Recipe: Sticky Peanut Stir Fry

Stir fries are one of our go-to quick and easy weeknight meals. They're fast, simple, use up whatever you have in the fridge and they're seriously delicious.

But whilst in the past we would switch up the stir fry recipes week after week, for the last couple of months there's been just one stir fry recipe we've been using - and it's so good that we still eat it week after week after week. 

We call it the Sticky Peanut Stir Fry. Technically name, clearly - but this recipe doesn't really have a proper name as it came about due to a bit of an experiment. I felt like making something new and wanted a mix of salty sweet flavours so I set to work in the kitchen with a random selection of ingredients to choose from. 

I decided to keep things simple and went for three ingredients to make the sauce; peanut butter, coconut sugar and soy sauce (actually coconut aminos for this soy sensitive girl) and those three ingredients combined to make the most flavoursome stir fry sauce that's slightly sticky (and so so good with noodles or rice as it coats all of the veggies and whatever else you stir into it) and delicious and we've been eating it ever since.

And since I mentioned coconut aminos, I'll ask the question everyone always seems to ask me when I mention this awesome product; YES! Coconut aminos really does taste like soy sauce (in fact, I think it tastes way better and Jesse actually prefers it too) and is the perfect substitute if you're sensitive to soy like me. It's also paleo friendly, vegan, non-GMO, MSG free and has 65% less sodium than regular soy sauce so it's an allover better option!

But let me give you the recipe for this delicious stir fry so you can make it for yourself! >>

Sticky Peanut Stir Fry Sauce serves 1, easily multiplied 

healthy, low fat, gluten free, soy free option, vegan option, clean eating friendly

1/2 tbsp peanut butter 

1 tsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar/unrefined cane sugar)

2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos

Plus whatever stir fry additions you'd like! We usually use up whatever veggies are in the fridge and add in some chicken breast or lean beef strips if we want some additional protein and then either serve our stir fry over rice or mixed through cooked noodles/spaghetti through just before serving.

• The sauce for this stir fry is really simple to make so I always prepare my stir fry ingredients first - grilling my chicken/meat if using, cooking my noodles/rice and steaming my veggies. Then I make the sauce, add in all of the other ingredients and mix everything together. I usually use the same pan for everything, just placing the cooked meat and veggies in a clean bowl on the side whilst I cook the sauce!
• To make your stir fry sauce, add all of your ingredients into a sauce pan with a teaspoon of water. Mix your ingredients over a medium/high heat, allowing the mixture to bubble and the sugar melt, cooking until your sauce begins to turn golden and it starts to become "sticky". 
• Stir through your veggies/meat/noodles etc, adding a little water if needed for the sauce to coat your mix ins and allowing your stir fry to heat through.
• Remove from the heat and pour into serving dishes.

But tell me, what are your favourite quick weeknight dinners?

And what's your favourite stir fry sauce/mix ins?

A stir fry is not a stir fry for me without carrot - I don't know why, but I just loveeeeeeee carrot in stir fries.

Our other quick and easy weeknight faves are Mexican Rice Bowls or Burrito Bowls (with pre-prepared rice), Cheesy Quinoa Bakes (which I make in big batches and freeze) or a simple pasta dish like our Creamy Avocado and Basil Spaghetti