Ginger Beef and Broccoli

Okay, I don't usually toot my own horn (wait, does anyone believe that??) when I cook a meal that is NOT a cheat meal but could totally be one, but this time I just HAD to share. Okay, who am I kidding? I toot my own horn a lot when it comes to cooking at home but seriously, this one had to be shared!! This slightly crispy beef is coated in a sticky, sweet, spicy sauce that goes perfectly with steamed broccoli and brown rice. I couldn't have asked for this to turn out better then it did!This recipe would also definitely be delicious with chicken thighs or pressed extra firm tofu, cooked the same way if beef isn't your thing!

As a note, I hate doing dishes so I try to reuse as many pots and pans as I possibly can. So to steam my broccoli I start by added about 1/4 inch of water to my frying pan where I will eventually cook the beef, turn the heat up to high until it starts to bubble and then add my broccoli and cover with a lid for about 2 minutes, tossing about 1/2 way through. When it's tender and bright green I remove it with tongs and keep it in a bowl covered with foil until I'm ready to serve. I keep the broccoli on the side because if I were to toss it with the beef and sauce it would be totally overcooked, drenched and soggy and ain't nothin' worse then soggy broccoli, amiright?

Also, please note that I am terrible at measuring things out so this is my rough estimation based on eyeballing. I recommend tasting your sauce and checking to see if it needs more acid or sweetness before you add your cornstarch.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound lean stir-fry beef but into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 pound broccoli florets, large stems removed
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice, prepared according to directions  
• 2 tbsp canola or coconut oil
• 1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and diced into small pieces
• 1/2 cup water, divided in two
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp agave
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (white or apple cider vinegar would be fine also if you don't have RWV)
• Sriracha to taste (optional, depending on your preferred spice level)
• 4 tbsp cornstarch, divided in half

Directions:

1. Prep your meat and veggies while you cook the rice according to package directions. 
2. To steam your broccoli, follow the directions in paragraph two above. While this is steaming toss the beef strips with 2 tbsp of cornstarch. This will give your beef a crispy exterior and will allow the sauce to stick to it after it's cooked. 
3. Heat your frying pan over medium-high heat (on my stove it's a 7 our of 9) and add the cooking oil.
4. Once pan is hot, about 2 minutes add 1/2 of your beef and cook for about 5 minutes, turning occasionally until the beef is browned with some crispy bits around the edges.
5. Remove and set to drain on a paper-towel lined plate while you finish cooking the rest of the beef.  
6. Once the beef is all cooked and removed from you pan, turn your heat down to medium (6 on my stove), add your ginger to saute with the remaining beef bits until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes. 
7. While the ginger cooks, prepare your sauce. Add all ingredients from water to cornstarch together and whisk to incorporate, reserving 1/4 cup water.
8. To finish, add remaining 1/4 cup water to your pan to loosen any stuck beef bits and ginger.  Then add remaining sauce and cook, stirring constantly as it bubbles for 1-2 minutes. 
9. Turn off your heat altogether and add beef back in, stirring to coat beef evenly. 
10. Serve by plating brown rice on the bottom, beet on top and broccoli around the outside of your plate. 

Enjoy!