Quinoa Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

Stir-frys are such a great way to get vitamins, minerals, and protein packed in ONE meal that tastes absolutely delicious. Before I really learned about harmful ingredients that are hidden in certain processed foods, I always used La Choy Teriyaki Marinade to create stir-fry meals. And I made A LOT of stir-frys in my single days....just think, open a frozen bag of stir-fry and add teriyaki and you've got a meal. Boy, I was wrong. I was getting more than a meal. I was getting a lot of bad crap going into my body!  Below are the ingredients of the sauce I used to use. 

Soy Sauce, Water, Salt, Soy Protein Hydrolyzed, Corn Syrup, Caramel Color, Potassium Sorbate Preservative, Sugar, Sherry Wine, Corn Syrup Solids, Pineapple Juice Concentrate,Water, Vinegar Distilled, Contains less than 22% of Corn Starch Modified, Wine Burgundy,Pineapple Juice Powder, Salt, Garlic Powder, Caramel Color, Potassium Sorbate Preservative,Flavor(s) Natural

The bolded items are items of concern. Soy sauce can be controversial due to soy being a main GMO crop. Soy Protein Hyrdrolyzed is highly processed and is also used in cosmetics, such as mascara...do you really want to ingest that into your system? Caramel coloring is derived from a variety of food allergens and can be especially dangerous to those with food sensitivity and allergies. Also, there are a ton of hidden sugars--corn syrup, sugar, corn syrup solids, pineapple juice concentrate, pineapple juice powder. 

So, avoid the processed stuff and make your own. It's cheaper and better for you! You'll find my recipe below. 

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

1/4 cup organic soy sauce (you really want to try to find a soy sauce that is non-gmo like Kikkoman)

3/4 cup water

1/2 tbsp ground ginger

2 tbsp honey

In a small pot, over high heat, combine all of the ingredients and then let simmer while you cook the rest of the meal. 

Quinoa Vegetable & Chicken Stir-Fry

2 cups cooked quinoa (See How to Cook Quinoa)

1 bag stir-fry vegetables (I love Great Value Sugar Snap Pea Blend; it's cheap and easy)

1 cup frozen peas

2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp minced garlic

In a large wok, heat oil and garlic on med heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes turning frequently. Then, add vegetables. Cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is no longer pink. Pour Homemade Teriyaki Sauce over the mixture and add cooked quinoa. Mix well and serve. Top with some green onions or crushed peanuts for extra yumminess!!