Overcome Your Gut + Digestive Issues With Ancestral Nutrition
Asian Beef Stir Fry
There are so many different ways to eat stir fries. Some people cook them with meat others with tofu. Some people serve them with rice others do not. I have had them many ways. The first recipe I ever posted on here was actually a stir fry with rice and tofu. Now that I eat more ancestral / keto I find myself making stir fries with beef and no rice.
I hadn’t really considered making stir fries like this until I changed my diet. When I was learning more about the benefits of a keto/ low carb diet I watched some videos by Sky from Vengeance. In one of his videos, he mentioned eating a meat and veggie stir fry for dinner. I really liked this idea so I decided to give it a try. I was super happy with the results. I don’t miss the rice, especially cause I give myself more juicy steak in its place.
Speaking of juicy steak, you can really use whatever cut of steak you like in this meal. I recommend tri tip or sirloin because they are budget friendly cuts that I enjoy. Sirloin does have some chunks of fat and a few chewy parts but I don’t mind. Feel free to use ribeye, New York, or whatever steak you like.
Tip: Even Cuts Yield Even Cooking
Another note on the recipe; be sure to cut your veggies evenly. I like a 1/4 in slice. Cutting all your veggies evenly will ensure that they cook evenly and you don’t end up with an ugly mix of burned and undercooked veggies. Different veggies do cook at different rates which is why I add the onions, peppers, and carrots first. And wait to add the mushrooms, cabbage, ginger, and white parts of the bok choy till later. This helps ensure that they all finish cooking at the same time and you end up with an excellent stir fry.
Nutrition, Fermenting, and Soy
One more note about this recipe before we get to it. I say kimchi and tamari or soy sauce is optional for this recipe. Kimchi is a staple from the Korean diet. It is fermented shredded cabbage and it offers many health benefits. Fermented foods have probiotics which helps boast your digestion and immune system. According to Dr. Cate Shanahan, fermented foods have been a staple in our diets for thousands of years and are one of the common food groups shared by the healthiest cultures around the world. (1)
Tamari and soy sauce are also fermented. Or at least traditionally they were. According to Dr. Cate Shanahan, “The Chinese and Japanese who traditionally ate soy would soak, rinse, and then ferment the beans for extended periods … Traditional tofu, natto, miso, and other cultured soy products are incredibly nutritious” (1).
However be aware that these traditional soy products are vastly different than the commercially produced soy products you commonly find in supermarkets today. Many modern companies make soy sauce using chemical methods in place of fermentation to save time. Fermentation is key to making soy healthy for consumption. During fermentation goitrogens and phytoestrogens (chemicals that naturally occur in soy) are neutralized by “using the fat- and protein- rich beans as a substrate for microbial action” (1).
If these chemicals are not neutralized, they can disrupt thyroid and sex hormone function causing “hypo- and hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, and – particularly during infancy or pregnancy – male and female reproductive disorders” (1). So when you buy soy sauce look for ones that say “brewed” or “traditionally brewed” and scan through the ingredients list to make sure it’s short and has no chemicals listed. These tips will help you to pick out the fermented soy sauces. (1, 2, 3, 4)
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and i hope it brings health and happiness to you and your family.
With love from my kitchen to yours,
Kayley
Asian Beef Stir Fry
AuthorKayley O'BrienHeat 1 tsp of cooking fat in a medium to large pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add steak and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, flipping them once in between. Then transfer the steak to a plate and let sit. You will cook them more later. The idea here is to partially cook the steak pieces then let them sit to reabsorb their juices.
Add another tsp of fat to the pan and let heat, still over medium high heat. Once hot add onions, peppers, and carrots. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add mushrooms, cabbage, the white parts of the bok choy, ginger, and season with 5 chinese spice, salt and pepper. Continue to stir occasionally.
When the veggies are about 5 minutes away from being done, add green parts of bok choy, cayenne, and 1 tsp of the sesame seeds. Add the steak pieces back in anywhere from 1-5 minutes before your veggies are done. The time depends on how much they cooked the first time and how you like your steak cooked. The veggies are done when they are soft yet still firm and fork tender.
Once done, divide the stir fry between 2 plates. Top with the remaining sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with kimchi and tamari or soy sauce if desired and enjoy.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 1 tsp of cooking fat in a medium to large pan over medium high heat. Once hot, add steak and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, flipping them once in between. Then transfer the steak to a plate and let sit. You will cook them more later. The idea here is to partially cook the steak pieces then let them sit to reabsorb their juices.
Add another tsp of fat to the pan and let heat, still over medium high heat. Once hot add onions, peppers, and carrots. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add mushrooms, cabbage, the white parts of the bok choy, ginger, and season with 5 chinese spice, salt and pepper. Continue to stir occasionally.
When the veggies are about 5 minutes away from being done, add green parts of bok choy, cayenne, and 1 tsp of the sesame seeds. Add the steak pieces back in anywhere from 1-5 minutes before your veggies are done. The time depends on how much they cooked the first time and how you like your steak cooked. The veggies are done when they are soft yet still firm and fork tender.
Once done, divide the stir fry between 2 plates. Top with the remaining sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with kimchi and tamari or soy sauce if desired and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition:
| Ingredients | Cals | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
| 0.85 lbs Tri Tip or Sirloin Steak | 938.4 | 54.4g | 0g | 104.3g |
| 1 tsp bacon fat | 39 | 4.3g | 0g | 0g |
| 1/2 onion (90g) | 41 | 0.2g | 9.5g | 1.3g |
| 1/2 bell pepper (90g) | 25.6 | 0.2g | 6.1g | 0.8g |
| 1 1/2 carrots (78g) | 27.7 | 0.1g | 6.5g | 0.6g |
| 2 mushrooms (35g) | 7.6 | 0g | 1.5g | 0.9g |
| 1 cup shredded cabbage (150g) | 34 | 0.1g | 8.2g | 1.9g |
| 1 bok choy (100g) | 12 | 0.2g | 1.8g | 1.6g |
| 2 tsp sesame seeds | 33.6 | 2.9g | 1.5g | 1g |
| 1 green onion (15g) | 4.8 | 0g | 1.1g | 0.3g |
| 1/2 cup kimchi (75g) | 11.5 | 0.4g | 1.8g | 0.8g |
| Total (serves 2) | 1,175.2 | 62.8g | 33g | 113.5g |
| 1 serving | 587.6 | 31.4g | 16.5g | 56.8g |
(5)
Notes:
*Tamari not included in nutrition table
*I only calculated half the bacon fat used because a lot of it sticks to the pan and is not consumed.
* Nutrition is based on the products I use. I provide a nutrition table so that you can quickly check to see if your food products match or so that you can easily calculate the nutrition for any changes you want to make to the recipe. I think this helps if you have very specific diet goals and/or fitness and/or health goals. I also wanted you to be able to see exactly where I get the numbers for my nutrition facts so that you can see that they are reliable and learn more about macro breakdowns of food.
Works Cited
1. Shanahan, Catherine. Deep Nutrition. New York: Flat Iron Books. 2016. Print.
2. Rausa Fuller, Janet. “How to Buy Soy Sauce Like a Pro.” epicurious. 15 October 2015. https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/how-to-buy-soy-sauce-like-a-pro-article
3. “Soy Sauce.” Science Direct. Accessed 28 October 2019. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/soy-sauce
4. “The Story and Science of Soy Sauce.” Science Meets Food. 6 June 2019. http://sciencemeetsfood.org/story-science-soy-sauce/
5. Nutritionix. Gladson. https://www.nutritionix.com/ Accessed 21 January 2019.
About Kayley
Kayley is a certified gut health nutrition coach who helps people to overcome their chronic gut and digestive issues at the root using the principles of ancestral nutrition and holistic health. (Continue Reading Here)
