Chicken Stir Fry with Noodles

Stir Fry - the culinary adventure I've skillfully dodged for years. But now, it's been gently hinted that I should dive into the wok of wonders, diabetes edition!

To satisfy my curiosity and needs, I eagerly explored diabetes-friendly noodle options and discovered an exciting Japanese choice—Shirataki noodles made from the Konjac root, native to East Asia! These noodles are a fantastic fit for a diabetes-friendly diet, boasting low carbs and low calories. While choices always can be a problem for some, a bit of research and mindfulness about what we consume can make it a breeze!

It's well-known that Japanese culture places a strong emphasis on diet, but an exciting 2018 study has revealed that there's surprisingly little evidence about the diets of Japanese patients with diabetes. However, Sato et al. made a fascinating discovery in this study, showing that a carbohydrate-restricted diet is statistically superior! https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6116111/

So there you go, folks, let's give these noodles a go with other diabetes-friendly ingredients in our stir fry and see what happens!

Ingredients

500grams chicken breast (chopped into bite sized pieces)

1/2 red capsicum (chopped into 1 inch pieces)

1/2 yellow capsicum (chopped into 1 inch pieces)

6 x button mushroom (chopped)

1 x cup broccoli pieces

1 x carrot (chopped into 1 inch pieces)

2 x tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

ground ginger (a sprinkle or as desired)

2 x tablespoons honey

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 x tablespoons corn flour

1 x cup vegetable broth

1 or 2 packets of Changs Wide Noodles (as pictured above) or anything similar you can find ( made from Konjac )

Method

1. Take noodles out of packet. Drain fluid and rinse under cold water. Really important to do this as to make less rubbery for the future!

2. Place in boiling water for 2-3 minutes only (again to help make it a less rubbery texture). Remove from heat and drain immediately. Set aside.

3. Place oil in wok or skillet on medium heat and add chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes then removed from heat and set aside on a plate.

4. Place all vegetables in same wok or skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes.

5. Meanwhile place corn flour, soy sauce, ginger, minced garlic, honey and vegetable broth in a mix and mix together well. Set aside.

6. Add chicken to wok or skillet and and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently.

7. Add soy sauce mixture t. Feel free to add more water, broth or soy sauce if you feel if needs more liquid!

8. Add noodles.

9. Place on medium heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

10. Serve up with any other veggies of choice!

Conclusion

Now I get why I don't make stir-fry often (or ever!). This dish was super tasty and great for blood sugar levels, but wow, it took forever to make, which isn't really my thing. With a family of six, I just don't have the time to spend hours on meals that my kids aren't big fans of anyway, so I have to be really picky about what I cook! Luckily, this meal was super filling and delicious, and even though it took ages to prepare, it was totally worth it. Will it become a regular? Probably not, but it's definitely a nice change, healthy, and good for blood glucose! I've mentioned before in my blogs and recipe posts that I want to cook more with chicken, and this dish definitely fits the bill. It's pretty good overall, but there's just a bit too much prep involved for it to become a regular meal at my place!

These noodles are incredibly versatile and can vary wildly based on how you cook them, making them the perfect blank canvases for any culinary creation! Their low carb and calorie content is a definite plus, and you can customize them to match any flavor you crave. I always aim to choose the best options when possible. For instance, while some recipes recommend brown sugar, I prefer using honey whenever I can because it's a natural sweetener.

Honestly, I used Hokkien noodles when making the kids' meal and still got a 1 out of 5-star rating from my daughter because you just can't make everyone happy. But hey, if there's a better option, I'll always try to go for it! So overall, not a favorite, but I would definitely advocate for the noodles, and I'm pretty sure there will be other simpler recipes using these noodles in the future! Reaching out to embrace the random for sure.

I stumbled upon these noodles at Woolworths amidst a sea of different brands and types. These particular noodles came in liquid form and had a fishy aroma when opened. While they might not be my kids' first choice, I'm always eager to try something new and unique if it promises better health outcomes overall. I firmly believe in making small, gradual changes to improve long-term results. After a chat with a colleague who impressively lost 12 kgs over 8 months, I was truly inspired by her journey. It was all about portion control and eliminating unnecessary 'comfort' foods that contributed to her fantastic weight loss. Although this blog isn't specifically about weight loss (though weight management is crucial in the broader context of diabetes), the inspiration stemmed from something simple. That's what I passionately advocate for—investing time, effort, and thought into achieving better outcomes for people living with diabetes and everyone else!Another exciting point to highlight - this meal left us feeling completely full and satisfied! It's tasty, healthy, and filling - exactly what we aim for in a meal!

Take a look at this real-life screenshot of glucose levels the morning (8am) after enjoying this delicious meal (consumed at 6pm)! You'll notice the levels stayed within the 'time in range,' with a spike to around 10 mmol/L around midnight and then holding steady. Exactly what we want to see! I had a feeling this meal would be a winner for glucose levels; the only challenge was all the planning and prep time beforehand, which isn't my favorite, but it's absolutely worth it! As mentioned, I'll definitely be using these noodles in future dishes. The TOOL concert is coming up at the end of this week, so get ready for some exciting pre and post-Maynard meals! Even though two of our favorite bands are visiting South Australia this month, we can't slack off with our meals. It's so important to keep going and ride the spiral of healthy blood sugars!