Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

I was trying out a new vegan product that I found at the Great Canadian Superstore, and I was in a big hurry to make dinner, so I made this quick Vietnamese stir-fry  (so hurried, in fact, that I only had time to make white rice-- hence the picture!). I used this product--


Very good, but a bit pricey

They are made by Gardein, which also makes the Morningstar Farms and Yves products mentioned in the recipe ingredients. Gardein itself makes a vegan meatless "beef" product (really amazing, but quite pricey) and a "chicken" one. They make food service products for the restaurant trade, too. A friend recently tasted a Gardein product in a vegan restaurant in Southern California and raved about it-- the "chick'n filets". "  (PS: I'm not getting paid to write this! I'm just always interested in new vegan products.) 

I've suggested some other products you can use in the following recipe instead of the product above, including "beefy" home-flavored Soy Curls (see directions below the recipe in Cooking Tip #2).  Whatever you use, I think you'll enjoy this recipe!

Printable Recipe

BRYANNA'S RIDICULOUSLY EASY VIETNAMESE-STYLE VEGGIE "BEEF" STRIPS WITH TOMATOES
(A Weight Watcher's Core Plan recipe)
Servings: 2
This is indeed ridiculously fast and easy, but very good! Serve with steamed rice, brown preferably, bulgur or quinoa.  PS: If you prefer not to use "beefy" strips of any kind, try using strips of grilled portabello mushrooms, but add them at the last minute.

8 oz. (227 g) vegan "beef" strips, such as President's Choice Meatless Beef Strips, Yves "Beef Tenders", Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Steak Strips, or Lightlife Smart Menu Steak Strips
(or a good "beefy" seitan" cut into strips would also work, or "beefy" Soy Curls-- see Cooking Tip #2 below)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder or granules
freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbs dark soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce
1 Tbs vegetarian "fish sauce" (see Cooking Tip #1 below), or lite soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 Tbs oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 small ripe tomatoes, thinly-sliced
1/3 cup water
3 small green onions, chopped
about a tablespoon more of vegetarian "fish sauce" or alternate (see above), according to taste
more freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Combine the strips with the garlic granules, black pepper to taste, dark soy sauce and "fish sauce".



Heat oil in a large heavy skillet or stir-fry pan, cast iron, carbon steel or hard-anodized. When hot, add the strips, crushed garlic, and the marinade. Stir-fry until the strips start to brown. Add the tomatoes, green onions, and water and stir-fry just until the tomatoes soften. Taste to see if it needs more pepper, and/or "fish sauce".

Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 250.9 calories; 35% calories from fat; 10.3g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 1100.6mg sodium; 930.6mg potassium; 10.3g carbohydrates; 1.5g fiber; 4.1g sugar; 8.8g net carbs; 32.7g protein; 5.6 points.



Cooking Tip #1: Vietnamese Vegetarian "Fish Sauce": I buy this at my local Chinese grocer. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (which I don't care for as a sub for soy sauce, BTW) are weaker-tasting than soy sauce and remind me of this sauce, so use it instead if you can't find this, or a lite (low-sodium) soy sauce.


Cooking Tip #2: To make "beefy" Soy Curls--   use 5.3 oz. (a scant 4 cups) dry Soy Curls® reconstituted for about 15 minutes with a mixture of:  4 cups boiling water, 4 tsp. Marmite yeast extract, 4 Tbs. + 1 tsp soy sauce, 4 Tbs + 1 tsp ketchup, and 4 tsp gravy browner. Drain the Soy Curls® when they are tender, and use in the recipe.  Freeze whatever you don't use.

Enjoy!