I’ll admit that I’m not the wok-master of the house. DH makes some great stir-fry, and when we got this week’s veggie box, I knew that he was going to have a fun assignment. The funny part was trying to convince him of what needed to go in the wok.Throw in the peas! And carrots! And OMG slice the kale thinly and it’ll be awesome! I’m such a backseat chef sometimes.

Needless to say, he made this fantastic stir-fry and the instant reaction was that it was a total winner. We used the sugar snap peas, carrots, green onions and kale from this week’s CSA box, and it was all just heavenly. Better still, after two adult portions (and small amounts siphoned off by the kiddos), we had two nice lunch portions.

And before anybody gets crabby about this being on white rice, I’ll have you know that dh made sushi rice in the Zojirushi, and OMG was that awesome, too. It was just one of those dinners where it all came together perfectly, and the only thing we were wishing we could do differently is not have eaten all day so we could just stuff completely. Another positive side-effect of loading up on the CSA veg is that it enabled us to be completely full from just under 4oz chicken each. That totally works, too. Not that I don’t love my poultry and all, but there was something insanely fun about just piling the veg high on the counter and watching dh go to town with the wok.

Note: if you don’t have a wok, I recommend that you try this type of recipe in a large, high-sided skillet. The wok is still the best starting place, but a large skillet that allows you to stir a serious quantity of food without spilling will work in a pinch.

Note, pt. 2: don’t feel compelled to make this with chicken. Make it vegan by ditching the chicken and either upping the veg or throwing some firm tofu in there. Just remember that the tofu shouldn’t need anywhere near the same cook time as the chicken. The point is that veg + wok = heaven.

Note, pt. 3: also, don’t feel compelled to use canned mushrooms. This was a nod to “it’s a weeknight and the kids are chafing at being in the grocery store when they’re hungry and I need to get them home so dinner can be made and BLARGHWHERETHE$*%&ISACANOFSHROOMSSOICANGOALREADY?!”

JUST. SO. GOOD.

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut in 3/4″ cubes)

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

2 Tb canola oil

2/3 lb snow peas, washed, stemmed and stringed

1/2 lb carrots, washed and cut into 1/4″ rounds

15 oz can sliced mushrooms, drained

8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup green onions, washed and chopped

4 oz kale, washed, stems removed, and cut into 1/4-1/2″ strips

1 Tb cornstarch

2 Tb water

Make it Happen

1. Heat the canola oil in a wok over high heat until the oil smokes.

2. Add the chicken and hoisin sauce; stir frequently until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

3. Simultaneously, steam sugar snap peas and carrots. Steam for 3-5 minutes, until they just start to lose their crispness.

4. Once the chicken is cooked, add to the wok the mushrooms, water chestnuts, the steamed sugar snap peas and carrots, and teriyaki sauce. Stir to combine.

5. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes, then add green onions and kale; stir to combine.

6. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water. Stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved, then add this mixture to the wok and stir to combine thoroughly. Remove from heat and serve immediately.