You want to eat healthy. You need to fuel your body, But, you also want to loose weight. And, you don’t want the food you eat to taste like cardboard! It may seem at times that each of these things are mutually exclusive – that it’s not possible to combine each of these diet goals into your meals. Fortunately, with a little planning, it can be done!
Spicer foods, such as those that use chilies, can boost your metabolism, helping you burn fat while you are also fueling your body. And, with the right ingredients, you can help fuel muscle growth while giving you the energy you need to not only get through the day, but also fuel your next workout. Here’s one recipe that is healthy, tasty, and is a good diet choice for boosting your metabolism! This quick chicken stir-fry recipe, a great metabolism boosting dinner, is flavored with classic Thai ingredients: savory fish sauce balanced with tangy lime juice and plenty of fresh basil. Have all the ingredients prepared and ready to add to the wok before you turn on the heat. Serve with brown rice.
Thai Chicken Stir-Fry with Basil & Cashews
- 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 small fresh red chiles, thinly sliced (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup toasted cashews
- 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil, preferably Thai
Heat ½ the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate., Then, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, scallions and chilies and cook, stirring, until the scallions start to soften, about 30 seconds. Add garlic and zucchini and cook, stirring, until the zucchini is just tender, about 3 minutes. Whisk fish sauce, lime juice, molasses and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir the sauce and the chicken (along with any accumulated juice) into the pan; cook, gently stirring, until the sauce is bubbling and thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in cashews and basil. Serves 4.
Nutrition per serving: 329 calories; 18 g, 16 g carbohydrates; 28 g protein
