Squashy Stir-Fry for One

This one might be called “Kitchen Sink Stir Fry” because it uses up a lot of loose ends in the kitchen. You don’t have to use the same ingredients that I used—raid your own pantry and fridge! Also, this recipe doesn’t demand Chinese Five Spice or Soy Sauce, so it has a lighter flavor than most stir fries. You can add those things, of course, if you want them.

1-2 TBLSP olive oil

1 1-inch slab of celeriac (celery root), cubed

1 2-inch chunk of squash or sweet potato, cubed (I used kobucha)

½ a parsnip, cubed

2 slices of yellow onion, diced

¼ small fennel bulb, diced

½ leek, julienned

2 mushrooms, halved and sliced thinly

1/3 cup peas (raw or cooked, doesn’t matter)

1/3 cube of extra firm tofu, in small cubes (about 1/3 cup)

1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and diced finely

1 clove garlic, peeled and diced finely

1-2 TBLSP sesame oil

1 cup fresh spinach

Sesame seeds for garnish

1. In a frying pan or wok, heat the oil, and stir fry the firmer veggies (celeriac, squash, parsnip, and onion) on high heat for 5-7 minutes, until they start to soften.
2. Add in the fennel, leek, mushrooms, peas, tofu, ginger, and garlic, and continue to stir fry until everything softens, about 5 minutes.
3. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top of everything and give it another stir. Put the spinach on top of everything, and turn it over so that the spinach gets mixed in nicely. Your meal is done when the spinach has started to wilt.
4. Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top for garnish

I like this served over rice or noodles, but there’s no reason not to go it plain!

You could also add soy sauce or hoisin for a little perkiness.