Amish Chicken Sausage & Tomato & Cabbage & Chicken Stir Fry Recipes ~ Eat Locally & Prep It Forward

 I know,  I know, I just posted a super delicious Chicken Stir Fry Recipe with Pineapple Orange Barbecue Sauce not too long ago.  I shared my secret ingredients for making a tangy, sweet and savory sauce, and I use one of them again in this stir fry ~ barbecue sauce.  There was so little left in the jar, I added water to shake out what remained.  Worked perfectly.  Using local produce really enhances these meals.  The chicken is also local, with Ohio raised chicken breast, and Amish chicken sausages.  

As an aside, I personally prioritize locally grown over purchasing store bought organics, which is like an added tax for growers who have to put out extra funds for the organic label.  Couple that with the fact that the parent companies of most organic food labels are the very companies selling some of the least healthy food products, I simply lack confidence in their labeling.  

Locally raised and grown foods are always freshest.  Seasonal foods, picked when ripe will retain most of the nutrients as opposed to being picked before ripe, and left to sit in holding bins.

Local farmers need our support.  Before the Industrial Revolution ~ when the merchants began to take over the farming industry ~ most Americans were consuming locally raised and grown foods.  I think the DE-centralized approach is FAR MORE healthy and sustainable, and I do pray we return to that way of living.  

I could go on, however, this post is to inspire prepping ahead of time, not just supporting local farmers, although that is always in season.

While prepping for the Chicken Stir Fry With Seasonal Veg (& fruit considering tomato and summer squash are fruit) I cut up extra to prepare the next day's dinner as well.  I outline my prep steps below.

Sometimes we don't get home until later afternoon.  Since we prefer to have our second and usually biggest meal of the day by 2-3:00, 4:00 at the latest, I like having something quick around for those days when we will be getting a later start to our evening meal.

If you have extra time on a weekend, take the time to prep at least one extra meal ahead of time.  Alternatively, make a bigger batch of either recipe, then freeze half for a quick meal on another day.

Here are a couple tips for prepping it forward:

• If you don't mind getting a few bowls dirty, it makes prep easier.  It will help you stay organized.  Think cooking show.  The ingredients are all prepped in individual bowls, ready to go.
• Choose two or  more meals which use similar ingredients.
• Cut the vegetables differently for a different look and texture, so you don't feel like you are eating the same meal twice.
• If having a grain with your meal, such as white or brown rice, set it up that morning, or even the night before.  For example, I measured 1 cup of white rice into a bowl, and added 2 cups of water and a squeeze of lime.  I keep it on the counter, covered with a sushi mat so it can breathe, but keep dust and bugs out ~ if there are any.  The extended soaking time + the acid from the citrus helps grains further break down and be more digestible, something I discuss in my upcoming Whole & Pre-Sprouted Grains Cookbook E-Book.
• Cut all the produce first.  Organize as needed in bowls.  Then, cut meat.  This keeps your knife and board cleaner.

Once you've done your prep work, cooking goes fast.

We had the Chicken Stir Fry With Seasonal Vegetables (and Fruit)  on the first evening of prep, similar to the Chicken Stir Fry with Pineapple Orange Barbecue Sauce.  No two stir fries are ever alike, so I'll add this super simple Chicken Stir Fry recipe here, but first I'll list the ingredients used for BOTH meals, so you can get it all going at one time.  Unless of course, you just want to prepare one or the other of these awesome chicken dishes.

Recipes are for two people.  Use local ingredients when able.  Adapt using what you prefer or have on hand.

MAIN INGREDIENTS TO PREP FOR BOTH DISHES:

• 2 pounds chicken breast (1/2 pound per person is usually good +/-)
• 2 chicken sausages (I used Amish chicken sausages)
• 1 medium sweet onion, cut in half:  one half cut into half moons, the other half diced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 carrots:  slice 1.5 of the carrots on the bias for stir fry, dice the rest 
• 1 yellow or green summer squash, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced on the bias (diagonally)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced or cut into chunks (if desired, use the other half in the stir fry too)
• 2-3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large tomato, cut one half into larger chunks, dice the other half
• 1/4 small head of cabbage, cut in half, then lay down to cut horizontally/cross wise into fettuccine noodle shaped wedges
• Kelp or other seaweed cut into small pieces with a scissors ~ boosts mineral content and can be added to both recipes, or omitted if you don't have any
• If using white rice, measure 1 cup in a bowl, and add 2 cups water and a squeeze of lime.  Do this in the morning if time permits

PREP IT FORWARD STEPS:

1. Half moon sliced onion, celery, and 1.5 carrots sliced on the bias can go into a bowl with half the garlic
2. Place summer squash in a separate bowl
3. Half the tomato cut into chunks for the stir fry can go in a bowl with the squash
4. Diced onion and rest of garlic and diced carrot can all go into the same  bowl for the next dish
5. Cabbage and half tomato for next dish can just be prepped on the cutting board, or into a bowl, to be used in the second dish
6. Put 1.5 pounds of the chicken breast in a bowl for the stir fry, and the remaining chicken breast + chicken sausages in a separate bowl  (Note:  sausages are often salty, hence I'm cutting it by adding some of the chicken breast to get the amount of protein we want for the two of us without adding a third or fourth sausage)

Chicken Stir Fry With Celery, Squash, Carrot & Tomato

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 sweet onion, cut into half moons
• 1&1/2 carrot
• Both stalks celery, sliced
• Seaweed like kelp cut into small thin pieces with a scissors (optional, but boosts mineral content)
• 1 yellow or green summer squash, cut as outlined above
• 1/2 (or a little less) large tomato, cut into chunks
• 1.5 pounds chicken breast, cut into 1 inch or so bite sized pieces
• Salt & white pepper
• Dried ginger, optional ~ warming and a bit spicy, so use a light hand during the summer!
• Extra virgin olive oil for cooking (xvoo)
• 1-2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce diluted in 1-2 Tbsp. water

Heat a large pan or wok, and add oil.  When the oil is hot, add the first bowl of onion, celery, carrot and garlic.  Add seaweed, if using.

Keep tossing vegetables in the pan as it cooks on a high heat until the vegetables begin to soften.  After a few minutes, add squash and tomato.

Once mostly but not entirely cooked, remove to one of the bowls used for prepping.  Cover with a plate.  The steam will help the vegetables continue to soften.

Add a bit more oil to the pan.  When hot, add chicken.  Stir continually on a high heat.  If not using seaweed, season with a little salt, white pepper, and dried ginger if using.

Once all of the chicken pieces are white on all sides, no longer pink and translucent, add veggies back to pan.  Add barbecue sauce and water.  Stir.  Cover, and turn low for a few minutes.  Then turn heat off, keeping lid on another minute or two before serving.

Perfect White Rice

If preparing the white rice, add the rice + water (measured and pre-soaked as above) to a pot, bring to a boil, then turn heat to lowest setting, cover, and let cook until water is absorbed.  (2 cups of water to 1 cup of white rice.)  You may need to use a heat diffuser to keep the rice on the bottom of the pot from scorching.  Cooks in about 20 minutes.  Should be ready about the same time as the stir fry.  Gently stir with a wooden rice paddle, like this one made in the USA.

Leftover rice will be great with the Amish Chicken Sausage, Tomato & Cabbage recipe, below.

Serve the Chicken Stir Fry over the rice. Enjoy dinner, then prepare the next dish.

Amish Chicken Sausage, Tomato & Cabbage

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1+ small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 carrot, diced
• Optional kelp or seaweed, cut into small pieces with a scissors
• 1/2 pound chicken breast
• 2 Amish or other chicken sausage, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 large tomato diced
• 1/4 head cabbage, cut cross-wise into fettuccine noodle shaped wedges
• Dried oregano and basil  ~ a few good shakes of each
• About 1/2 cup, or a bit more tomato juice

Heat the same large pan, and add oil.  Add onion, carrot and garlic (should all be prepped and in one bowl) and optional seaweed.  Stir, then add chicken and sausage.  Continue to stir until the chicken breast is all white on all sides.  

Add the rest of the ingredients in order given.  Cover and let simmer on low for about 10+ minutes.  Turn off heat, let cool, and pack it up for tomorrow's dinner.  

The next day, reheat in a pot, or place individual servings in a shallow bowl and reheat in the microwave if that's easier.

While eating, thank yourself for having prepped it the day before!  Enjoy a quick easy dinner!

NOTE:  I didn't add any salt to this as each Amish chicken sausage has 660mg of sodium, plus I added seaweed which is also a bit salty tasting.  You may need to adjust depending on the sausages you use, whether or not you add seaweed, and your salt tolerance.  We are keeping our sodium intake a bit lower recently to maintain an ideal sodium to potassium balance. 

I didn't think to create this into a post until after both meals were already prepped.  Next time, I'll get better photos of each step during prepping.