Recipe: Zesty Carrot, Hot Pepper and Shallot Stir-Fry

This quick and simple recipe is the perfect vegetable dish to spice up any meal. The ginger and garlic are especially aromatic as you cook.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups carrots, sliced
• 3 shallots, sliced into thick rings
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1/2 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Mince the jalapeños, ginger and garlic. Slice the shallots into rings.
2. In a large sauce pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat and add the carrots and shallots.
3. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, jalapeños, Chinese Five Spice, salt and red pepper flakes.
4. Sauté for 4 to 5 more minutes and add the green onion to finish. Carrots should be tender but still crisp in the center.

Chef’s notes:

• If Chinese Five Spice isn’t available, you can simply leave it out. But if you can find this seasoning, it adds a flavorful touch to the dish.
• To peel ginger quickly and safely use the edge of a small spoon and scrape the peel away from the ginger root to remove all the skin before chopping.

Ingredient health benefits

• Extra virgin olive oil: A cooking oil that’s as nutritious as it is ancient, extra virgin olive oil (or EVOO) is an excellent addition to any meal. It’s full of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that promotes heart health, suppresses inflammation and fights harmful free radicals. EVOO also has heart-helpful unsaturated fats that may lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and help your body absorb certain vitamins from other foods (like vitamins D and E). That’s a lot of perks from a little green fruit.
• Carrots: Rabbits aren’t the only ones who can benefit from noshing on these vibrant root veggies! Carrots are a great source of vitamin A (just half a cup of raw carrots gives you over half of your daily value). The vitamin A comes from carotenoids, natural pigments that protect your eye health and boost your immune system. Carrots may also help your heart by reducing cholesterol. And different colors have slightly different benefits. For instance, orange carrots are higher in beta-carotene, while purple carrots are rich in anthocyanins. You really can’t go wrong with your color choice, but it also doesn’t hurt to taste the rainbow.
• Garlic: OK, this is probably the last ingredient you’d expect to be a superfood, but garlic is surprisingly nutritious for its unremarkable appearance. It helps lower your blood pressure and promotes a healthy immune system when you include it in a well-balanced diet. Garlic also fights bad bacteria that like to hang around your food. At least your fingers won’t be sticky and smelly for nothing!
• Ginger: Sometimes, powerful flavor comes with powerful perks. Ginger root is packed with immunity-strengthening nutrients like vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Ginger can also provide pain relief and lower inflammation that can be found throughout your body, especially in your joints. And when your stomach is doing somersaults, you can count on some fresh slices to help suppress your nausea.
• Onions: Adding these alliums to your meal is definitely worth the tears. Onions are loaded with flavonoids, the besties of your heart and brain. A flavonoid called quercetin, in particular, supports your heart by helping to lower your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and chronic inflammation. Quercetin may also give harmful bacteria the boot, just like the compounds found in garlic. But that’s not all. Onions have prebiotics and fiber for a happy gut as well. And making them a regular part of your diet may reduce your risk of getting certain cancers.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 86
Fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 1 g
Carbohydrate: 13 g
Sodium: 346 mg