Healthy Glass Noodle Stir Fry

Healthy Glass Noodle Stir Fry

I love Asian flavors (and especially noodles) but recently I’ve had a really hard time finding restaurants that serve good Asian food that doesn’t leave me feeling bloated. As with any dish that I like, I always try to make a healthier version myself which is how this healthy glass noodle stir fry recipe came about!

When I went to buy the noodles at an Asian supermarket in Flushing, Queens, I was so inspired by all the green produce they had that I knew I wanted to include a lot of it in my dish. They had vegetables that we don’t normally see in typical grocery stores lining the shelves, an example of one is bitter melon which I talk about here.

You can honestly throw any veggies into this dish that you want or have in the fridge. Some great options include broccoli, napa cabbage (chinese cabbage), zucchini, brussel sprouts, bok choy, bitter melon, spinach, peas, shitake mushrooms, carrots and even baby corn, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. The latter 3 usually come canned which I try to avoid so look for a glass jar option instead or a bpa free lined can.

A quick word about glass noodles as well. The term comes from the fact that once cooked they have the appearance of glass. The noodles are typically made from water and a starch. The types of starch could be potato, bean or green pea. Personally I usually buy the bean starch noodles; I love the texture of them. Glass noodles are high in carbs since they are made from starch but they do fall into a low glycemic carb category and therefore don’t cause spikes in blood sugar (more here) which is why I like to use them. Now let’s get started!

INGREDIENTS

Glass Noodles (2 cups or as much as you want)
Napa Cabbage (1 cup)
Broccoli (1 head, cut into small pieces or 1 cup)
Bok Choy (2)
Bitter Melon (1/4, chopped- read here how to prep, take out the seeds!)
Baby Corn (1/2 cup, cut into smaller pieces)
Water Chestnuts (1/4 cup)

Sauce

Garlic (1/2 clove, minced)
Ginger (1/2 inch, grated)
White Wine Vinegar (1/4 cup)
Liquid Aminos (or other Soy Sauce Alternative or low sodium Soy Sauce) (3 tablespoons)
Sesame Oil (Toasted or Black Sesame Oil) (2 tablespoons)
Sesame Seeds (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to instructions on packaging. Usually you are okay just soaking them in hot water for 5 minutes. If thicker, pour boiling water on them and let sit 10-15 minutes until tender.
2. Bring water to a boil in pot and cook broccoli, bok choy (bottoms, hard side) and bitter melon for 2 minutes (or steam).
3. In a large wok or skillet, add a little sesame oil and then add baby corn and water chestnuts. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
4. Next add in cooked noodles.
5. Add half of sauce and mix well.
6. Next, add in the napa cabbage, broccoli, bok choy and bitter melon.
7. Add in the balance of the sauce.
8. Mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Enjoy!