Stir fry is deceptively simple, but not easy to master. Follow this recipe, and it’s guaranteed you’ll be going back for second helpings and cooking this on the regular. It is gluten free and vegan. This recipe makes two hearty servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups rice

2.5-3 cups water

pinch of salt

2 cups veggies, washed and cut: zucchini,

onion, peppers, carrots, mushrooms.

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon (or more to taste) Coconut

Aminos Soy-Free Teriyaki Sauce

Orange slices for garnish

Directions:

Rice always needs a little more water, and a little more time at our altitude. I usually use 2.5 to 3 cups of water for 2 cups of dry rice, after rinsing. Rice cookers are wonderful tools, just add rice, water and go! On the stovetop, bring rice & water to a boil (add a pinch of salt to boil quicker). Put a tight fitting lid on the pot, lower heat, and cook for 30 minutes (approximately 10 minutes longer for brown and long-grain rice). You can get perfectly chewy, fluffy rice if you watch the steam coming out from under the lid - keep it just hot enough to make it steam, but not bubble. Practice your rice cooking skills, grasshopper, and eventually you won’t even need a timer.

I like to cut my veggies “with the grain” or in a way that preserves the natural shape of the whole veggies. Carrot matchsticks are beautiful in a stir fry, peppers cut in long, thin strips add texture, mushrooms cut vertically, zucchini cut in long, thin slices on the bias and sugar snap peas can be left whole. Stir fry is so simple, but it’s the combination of vibrant colors and distinct textures that will make your stir fry stand out.

Preheat your frying pan or wok as hot as possible. Carrots, onions, garlic and other hard root veggies go in first, give them a 30 second head start on cooking. As soon as you’ve got veggies in the pan, make sure to stir constantly so nothing burns! Other softer veggies like peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms just need to be seared. As soon as you’ve got everything in the pan, throw in the sesame oil, brown rice vinegar and teriyaki sauce. Toss on high heat for one minute, maybe two. Immediately remove veggies from heat. Serve on steaming rice, add another drizzle of teriyaki sauce and an orange slice for garnish!

Recipe provided by the Holistic Homestead, located at 972 Golden Gate Canyon Rd. Black Hawk. You can find out more about this local grocery store in Gilpin County on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ theholistichomestead/ or on their website at https://theholistichomestead.org/. You can reach them by phone at (303) 582-3001.