Cashew Stir-Fry Rice

Do you want to reduce your grocery bill? If so, this Cashew Stir-Fry Rice can help use up ingredients to save you money. Yeah! Something we can all get behind. This is relevant because according to this year’s Canada’s Food Price Report, we’ll see a 5% increase in food prices compared to 2020. That’s significant considering the average annual household spending is approximately $13,000 for a family of four (not including take-out). Nevertheless, this flexible Cashew Stir-Fry Rice is an example of a budget-friendly meal to reduce spending and household food waste.

This post was sponsored by the Egg Farmers of Ontario, as always, all opinions are genuine.

Use veggies and protein in your fridge in this flexible Cashew Stir-Fry Rice!

Food waste is a major preventable source of money thrown away. In fact, the average family spends approximately $33 a week on food that gets thrown out because it’s gone bad or too much was made. Therefore, with a little meal planning, we can make a list of perishable veggies and protein in the fridge and use them in a flexible recipe before newer ones. This ensures we use up our veggies on hand instead of throwing them away.

To reduce food waste, use perishable foods in your fridge FIRST when meal planning!

Utilize Inexpensive Proteins

To save money, be sure to maximize use of inexpensive protein alternatives (like beans, lentils, eggs, tofu, peanut butter) – they’re less-inflation prone and certainly less expensive. It’s a big way to slash that grocery bill.I always have two cartons of eggs in my fridge (see what else this dietitian stocks in fridge, freezer and pantry) because they are incredibly versatile to use in cooking (favourites include: French Toast, Omelettes, Egg Sandwiches, Mini Egg Muffins, etc.) Notably, the cost of eggs has remained stable and not been impacted much by inflation. In fact, the average retail price works out to approximately $0.30 an egg. Can’t ‘beat’ that!

Hard-Cooked eggs are a perfect protein to meal prep and only $0.30 an egg!

What’s a ‘Fridge-Cleaner’ Recipe?

Having flexibility to use up ingredients in a recipe is called a ‘fridge-cleaner’ because we can literally use the ingredients in our fridge. A Stir-Fry Rice is one of my favourite ways to use up all those veggies. I often have leftover spinach, mushrooms, peppers, celery, carrots, etc. Furthermore, there are lots of ‘fridge-cleaner’ flexible recipes such as homemade tomato sauces (or even adding veggies to store-bought tomato sauce.) For example, try Naan Flatbreads, chili, Soups, Quiche, Curry or Garlicy Lentil and Eggs to use your veggies.

Nevertheless, a little planning goes a long way in the world of healthy eating. Therefore, if you are able to prep ingredients in advance (known as Mise En Place) this will make cooking faster. For example, cut your veggies in advance and store in containers until use. Similarly, I recommend cooking rice in advance and leaving it in the fridge until ready to prepare this Flexible Stir-Fry Rice.

Here’s more tips on how to slash your grocery bill and how to get started with Meal Prep!

• Serves: 3-4
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 – 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package instructions – ideally day before
• 1-2 tbsp canola oil
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cups chopped veggies (can use carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, bean sprouts, asparagus)
• 1 cup peas/edamame or diced cooked chicken
• 1-2 cups spinach
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
• 1 tsp fish sauce (optional but tastes great)

Garnish: Cashews/peanuts/sunflower seeds. Sriracha for extra heat. Green onions/scallions.

Directions for Cashew Stir-Fry Rice

1. Firstly, for a speedier assembly, prepare the rice in advance of (according to package instructions) preparing your Flexible Stir-Fry Rice. Set cooked rice aside in fridge.
2. Heat a large non-stick wok over medium heat, then add oil. Add onion, allow to cook until translucent, about 1 to two minutes. Use a pinch of salt to draw out flavours.
3. Toss in 2 cup of veggies chosen to wok. Add your peas and stir with veggies and onion. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes until veggies soften. Transfer all veggie contents from the wok into a bowl.
4. Add a little oil to the wok and pour in whisked eggs. Stir for about two minutes to cook until fluffy. Remove eggs from wok and transfer to a bowl.
5. Then, add sesame oil to wok to add flavour, if desired.
6. Pour in cooked rice and veggies back into the wok. Stir until combined.
7. Add soy sauce and fish sauce to rice and veggies. Add more to suit your taste.
8. Toss in a handful of spinach for extra colour. Add eggs back to wok and toss to combine all ingredients.
9. Finally, garnish with cashews or other nut/seed. Top with fresh sriracha or green onion.

Cashew Stir-Fry Rice

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

A flexible stir-fry recipe to use up veggies on hand. Perfect way to reduce food waste and batch-cook for lunches and freezer meals.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package instructions – ideally day before
• 1-2 tbsp canola oil
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 2 cups chopped veggies (can use carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms, bean sprouts)
• 1 cup peas/edamame or diced cooked chicken
• 1-2 cup spinach
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 egg, whisked
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
• 1 tsp fish sauce (optional but tastes great)
• Garnish: Cashews/peanuts/sunflower seeds. Sriracha for extra heat. Green onions/scallions.

Instructions

1. Prepare the rice in advance (according to package instructions) of preparing your Flexible Stir-Fry Rice for a speedier assembly. Set cooked rice aside in fridge.
2. Heat a large non-stick wok over medium heat add oil. Add onion, allow to cook until translucent, about 1 to two minutes. Add a pinch of salt to draw out flavours.
3. Add 2 cup of veggies chosen to wok. Add your peas and stir with veggies and onion. Add garlic and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes until veggies soften. Transfer all veggie contents from the wok into a bowl.
4. Add a little oil to the wok and pour in whisked eggs. Stir for about two minutes to cook until fluffy. Remove eggs from wok and transfer to a bowl.
5. Add sesame oil to wok to add flavour, if desired.
6. Pour in cooked rice and veggies back into the wok. Stir until combined.
7. Add soy sauce and fish sauce to rice and veggies. Add more to suit your taste.
8. Handful of spinach added for extra colour. Add egg back to wok and toss to combine all ingredients.
9. Garnish with cashews or other nut/seed. Top with fresh sriracha or green onion.