Thank you for stopping by Spiffy Eats. Today I am sharing a recipe with you that is not only rich in complex flavor, but really simple to make. Make it clean eating by putting it over a side of brown rice or paleo by putting it over a fried egg. Both options are easy and tasty. First, I would like to share a bit of my friend Amber's story. You have heard from Amber before in her post, "Free the Chicks", where she wrote about the reasons for choosing pastured eggs and chickens. Amber is a school teacher who holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) and a BS in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education. She has a passion for eating clean and the science behind healthy living. I am so grateful to have her as a friend, and also grateful that she shares all her knowledge with me, empowering me to learn and grow in my clean eating journey. 

Last year Amber began to really focus on her food. Choosing local, clean, sustainable foods every chance she got. It paid off! Amber lost 30 pounds last year. Here is a before and after. 

I asked Amber, how she lost all the weight? She said that she stuck to clean eating, "I didn't get fancy. I didn't have time to. I eat a lot of the same things. I eat steamed vegetables almost every day with a little cream and a bit of rice. I eat a lot of stir fried vegetables. I make the same vegetable soup every week and I take it to lunch and eat it with an avocado. I eat a lot of egg omelettes. I just have to do easy stuff because I don't have time to fix fancy meals. But it has worked. I eat whole fat greek yogurt almost every morning. It satisfies me so much. I put a little fruit preserves in it and that's my breakfast. The fat content keeps me full until lunch. I drink coffee twice a day with full cream and I eat whole fat sour cream every day. I don't gain weight from it and haven't gained weight from it all year. On the contrary, full fat dairy is a healing food. Fats help with weight loss by helping to feel more full and satisfied, so you don't snack as much. Fats are vital for our health. Many of our body functions need fat such as our gallbladder and other organs. Fat is the new skinny!" 

I am following her advice as Tony and I try to start shedding some of our extra pounds and getting to a place of optimum health. So today, I would like to share with you a stir fry recipe I created based on Amber's suggestion of stir fried vegetables. 

First, for the marinade. It is VITAL to add all of these ingredients in the order listed. If you add them out of order you will get a gross, chunky paste that you do not want to use as a sauce. In a medium bowl combine 1 tbsp melted coconut oil (Carrington Farms organic, cold pressed is my favorite) and 2 tbsp Jalapeño Honey (I purchase mine locally from Hoover bee keepers at Garden Honey Bee). Mix these two together until well combined. Next, add 1 capful apple cider vinegar (Bragg is my favorite because of the high nutrient content) and 1 tsp Chinese five spice (I purchased mine at the Super Oriental Market, a wonderful locally owned specialty market that carries items I never thought I would be able to find in Birmingham!) Whisk all ingredients until well combined. 

Dice your chicken and add it to the marinade, being sure to coat each piece with the sauce. I used one breast and with the addition of all the veggies, it was enough to feed two of us. Because we eat higher quality, more expensive meats (pastured, no added hormones, organic when possible), we make an effort to consume less of it. This allows us to eat high quality meats while staying on budget. Wrap your bowl in plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Allow to marinate at least an hour. 

Chop your veggies. I added about 4 cups of mixed veggies. I chose to add gmo-free water chestnuts, green onions, mushrooms, yellow bell peppers, and swiss chard (from my garden plot at Jones Valley, which I am way too excited about).

Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Pour your chicken into the pan, ensuring you bring along all of the sauce with it. Sauté, stirring constantly until cooked through. Then add all the veggies and cook (stirring frequently) until they reach your desired texture. I like my veggies crisp, so this step takes a couple minutes for me. 

That's it! Simple, one pot, and wonderful over rice, quinoa, or tucked inside of corn tortillas (gmo-free tortillas, of course). I hope you enjoy this meal. Let me know how it turns out for you! 

Be sure to visit Jones Valley Teaching Farm's Website to learn more about how you can grow your own food right here in Birmingham. Stop by the Garden Honey Bee website and give them a call to order your own honey or body products (I use their beeswax soap every day). Supporting local farms is an integral part of having a sustainable Birmingham. In the summer you can find both of these farms, and many more, at the Pepper Place Market. Thank you for reading! 

Read more about the benefits of healthy fats in my article "Don't Fear Fat" and this article from Authority Nutrition. As Amber said, Fat is the new skinny!