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By the time I was in high school Chinese take-out was a weekly thing at our house. Cashew Chicken was one of my standby favorites. Back then I didn’t know (or care!) that my tasty take-out was stir-fried in pro-inflammatory and highly refined vegetable oil. And I had no idea that it was also surely laced with MSG, sugar and cornstarch. All I know is that this Cashew Chicken Stir Fry recipe tastes better than takeout—and it’s all good! Best of all, you can get it on the table in just about the same amount of time it would take to dial out.
5 Easy Tips for Cleaning Up Your Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Dinner…
- First, I like to make my cashew chicken with a lot more vegetables than the typical recipe calls for. Believe it or not, the extra vegetables make the dish tastier too.
- To boost the phytonutrient and antioxidant content of my dinner even further, I like to serve cashew chicken over black rice. Although black rice might sound exotic, it is every bit as easy to cook as brown rice or white rice (although I do hope you are not eating white rice! Learn why white rice earns a spot on the list of the top four worst carbs HERE.) By far, the easiest way to cook rice, including black rice, as well as ALL whole grains is with a rice cooker, my favorite being the VitaClay Chef Gourmet Rice & Slow Cooker Pro.
- I only use pastured chicken. Pastured chicken is not at all the same as “free range”, “cage free” or “vegetarian”, both of which are pretty much meaningless marketing terms. Although it would be ideal if my cashew chicken dinner were made from organic pastured chicken, if I had to choose between organic and pastured, I would choose pastured every time. Learn more about the benefits of pastured chicken HERE.
- I use only unrefined oil, which is the only type of oil that has not had all of the nutrients stripped. I am also careful not to heat the oil too high as high heat creates damaging free radicals.
- For those of you who are NOT gluten-free: I use organic Namu Shoyu in place of conventional soy sauce. What is Namu Shoyu? It is a special type of soy sauce that has not been pasteurized. Made from cultured soybeans and free of preservatives, Namu Shoyu has been fermented using traditional fermentation methods and so it is “alive” and rich in probiotics and enzymes. You can purchase Namu Shoyu online or at any natural foods store. FYI: Vitacost.com
is my favorite online grocery shopping destination for packaged foods such as Namu Shoyu.****GLUTEN-FREE NOTE: Namu Shoyu does contain a bit of gluten, so if you want a completely gluten free soy sauce look for San J brand of organic gluten free soy sauce.****
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This Cashew Chicken looks wonderful, can’t wait to try it tonight! I was hoping you could give me some info on the rice cooker you like and linked. How long does it take to make brown or black rice in it? Also, what about the “other grains” you make in it? I have a new induction cooktop that I haven’t been able to perfect my rice on yet (but still trying) and am considering your recommendation (but don’t want to overcrowd my kitchen with anything that isn’t amazing–lol!)
Thanks!!! 🙂
Hi Melanie,
I am so sorry for the lengthy delay getting back to you–we have been on vacation in Whistler and I was trying to take a bit of a break from too much screen time. Anyway, I am so happy to know you like the sound of the Cashew Chicken =) As for the rice cooker, I am IN LOVE with my “green” VitaClay (here is the link: http://vitaclaychef.com/) It takes about 35 minutes to make black or brown rice. As for other grains, you can seriously cook ANY GRAIN–and perfectly too I might add! I cook quinoa, amaranth, sorghum, barley, etc. Plus, the VitaClay serves double duty as a slow cooker and can even make yogurt (including dairy-free!) I totally understand what you mean about not wanting to clutter up the kitchen as I am the same way, but I promise the VitaClay is worth it!