Sweet & Sour Stir-fry with Peppers & optional Peaches/Pineapple

We love this one! Super easy & delicious weeknight meal, with lots of possible variations. It helps to prep all the ingredients & make the sauce before you start cooking, because the actual cooking happens fast and you want to watch it closely.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

2 tbsp orange juice

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

2 tbsp cornstarch

For the stir fry:

2 tbsp high heat frying oil, like sunflower, peanut, grapeseed, canola, etc.

1 lb protein of your choice (cubed chicken breast, pork tenderloin strips, or cubed extra-firm tofu)

1 small red onion, chopped

2 -4 green or colored peppers, cut into strips

1-2 large peaches, cut into slices or chunks, or 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks

1 cup green beans, zucchini or bok choy, chopped into bite-size chunks (optional)

Cooked rice or noodles, for serving

Green onions or sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the sauce. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients except orange juice & corn starch in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk orange juice & corn starch together until starch dissolves fully.

Prepare the protein. If using chicken or pork, season it with salt and pepper. In a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp. oil and cook the meat for 4–5 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside. If using tofu, press it to remove excess water, pat dry, and fry until golden and crispy.

Sauté the vegetables. Add 1 tbsp. oil, and the onion and peppers, (and optional green veggie) to the wok and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender-crisp.

Combine everything. Add orange juice/corn starch mixture into sauce bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined.

Add the peaches (& optional bok choy), the cooked protein, and the sauce to the wok with the vegetables. Stir to combine.

Stir-fry for several minutes to thicken the sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients, about 2–3 minutes.

Serve. Garnish with green onions or sesame seeds if desired and serve immediately over cooked rice or noodles.