Sweet Chili Sesame Stir-Fry

My New Years resolution was to challenge myself. This months challenge: eliminating processed foods from my diet (aka clean eating). I've done pretty good by cutting back throughout the month but this week I've decided to cut out all processed foods completely. Now that I've switched shifts at work it's been a little difficult to meal plan. Instead of making dinners and having the leftovers for lunch the next day I have to make lunch and bring the leftovers for dinner. Having tons of fresh fruits and veggies on hand has made it so much easier.

A big part of clean eating is including proteins, carbs, and fats in every meal. Protein helps to build muscle and aids in curbing appetite so including it in every meal will help keep you full all day. Now that I have made the switch to second shift, I am at work until 11pm. Planning meals that keep me full throughout my entire shift has become a big part of my morning routine. This morning I decided to throw a stir-fry together with just a few simple ingredients. This one meal gave me enough leftovers for three more meals AND has protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Yield: 4 servings

• 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
• 1 lb. washed and trimmed green beans
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lb. lean ground chicken
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 1/2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and boil for 6 minutes. Once cooked, drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking; set aside. 

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add sesame oil, garlic, and ground chicken to pan. Break up chicken as much as possible and cook until browned (about 5 minutes). Once chicken is mostly cooked, add sweet chili sauce, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and cooked green beans. Stir to coat and continue to cook until chicken is done and green beans are tender (about 2 more minutes). Serve over quinoa.