Gluten and Dairy Free BBQ Mandarin Stir Fry

This is one of those recipes that was created by accident.  I noticed at the last minute that I had no soy sauce and no coconut aminos so I had to improvise.  Sometimes improvising makes disasters, but not today folks.  Today I created a new favorite meal, Gluten and Dairy Free BBQ Mandarin Stir Fry.  It’s definitely going into my 5 Week Rotating Dinner Menu!

Using only six ingredients and making a safe dinner in less than 30 minutes sounds like a winning recipe to me.  I used mostly fresh ingredients, which results in the best taste! I also include directions on making this meal using those frozen microwavable steamer bags of veggies and rice, for those who can’t rely on fresh veggies or have a hard time cooking the veggies in time before spoiling.  However, I think this dish really does taste best when using the fresh stuff.

Gluten and Dairy Free BBQ Mandarin Stir Fry

Please do not take screen shots of recipes.  Thanks.

Ingredients:

• 11oz can of mandarin oranges in light syrup
• 1/2 cup safe bbq sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of oil
• 1 1/2 pounds of sirloin beef, trimmed and cut into small bite size pieces
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 2 large handfuls of green beans, washed and snap ends off (can use frozen steamer bags)
• 2 cups brown rice, cooked (use any method; boil in a bag, instant, rice cooker, frozen microwavable)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan mix together 1/2 cup of the mandarin juice (not the mandarins, just the juice) and 1/2 cup of bbq sauce.  Heat over high heat until it start to simmer, then turn heat to low/medium and continue heating until the sauce is needed at a later step.
2. Heat oil in a large 12″ skillet over medium/high heat, cook beef stirring frequently until no longer pink.  Salt and Pepper to taste and set beef aside and cover to keep warm. In same pan cook mushrooms and green beans for approximately 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.  Salt and Pepper to taste and set the cooked vegetables aside with the beef and keep covered. (If using frozen steamable veggies, this is the time to pop them in the microwave.)
3. Return the pan to low heat and empty the cooked rice into the skillet.  Add about half of the bbq sauce mixture to the rice and mix well.  Taste the rice and continue adding sauce until the desired taste is reached.  (My boys don’t like a lot of sauce, but my husband and I do.  I keep the remaining sauce and add more to ours.) Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Return the beef and veggies to the same pan.  Empty and discard the remaining mandarin juice.  Add the mandarin oranges to the pan with the rice, beef and veggies.  Serve quickly while it’s still hot.

My kids were first a little skeptical about the oranges being in their dinner.  They were hesitant to try the first bite, but all I heard afterwards was a lot of “Wow Mom! This is actually good” and “I like the oranges!” So don’t be discouraged if your kids complain when they first set eyes on the meal.