Stir-fry for the Timid

Dee here, with simple instructions on how to make your own better than take-out at-home stir-fry. Usually, when a n00b young chef takes upon themselves the task of making this meal, a stir-fry mix is purchased from the store. Before you do, STOP! To the individual trying to stay away from scary amounts of sodium and MSG, this is suicide. However, combining the brains of four Master's students, I present to you a healthy, and surprisingly SIMPLE way to make your own stir-fry at home.

1. Prepare your protein. Chicken, steak, and shrimp take time to cook, and adding raw meat to your perfectly cooked veggies will only result in upchuck. I suggest using a healthy oil like olive, but you can go traditionally asian and use peanut. Season with something like garlic or onion powder.

2. We boiled the green beans ahead of time, mostly because I was afraid they would not cook before all the rest of the vegetables. In this pre-cook phase, we also sauteed the mushrooms.

3. Make your sauce mix. Mix 1/2 C low sodium soy sauce with 1/2 C orange juice and 3 TBSP corn starch. Someone asked me if using flour would achieve the same results, to which I replied, "why, have you completely sworn off corn products? Suck it up and use the corn starch." Whisk (singing, Just beat it!). Set aside.

4. Slowly add your veggies, what ever they may be, and sautee with more oil if needed. Once they are looking slightly cooked, slowly start to add your sauce mixture, adding in any spices you want. Right before it "looks done," add in your protein. We used tofu, and even if you get extra tough tofu, the stuff falls apart, so you have to be gentle. The protein will suck in the sauce that should be thickening up nicely.

Of course you can change any spices, oils, proteins or vegetables that are not to your taste, but the secret is the corn starch. Wok on, kiddos!