This is by far one of my favorite Chinese dishes, but it isn't the healthiest option, which is why I decided to experiment and find a healthier...yet still delicious version of this classic! Bonus: this recipe is gluten-free and packed with protein! And to top it off...it's super easy, 1 pan meal, that only takes 30 minutes to make! Wins all around!!
If you are interested in broccoli beef being served over a bed of white rice, then I would recommend cooking the rice first, that way the rice is done by the time the stir-fry is finished. I prefer jasmine rice, it has a wonderful nutty and sweet flavor to it, which pairs really well with the broccoli beef.
Go ahead and start cooking your rice. Once the rice has finished, set aside.
For the broccoli beef sauce, I really wanted to go with something that was lighter, healthier, and not so sweet. So instead of using a soy sauce, which has gluten and soooooo much sodium in it, I went with coconut aminos. If you are unfamiliar with aminos, it will be your new favorite go-to. It is a soy sauce alternative and tastes just like soy sauce, but it actually has 73% less sodium. It is also gluten-free, organic, vegan, non-GMO, and has no MSG. It is made from coconut tree sap, not coconuts, therefore there is no coconut flavor. Overall, such an awesome alternative! I really like the Coconut Secret brand.
Also, instead of brown sugar or granulated sugar, which most recipes use, I used local honey. Unfortunately, when cooking with raw honey, it does tend to lose most of it's healing properties, once it reaches a certain temperature. However, honey is sweeter than sugar, making it beneficial in the sense that you don't have to use as much.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tsp of fresh organic ginger (grated), 2 tsp (about 3 cloves) of fresh organic garlic (pressed), 1/2 cup of hot water, 6 tbsp of coconut aminos, 2 tbsp of honey, 1 1/2 tbsp of corn starch, 2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper until well-combined. Set aside.
Next, let's prepare the beef. You will need 1 lb of beef. I prefer flank steak with this dish because it's thin and tender, making it much better for bite-sized pieces. But top sirloin or even tri-tip will work great with this as well. If you are using flank steak, make sure to cut against the grain. A quick tip: if you freeze the meat for about 20 minutes or so, it will make it a bit easier to slice thinly.
Using a sharp knife, slice the flank steak into very thin bite-sized strips about a couple of inches in length. Set the strips aside.
Wash 1 lb of broccoli, then cut into bite-sized florets and set aside.
In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil over medium heat. Add in the broccoli florets and saute them for about 5 minutes or until they are slightly crispy and tender. If you prefer softer broccoli, you can lower the heat just a tad and add in a little bit of water and cover for a few more minutes until they reach the desired texture. I prefer mine with a little crunch to it.
Once the broccoli is cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
Add in 1 more tbsp of avocado oil and increase the heat to high. Once the oil is heated, add in the beef strips. Saute the beef until cooked all the way through. Once the beef is cooked, add in the sauce and reduce the heat to medium-low. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes. When the sauce begins to thicken, add in the cooked broccoli and stir until well combined.
Remove from heat. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions if you choose. Serve immediately.
I really hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do!
Let me know if you have any questions at all XO
Broccoli Beef (Gluten-Free)
INGREDIENTS:
Served over white rice (jasmine).
Beef/Broccoli:
- 1 lb flank steak
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb organic broccoli
- sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
- thinly sliced organic scallions, for garnish (optional)
Sauce:
- 1 tsp fresh organic ginger, grated
- 2 tsp fresh organic garlic (about 3 cloves), pressed
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 6 tbsp of coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp of honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Begin cooking the rice. Once the rice is finished, set aside.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the grated ginger, pressed garlic, coconut aminos, honey, corn starch, sesame oil, hot water, and freshly ground black pepper, then set aside.
3. Using a very sharp knife, slice the flank steak into very thin slices about a couple of inches in length. Make sure to cut against the grain. Set the slices aside.
4. Wash the broccoli and cut into bite-sized florets. Set aside.
5. Heat 1 tbsp of avocado oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add in the broccoli florets and saute for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is crispy and slightly tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
6. Add 1 tbsp of avocado oil to the pan and increase the heat to high heat. Add in the thinly sliced flank steak strips and saute until cooked all the way through.
7. Once the meat is fully cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes. Once the sauce begins to thicken, add in the cooked broccoli and stir until well-combined. Remove from heat.
8. Serve over white rice immediately and garnish with sesame seeds,
Enjoy!!!
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