Veggie Stir-Fry

Stir Fried Green Beans with Carrots and Mushrooms

Equipment:
1.Wok
2.Wooden spoon or paddle.

Ingredients:
½ lb or a handful of green beans, washed and trimmed on the stem side
12 or so baby carrots sliced in ½ inch slices on a diagonal
10 to 12 white mushrooms, sliced thickly
1 medium onion, diced
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
A small piece of ginger (about ¾ to 1 inch long), finely minced
1 tablespoon of Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
Splash of dry sherry or balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 tablespoon of peanut or canola oil for wok
Fresh cracked pepper
two tsp of corn starch and a 1 ½ cups of water
1 cup of cooked brown rice

Cooking:
Heat your wok on high heat and add the oil. When the oil begins to ripple, add the diced onions and fry for about two minutes or until onions become soft and translucent and season with pepper. Toss in garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about 30 seconds—don’t let it burn. Toss in the carrots and stir-fry for one to two minutes. You want the carrots to be not raw but not too soft. Add the green beans—if your wok is too small, you can slice the green beans in half, but I prefer them long. Stir-fry the green beans for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms, stir-frying for another minute or until the mushrooms start to get softer. Add the tamari or soy sauce and the sherry or balsamic vinegar, and keep stir-frying until the green beans become tender, but not wilted. Stir the cornstarch into the water until it is completely disolved. Pour the mixture into the wok a little at a time while continuing to stir. You'll notice that the cornstarch mixture begins to thicken into a nice brown sauce. Keep stirring until all the vegetables are coated. Serve with brown rice.