It has been a while since I posted a new recipe … busy, fun, exciting summer … but it left little time for blogging! And this one was borne out of a need for a last-minute meal based on what was in the fridge. I had stir fry on the menu, but all we had thawed was ground elk meat. In the past, these creations were referred to as Refrigerator Goulash at our house. I opted to combine that concept into a stir fry this time around. You can decide which it actually is … either way, it was super yummy and well-received!

The zucchini, green beans and some of the tomatoes were from our own garden. And the elk was from my hubby’s hunting trip last fall. So this was a VERY economical meal for us!

From beginning to end … yum!!!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs lean ground elk meat

1 cup chopped white mushrooms

1 cup chopped broccoli

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped bell peppers, assorted colors

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 cup chopped green beans

1 cup shiritaki rice

6 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp Mrs Dash garlic & herb seasoning

Directions:

1. Cook ground elk until cooked all the way through. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Add chopped peppers, zucchini and green beans. Saute until veggies start to soften, approximately 5 minutes. Add broccoli and continue to saute, approximately 2 more minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms start to “shrink”, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, and continue to saute for another minute or two.

3. Mix soy sauce, lime juice and garlic seasoning in a separate dish. Add to veggies, stir well, and let simmer for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add (blanched) shiritaki noodles to veggie mixture (if there is not enough liquid to cover everything, add a little water). Cook for about a minute.

5. Add meat back into veggie mixture and cook until heated through.

Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Breakdown:

Makes 3 lean & green servings. Each serving consists of:

1 leaner portion (I’d say leanest, but there is some fat added to our ground elk)

3 veggie portions

3 condiments