Quick, easy, and nutritious!
This Broccoli & Mushroom Stir Fry recipe can be the perfect meal for a busy evening.
Feeling a bit light on your vegetables this week? This quick and easy dish can be prepared for lunch or dinner, and although it is delicious all on its own it can be served over quinoa or brown rice for a more substantial meal.
A few health benefits of this dish
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable with a rich nutrient profile. As an excellent source of important nutrients like vitamins C, and K, as well as fiber, minerals, and bioactive compounds like glucosinolates, broccoli consumption lends to many health benefits (1). Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, meaning that we have to consume it in the foods we eat each day because the body can not produce this vital nutrient. Vitamin C is necessary for important body functions like healing wounds and keeping our immune system strong, and broccoli is an excellent source of vitamin C (1) (2).
The fiber in broccoli helps to keep us satiated (feeling full), and it promotes a healthy metabolism, helping to maintain a healthy weight (1) (3). Fiber also supports a healthy gut microbiota which is associated with immune function, metabolic pathways, and mental and emotional health (3).
Glucosinolates are plant chemicals, found almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, that act as antioxidants and provide anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties when we consume them (4).
Mushrooms are nutrient-dense fungi that provide us with protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive metabolites like lectins, polysaccharides, ergosterols, and polyphenols (5). Some polysaccharides found in mushrooms can protect us against bacterial and viral infections while others like glucans have anti-inflammatory properties (5).
The lectins in mushrooms aid in modulating our immune system and provide anti-tumor properties, according to research (6).
As a rich source of carbohydrates, mushrooms feed our beneficial microbiota which in turn benefits us because a healthy microbiome provides us with nutrients and short-chain fatty acids like butyrate that keep our intestinal tract healthy and regulates energy metabolism (7).
You’ll find more information about the benefits of consuming mushrooms here.
Broccoli & Mushroom Stir Fry Recipe:
Ingredients:
2-3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
1-2 carrots, shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ginger, grated
¼ cup vegetable broth
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce (organic)
¼ cup cashews, chopped, optional
1 tbsp. sesame seeds, optional
Instructions:
Heat a bit of broth in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, onion, garlic, mushrooms, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the broccoli is soft and the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add broth as needed.
Stir in the carrots, vinegar, soy sauce, and cashews. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve as is, or, with cooked quinoa or brown rice.