Sweet and Spicy Beef and Broccoli w/ Quinoa

      I seriously love Chinese food. Maybe it's partly due to nostalgia because we eat it every Christmas at my grammy's (kind of an odd tradition) but it is just so good.  Problem is, it is awfully bad for you...an even worse problem is that they don't deliver to my apartment :P   In order to solve those issues, I have come up with a healthier recipe (still pretty high in calories so don't shovel down too much, but way less processed ingredients when homemade, and much more nutritional value) that is absolutely delicious. The meat is tender, the sauce is sweet with just enough kick that goes wonderfully with broccoli, and the quinoa is a great side to absorb all the yummy flavor.

 
      This recipe is basically my spin off of Mongolian beef. I add some red pepper flakes to make it spicy to balance out the sweet, and serve it with broccoli and quinoa instead of just over rice with green onions. It makes a wonderful balanced meal. I've made it a few times up at school and my boyfriend loves it, but I really put it to the test by making it at home for my sister, her boyfriend, my mom and my dad. (My sister and her boyfriend are very trustable critics!) They all really loved it, so I decided I must share the recipe! The recipe serves 4-5, and keep in mind it is much easier to prepare if the broccoli and quinoa are already cooked so I recommend doing that before cooking the meat!

Sweet and Spicy Beef and Broccoli w/ Quinoa

Ingredients:

4-5 cups cooked quinoa or - 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp garlic

3 cups reduced sodium beef broth

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp jarred)

1 Tbsp minced ginger

1 medium onion, sliced

1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 lbs flank steak*

heaping 1/2 cup flour**

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp pepper

2 large heads of broccoli, washed and chopped and steamed

*I have used this recipe with steak tips, (or steak for grilling/broiling) and it works just fine. If flank steak is not available, this recipe is still doable!

**Most recipes such as this one call for dredging the meat in cornstarch instead of flour, but I have found using flour works just as well, just add 2 tsp to the sauce at the end and bring to a boil to thicken, like the recipe states

Directions:

If not already cooked, to prepare quinoa, melt Tbsp of butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add in minced garlic, stir for about a minute then add in quinoa, stirring constantly to toast for 2-3 minutes. Add in beef broth, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If quinoa is already cooked, heat in microwave after last step)

Steam the broccoli and set aside.

Meanwhile, mix together flour, pepper and garlic powder. Chop steak to bite sized pieces and dredge in the flour. Set aside

 Heat olive oil over medium heat in large saute pan and add in garlic, ginger and onion, stirring for just a couple minutes. Add in soy sauce, water, brown sugar and red pepper flakes and stir. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3-4 minutes to dissolve all the sugar. Pour in bowl and set aside. 

Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in large pan over medium/high heat (can be the same one used to make the sauce). Shake excess flour of meat pieces and fry for just a minute or two on each side to brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. Much of the oil will be absorbed but if there is some left, remove from pan. 

Pour soy sauce mixture back into pan, add two tsp of the flour mixture and bring to a boil. Add back in the meat and stir to coat with sauce. Reduce heat and let simmer for a couple minutes, add broccoli and serve over quinoa.

Matt, Shauna, Dad and Mom enjoying their meal!