Colorful Chicken Stir-Fry

Today, with an armful of groceries and an heart full of ambition, I set out to prepare at least four meals -- all to be tucked away into the freezer as a surprise for my dear, hardworking mother who is away for the weekend.

And this colorful chicken stir-fry, gentle readers, was the first of the day’s rewards.

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 carrots, peeled and shredded/grated
1 pound broccoli, stems sliced thinly and florets diced
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced

Heat oil to shimmering in large, wide pan. Sauté 1 Tablespoon of the ginger until fragrant, add shredded carrot. Cook until just starting to soften. Add broccoli. Sauté briefly, add half the diced green onions. Cook until onions begin to be translucent and broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from pan, set aside.

1/2 green pepper, julienned
1 red pepper, julienned
1 orange pepper, julienned
remaining 1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 cup all-natural organic broth, such as Imagine Cooking Stocks

Again, heat oil to shimmering in same pan. Add all julienned peppers and remaining green onions. Sauté until peppers begin to wilt and release moisture. Add broth, cover and simmer until tender, about five minutes. Remove from pan, add to other set-aside vegetables.

1 additional Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 bag (about 2 cups) fresh-frozen stir-fry mix (such as one of these Cascadian Farms choices)

Once again, heat oil to shimmering. Add ginger to hot oil and stir gently until fragrant. Add the fresh-frozen vegetables, and cook until excess moisture from vegetables is evaporated. Remove from pan and set aside with other vegetables.

1 1/2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken tenderloins, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
black pepper, freshly ground

Add oil to hot pan. Saute crushed garlic briefly, about half minute. Add sliced chicken and black pepper, cook until chicken is just beginning to turn white and only faint traces of pink remain. There should still be some moisture from the chicken in the pan at this point.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tablespoons cooking sherry
2 Tablespooons molasses
1 Tablespoon Asian hot garlic-chili sauce (available from Thai Kitchen)
1 Tablespoon nam pla/nuoc mam (fish sauce) (also available from Thai Kitchen)

juice of 1 lime
whisk in 2 Tablespoons tapioca starch

Pour sauce over chicken, continue to simmer while pushing chicken around in pan. Sauce will begin to thicken almost immediately due to the tapioca starch. Cook for several more minutes to ensure chicken is done to delicious perfection.

1 cup all-natural organic broth, same as used above.

Pour broth over chicken and sauce. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for approximately five more minutes. Add stir-fried vegetables back into hot pan. Toss vegetables with chicken and sauce, heat through.

Serve over fragrant Thai rice. Or, hide in the freezer to surprise a dear mother on a later, more hectic afternoon!

Thai, Asian, stir-fry, stir fry, chicken, vegetables, wheat-free, corn-free, corn allergy, wheat allergy, ginger, freezer meals.