, vegans and athletes.  Unlike wheat or rice, which is low in lysine, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it an unusually complete protein source. And the best part about it is…it tastes great! For this recipe, we prepared it like you would rice and mixed it with sautéed vegetables and caramelized onions for a quick, delicious healthy meal. You can use any vegetables you like in this dish…everything seems to go well with quinoa and you can find it just about anywhere these days…Nature’s Earthly Choice is a great brand.

Please click here for a printable recipe.

Oven Baked Spicy Crispy French Fries

crispy spicy oven friesEveryone loves french fries, but deep frying at home is messy and the clean up sucks. These oven baked fries are just as tasty, a little bit healthier and way easier to make and clean up after than the deep-fried variety. The secret is the pre-soak that removes some of the starch and helps the fries to crisp up on the outside while staying tender and moist on the inside. Pair these with my Oven Baked Buffalo Chicken Wings and you have a great finger-licking good, faux deep-fried, quasi-healthy meal that everyone will love. If you prefer thinner, crispier garlicky oven baked fries, please click here.

Please click here for the printable recipe.

Crispy Baked Kale Chips – Another Simply Delicious Healthy Snack

Another simple, healthy snack that you’re guaranteed to love – a great alternative to potato chips (although they’re really good, too!)

  • Tear the kale leaves into approx. 2″ bite size pieces (discard any thick stems)
  • Wash and dry the pieces thoroughly (a salad spinner is best for this)
  • Toss the dried leaves with the ¼ cup olive oil and ¾ tsp of kosher salt, coating all pieces well
  • Place them on a baking sheet and bake in a 350Ëš oven for about 10-13 minutes ’til crumbly and crisp
  • Let cool and serve…

If you like, when you remove them from the oven, you can also sprinkle the crispy kale chips with some lime zest, cayenne, lemon pepper, Parmesan, chile powder, garlic powder or just about any other flavor or mix of spices, to add a personal touch.

Vegetarian Kung Pao with Broccoli and Peanuts

Vegetarian Kung Pao with Broccoli and PeanutsThis fantastic recipe is originally from A Spoonful of Ginger by Nina Simonds, a cookbook based on the Asian philosophy of food as a health-giving entity. According to the author, the secret is in the Chinese holistic approach to food and its balance: countering yin, or cooling, foods, with yang, or hot, foods and neutralizers like rice and noodles.  But don’t just try this recipe because you buy into the Chinese philosophy (although a lot of it makes sense…I mean, they have been cooking for over 4,000 years.  In 2005, the oldest intact noodles yet discovered were found in Lajia, China and were estimated to be over 4,000 years old…but I digress)… just make it because it is one of the most delicious, satisfying and authentic tasting recipes I’ve found for homemade Chinese food, while still being relatively easy to prepare…and, believe it or not, it even manages to make tofu taste great!

Please click here for the  printable recipe.

Easy Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry

Chicken and Vegetable Stir FryThis great one skillet recipe for Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry is an easy, incredibly delicious and healthy stir fry. It does have a lot of ingredients, but as with most recipes like this, feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables for the ones you may not care for…just make sure to cut the pieces about the same size so they cook evenly…that’s all there is to it. Also, if you don’t have hoisin sauce on hand (and Kikkoman is the store brand I recommend, with Lee Kum Kee a close second) ), here is a simple Hoisin Sauce recipe that produces a pretty good substitute that works really well with this recipe. Serve over rice or rice noodles, and make a big batch, because it tastes just as good the second (or even third) day.

And if you like this Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry, you’ll also love this amazing One-Pan Chicken, Sausage and Brussel Sprouts recipe. It’s a simple prep, incredibly delicious meal with easy clean-up (one pan!)

Please click here for the printable Stir Fry recipe.

Click here for the printable Homemade Hoisin Sauce recipe.

Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower – Easy, Quick, Healthy and Cheap

Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower This is my favorite kind of recipe…Easy, quick, healthy and cheap…but best of all, it just tastes great. It’s easy because it uses just a few basic ingredients…it’s quick, with a prep time of about 15 minutes and a total time of about 40 minutes…it’s healthy because cauliflower is high in fiber and a good source Vitamin C and folate…and cheap, well, because the ingredients don’t cost too much. If you prefer the flavor of Balsamic vinegar, you can substitute that for the Sherry vinegar in the final step…either way, it’s delicious!

Please click here for the printable recipe.

Crustless Broccoli Quiche….Low Carb and Still Delicious

OK…I personally could care less whether this is high-carb, low-carb or no-carb…all I know is that it tastes (and looks) great, is really simple to prepare and you can just pop a slice in the microwave for a quick breakfast. If you happen to live with someone who cares about carbs (like I do), the best thing about this dish is that you can really enjoy it together (you don’t have to fake it)…it’s that good! If you want an even healthier version, just substitute Eggbeaters for the eggs. And for a great variation, replace the onions with a cup or two of caramelized onions…it really adds a ton of flavor to the quiche.

Please click here for a printable copy of the recipe.

Simply Sensational Caramelized Onions

Caramelized onions are terrific on everything… pizza, burgers, hotdogs, chops, steaks, brisket and are delicious in scrambled eggs, quiche or mashed potatoes….they even make an interesting (and delicious) dessert when served on sliced apples with a side of cheese. In fact, they’re great all by themselves…I guarantee you’ll find yourself eating them right out of the pan.

I think that I first read about this technique for caramelizing onions in Cook’s Illustrated Magazine years ago and have been using it ever since.

When onions are cooked low and slow for an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, imparting an intense sweet flavor and a beautiful deep mahogany color.

Caramelized onions can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Please click here for the printable recipe.