On hectic evenings, it can be hard to muster up the willpower to cook up a meal that’s tasty and good for you too. Having said that, we all know that a lot of take-out dishes are laden with belly-bloating sodium and artificial ingredients. This cleaned-up version of Cashew Chicken uses only whole food ingredients and tastes just as good as the real thing. Time-wise, you’ll have dinner on the table in just over half an hour, and after taking your first bite, you’ll be glad you went the home-made route.

Cashew Chicken

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 120g each, diced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 4 tsp miso-garlic sauce (see recipe below)
• 2 tsp low-sodium tamari
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally
• 2 tbsp water
• ¼ cup raw unsalted cashews
• minced parsley or cilantro, to garnish
• cooked brown or wild rice, to serve

For the Miso Garlic Sauce:

• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1/4 cup miso
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Chinese five-spice

Instructions:

• Prepare the miso garlic sauce by pouring all ingredients into a small saucepan and cooking over medium heat. Whisk constantly until a smooth mixture forms (about 4 minutes), then transfer to a sealable jar or bottle. (This will make about 1/2 cup, but you only need to use a portion of it. The rest can be refrigerated and used as a stir fry sauce.)
• Chop the chicken and toss it in a resalable bag with the corn starch. Try to coat it as evenly as possible.
• Melt the coconut oil in a large frying pan or wok. Stir fry the chicken until golden on all sides, but not completely cooked, about 3 minutes.
• Whisk together 4 tsp of miso garlic sauce with the tamari and rice vinegar. Pour it into the wok with the bell peppers, green onions, water and cashews.
• Stir fry on high heat for another 4 minutes, adding a little extra water if the wok starts to get too dry. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom and be sure to stir often for even cooking.
• When the veggies are tender crisp and everything is hot, transfer to bowls and serve with cooked rice. Garnish with cilantro if desired.

Angela is an avid runner, fitness instructor, foodie, healthy living blogger, and health coach. Having been overweight, unhappy and insecure as a teenager, Angela took control, changed her unhealthy habits, and adopted a clean eating lifestyle that she continues to maintain today. Her goal is to support, inspire, and motivate others to improve their health and be their best. You can learn more about her on her blog, Eat-Spin-Run-Repeat.com.

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