5-Veggie Beef Stir-Fry

This is a make-ahead, freeze-it kind of meal, and that is exactly why it earns a place in the rotation. Cook a batch on a steadier day so a busy day still ends with something nourishing already made.

The plate does a lot of honest work. The beef is a strong source of zinc, which is involved in immune regulation and gut-barrier repair, and 5 vegetables stack color on color, from carrots and broccoli to asparagus and mushrooms, each one feeding a healthier gut community with its own fiber and polyphenols. Coconut aminos stands in for soy sauce so you get the savory depth without the soy, and the honey in the sauce is just 1/2 tablespoon across the whole pan, a modest touch of sweetness.

The smell when the beef hits the hot pan, then the bright crunch of vegetables cooked just to fork-tender, makes this feel like a real treat. Source the beef from an animal raised well, and take a moment to be grateful for it before you eat. Make the bowl beautiful, all those colors arranged with a little care, and slow down for the first bite.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 lb beef, sliced
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 bundle asparagus, trimmed and cut
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 cup water chestnuts
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced

This recipe is already built on coconut aminos in place of soy sauce, the key AIP pantry swap, so there is nothing to change there. If you are watching histamine, omit the lemon juice. Use a clean-label coconut aminos with no added nightshade or seed-spice flavorings.

Method

• Brown the sliced beef in the coconut oil over medium-high, about 10 to 15 minutes, then set it aside.
• In the same pan, cook the broccoli, asparagus, onion, and carrots until fork-tender.
• Return the beef to the pan and stir in the mushrooms, coconut aminos, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, and salt. Heat through.
• Finish with the water chestnuts and green onions and serve.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*