Heart-healthy stir-fries

Stir up your usual dinner plans by serving up a stir-fry. Because stir-frying requires a high flame and you continually move the ingredients, this method of cooking uses considerably less oil than frying. The tasty technique is traditionally Asian, but you don’t have to use a wok—any frying pan will do. Try these dishes for a restaurant-style meal at home:

Crunchy stir-fry
Sliced apple adds unexpected flavor and texture.

½ cup vertically sliced onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots (2 medium)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup fresh or frozen Chinese pea pods
1 Tbsp. water
1 Golden Delicious apple, cored and thinly sliced

Stir-fry onion, carrots and basil in oil in nonstick skillet until carrots are tender. Stir in
pea pods and water; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apples. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 50 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 25 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber

Source: Produce for Better Health/Washington Apple Commission

Vegetable and chicken stir-fry
Vary the vegetables you use to keep this meal interesting.

Sauce:
3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or cider vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. cornstarch

Vegetables and chicken:
¾ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in thin strips
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. vegetable oil
10 cups fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice, such as broccoli florets, snow peas, shredded cabbage, chopped bell pepper, chopped onion or sliced mushrooms

In a small bowl, mix sauce ingredients together. In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry chicken and garlic in hot oil until browned. Add vegetables, cover and cook 5 minutes (longer if vegetables are still frozen), stirring occasionally. Cook until vegetables are tender but crisp. Stir in sauce; cook until sauce thickens. Serve over rice. Makes 6 servings.

Per serving (excluding rice): 270 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 360 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention