Fresh broccoli, peppers, snap peas, and onion stir fried in a flavorful Thai-inspired sauce with pan-roasted cashews served atop rice.
Do you ever order Take-Out? What’s your favorite?
I really enjoy asian food and especially enjoy asian take-out. There’s an incredible convenience about ordering your favorite dish, picking it up, and eating it at home – without any dishes whatsoever. I have had it delivered on occasion – mostly when we’re in the middle of a move – but it’s rare. And for whatever reason, I especially enjoy eating my take-out at home. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, or Thai. Each cuisine offers a unique flavor combination and it’s all incredibly flavorful and delicious. Yum!
Since typical fast food and takeout meals are not especially healthy or nutritious, I now reserve take-out for when we’re traveling or otherwise unable to cook for ourselves. For one thing, my beloved take-out usually contains more salt and oil than my husband and I are accustomed to. I also like to have an abundance of vegetables and spices in my refrigerator and pantry – and they need to be enjoyed before spoiling or expiring.
And in case you didn’t notice, I really enjoy cooking. So I tend to make my own meals most of the time. It just works.
Besides, if our meals are supposed to be fueling our bodies with healthful foods, we shouldn’t fill our bodies with a bunch of junk. Hence, one of my favorite phrases, “you are what you eat”. So let me preface this next bit by sharing something a little quirky with you. A couple of years ago, I ordered a I chopped salad bowl and had the following phrase etched into the bottom of the bowl:
“You are what you eat – so don’t be fast, cheap, or fake.”
Yeah, I really did that. I wanted to have a written reminder that I need to fuel my body healthful foods in order to run efficiently. And since I began this plant-based journey, I may spend a bit more time chopping fresh ingredients in the kitchen. And the list of spices and ingredients are sometimes a little longer to encompass the essence of true flavor with less salt and oil plus zero eggs, meat, or dairy. The lengthiness tends to scare my family and friends away from attempting my recipes. But my body continues to heal from past ailments and is nurtured when I eat healthy foods —> I simply feel better <— pure truth, plain and simple.
But I have also learned that fast isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Yes, eating the rainbow can be a bit of work. But it doesn’t always have to take a long time. This Thai Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry is really easy. and really fast. and super tasty. And yet, it doesn’t contain any unhealthy junk – pinky swear. It’s perfect for nights when you don’t have a whole lot of time but want something healthy and tasty, making this the perfect weeknight meal. It’s even faster if you prep the vegetables the weekend or day before.
And as the name implies, this recipe leans on Thai flavors a bit. It’s a simple and easy stir fry recipe that boasts a combination of fresh broccoli, bell peppers, onions, sugar snap peas, and minced garlic to satisfy all of the gorgeous and flavorful hues of the veggie rainbow. Sauté your vegetables over a slightly higher heat until they are just crisp tender, gently toss in the light green curry stir fry sauce to coat and garnish with pan-roasted cashews.
Voila! Dinner is done – fast and simple.
This Thai Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry isn’t just fast and nutritious though. It packs so much flavor with a fresh herb combination of Thai basil, cilantro, a splash of sriracha, and minced garlic to get your taste buds singing. With a combination of the flavors and flavors of the rainbow plus being packed with vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, this stir fry is sure to become a family favorite!
I hope you enjoy this Thai Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry as much as I do. Please leave a comment, comment and rate it on my site https://pebblesandtoast.com , tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook! I’m just starting out and would love to see your results. Enjoy!!
Besides, who needs takeout when you can cook and eat this scrumptious stir fry in the time it takes to order and get your takeout?
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice*
- 1 1/4 cup water (for the rice)
- 1 head broccoli (4 cups)
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 purple onion, sliced
- 2 cups sugar snap peas, ends removed and sliced in half
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2-3 Tbsp Thai green curry paste**
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp siracha
- 1 1/4 cups Umami Vegetable Broth
- 1/2 cup raw cashew halves
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil or basil, chiffonade***
- In an Instant Pot, add your rice and water – for white or light brown rice, cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. For brown rice, cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Your rice will come out perfect every time. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the rice in a saucepan on the stove according to the rice bag’s directions.
- Place a large skillet on the stove and set the heat to medium.
- Add the broccoli, onion, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and garlic to the skillet and sauté until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth if the vegetables begin to stick.
- Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, turn the heat to medium and add the cashews. Stir gently every minute or so, until golden. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the water, ginger, and green curry paste.
- Add one half (1/2) cup of the curry sauce to the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Add the remaining curry sauce to the rice and stir to combine.
- Serve the stir fry vegetables over the curry flavored rice.
- Top with toasted cashews, chopped cilantro, and fresh basil.
Notes
* You can use any type of rice you prefer and/or have on hand. I use my Instant Pot to cook rice perfect every time. Simply use 1 cup of rice and 1 1/4 cup water. For white rice or light brown rice, cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. For brown rice, cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the rice in a saucepan on the stove according to the rice bag’s directions.
** I use Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste; but you can use any Thai green curry paste.
*** To make a chiffonade of basil, simply stack the basil leaves on top of each other, gently roll them into a cigar-like shape, and slice them into thin ribbons with a sharp knife. Also, please note that I used fresh Italian basil because that is what I had on hand when I took photos to post this recipe. If you have access to fresh Thai basil, the flavors are slightly different and will elevate this stir fry. Either way, it’s delicious!
Thai Vegetable Cashew Stir Fry
Equipment
- stove
- rice or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 ¼ cup water for the rice
- 1 head broccoli 4 cups
- 1 bell pepper sliced
- 1 purple onion sliced
- 2 cups sugar snap peas ends removed and sliced in half
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2-3 Tbsp Thai green curry paste
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp siracha
- 1 ¼ cups Umami Vegetable Broth
- ½ cup raw cashew halves
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup fresh Thai basil or basil chiffonade*
Instructions
- In an Instant Pot, add your rice and water – for white or light brown rice, cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. For brown rice, cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Your rice will come out perfect every time. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the rice in a saucepan on the stove according to the rice bag’s directions.
- Place a large skillet on the stove and set the heat to medium.
- Add the broccoli, onion, bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and garlic to the skillet and sauté until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water or vegetable broth if the vegetables begin to stick.
- Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, turn the heat to medium and add the cashews. Stir gently every minute or so, until golden. Set aside.
- In a liquid measuring cup, combine the water, ginger, and green curry paste.
- Add one half (1/2) cup of the curry sauce to the vegetables and toss to coat.
- Add the remaining curry sauce to the rice and stir to combine.
- Serve the stir fry vegetables over the curry flavored rice.
- Top with toasted cashews, chopped cilantro, and fresh basil.