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Now that we’re completely immersed in homework, sports, and activities, I’m once again faced with the challenge of getting dinner on the table every night. Eating out has typically been reserved for weekends or evenings when I literally don’t have time to cook, but this isn’t the norm and most days I serve my kids a freshly prepared meal made from real foods, even if it is something as simple as chicken and rice.
Admittedly, I’m not one to purchase frozen, boxed, or canned foods, but after delving into Walmart’s new Simple Meals, I found several options that afford me the opportunity to cook without spending a lot of time, effort, or money doing so. So much of my time is spent prepping the actual meal, since I like to use a lot of fresh vegetables in our dishes. I am LOVING simple meal solutions like Bird’s Eye’s Ready Recipe Frozen Vegetables, already peeled, chopped, sliced, and/or diced and ready to use. I used these veggies when I created my 5-Ingredient Tofu Stir Fry Recipe and saved a TON of time prepping the meal.
If you visit Walmart’s Simple Meals website, you’ll find a pretty expansive selection of meal solutions including Quick-Cook Dinners made with minimal ingredients and Meals Made Easy which can be cooked with little to no-prep work. You can reference this site to create your own weekly menu plans, utilizing the recipes as is, or you can glean inspiration and put your own twist on these meal solutions.
Inspired by their Easy Stir-Fry Recipe, I decided to take a healthy vegetarian twist by adding fresh, organic tofu and brown rice. All of the ingredients (including the organic tofu!) were purchased at my local Walmart and the cost was just $8! Here is my 5-Ingredient Tofu Stir-Fry Recipe:
- 1 package Nasoya Organic Cubed Super Firm Tofu 8 ounces, drained
- 1 package Birds Eye Recipe Ready Broccoli Stir Fry 14 oz.
- 1 packet Dorot Pop & Cook Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil divided
- 4 tablespoons water divided
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 egg optional, for fried rice
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Prepare brown rice as directed in a rice cooker using a pinch of salt and water
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In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium-high heat
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Once hot, add tofu and cook for approximately 2 minutes
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Add stir fry sauce packet and 1 tablespoon of water and stir until combined
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Add Broccoli Stir Fry into skillet and 1-2 tablespoons of water
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Turn down heat to low-medium, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally
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Remove tofu-vegetable mixture and set aside
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Scramble egg in the same skillet with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
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Add cooked brown rice and cook for 3-5 minutes (you may add a tablespoon of water to help incorporate remaining sauce)
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Serve tofu-vegetable mixture over rice
Admittedly, I was incredibly surprised at how well this dish turned out! Dorot’s Pop & Cook Stir Fry Sauce made it easy to infuse traditional Asian flavors into this cuisine. My kids LOVE Japanese, Chinese, and Thai food, and I can’t tell you how many times they’ve asked to go out for Teppan or stir-fry mid-week. Because those restaurants tend to be pricey and the meal-time is quite lengthy, we reserve our visits for special occasions, traditionally on a Saturday or Sunday when we aren’t trying to get to soccer practice or finish up homework. In less than 30 minutes, I was able to re-create this meal for my kids without having to go out or spend a lot of money.
While I was preparing this meal, I found myself wanting to get creative and elaborate, but I continued to remind myself that it’s ok to be simple some days.
In fact, I considered simply serving the tofu-vegetable mixture over brown rice but I know that many people prefer fried rice with stir fry. What’s nice about this particular fried rice is that you can cook it in the same skillet where the tofu and vegetables were cooked to infuse the rice with the same flavors.
If you have the time, consider marinating the tofu in this sauce to really enhance the flavor of the dish. This will also help make the tofu more palatable if you’re not accustomed to eating it. This dish could easily be made with chicken, steak or fish if you do not adhere to a vegetarian diet.
Are you looking for solutions to help make your weeknight meal preparation simpler and more affordable? Check out Simple Meals where you’ll find addtional recipes, coupons and a grocery list making tool.
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