Heart-friendly stir-fry with spicy garlic sauce

This tasty stir-fry can be on your table with minimal preparation. With less oil and a fast fry, the veggies hold onto their nutrients while the spices to kick up the flavour.

This lively stir-fry will rekindle your love of vegetables. Crisp broccoli, bright red peppers and tender baby corn are tossed with tantalizing Asian seasonings for a speedy and exotic side dish.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 14 minutes
Serves: 4

Sauce:

• 375 ml (1 1/2 c) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) light soy sauce, or to taste
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) cornstarch
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) Thai chili paste (optional)
• 1 garlic clove
• 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) peanut or vegetable oil
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) minced, peeled fresh ginger

Vegetables:

• 500 g (2 c) broccoli florets
• 1 can (425 g/15 oz) baby corn, drained
• 1 large red pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 can (250 g/8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) sesame seeds, toasted to garnish

1. Combine 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and chili paste (if using) in small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Crush garlic cloves by smashing with side of chef's knife, remove peels.
2. Coat large nonstick wok or deep skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add oil and set wok over high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir-fry ginger and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Add broccoli to wok and stir-fry just until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add corn, red pepper and water chestnuts; stir-fry just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Return broccoli to wok and add remaining broth.
4. Cover and cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Whisk cornstarch mixture again and add to wok with ginger and garlic. Stir-fry just until sauce thickens and boils, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

• For a full meal, add 500 grams (1 pound) cubed extra-firm tofu to the beginning of Step 3, before the broccoli. Stir-fry the cubes until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes, and then remove and set aside. Add the tofu back to the wok after the sauce is added in Step 4 and toss gently to coat the tofu with sauce.

• Use 5-centimetre (2-inch) pieces of asparagus in place of the broccoli.

• Stir-frying remains one of the simplest and healthiest ways to cook. Use a wok whenever you can; its small cooking base and wide sides allow you to conserve on the amount of oil needed. And the fast, high heat helps preserve the food's nutrients, crunch and colour.

• You'll never need table salt to provide flavour in stir-fries. Flavourful ingredients such as garlic, ginger and light soy sauce will provide the taste without the grams of sodium.

Per Serving:
250 Calories / 45 Calories from Fat / 5 g Fat / 1 g Saturated Fat / 0 g Trans Fat / 8 g Protein / 50 g Carb / 7 g Fibre / 80 mg Sodium

• Blood Pressure Nutrients:
  120 mg Vitamin C / 62 mg Magnesium / 806 mg Potassium / 44 mg Calcium