“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
~ W.B. Yeats
Do You Believe in Magic?
Two weeks ago, I featured a recipe called Mackerel in Magic Sauce, because the sauce was so delicious, it transformed the fish. But the true test of a magic sauce is if it does the same for many different recipes. So, I put this one to the test on a beef, broccoli and pineapple stir fry. Result? Again, one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten. Magic Sauce is well-named! If you use it in other recipes, please let me know. What should I try it on next?
The Power of Sulfur
Dr. Terry Wahls recommends we eat 3 cups sulfur-rich vegetables daily, and this meal has you covered with broccoli, cauliflower and garlic all falling into this category. Why are these vegetables so important? Sulfur is involved in hundreds of biological processes in our bodies and is particularly important in supporting our natural detoxification pathways. In the past century, over 80,000 new chemicals have been released into the environment and no matter how careful we are, we can’t avoid them all. We are all toxic to some degree, and thankfully our body is set up to detoxify daily. The problem is that those systems were never intended to process the amount of toxins we are faced with today. There’s medicine in our groundwater, pollutants in the air, and plastic in our bloodstream. I know that sounds scary, but there are also sulfur-rich vegetables available to eat, and they really are medicinal foods. They boost our bodies’ ability to detoxify more toxins, more efficiently.
Stir Fry with Magic Sauce Over Cauliflower “Rice” (Paleo, AIP, GAPS, Wahls)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
Magic Sauce Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1/3 cup dry sherry
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 8 thin slices peeled fresh ginger
- zest of 1 lemon
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
Cauliflower “Rice” Ingredients
- 1/2 large head cauliflower
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- sea salt, to taste
Stir Fry Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. coconut oil (divided)
- 1 lb. beef (either sirloin tips or your favorite steak cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1 large bunch broccoli (cut into florets)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cups pineapple chunks
Instructions
- This recipe moves quickly, so prep. all of your ingredients in advance.
- Magic Sauce: Put the magic sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer 10 minutes uncovered, then turn off heat. Use slotted spoon to remove garlic & ginger. Cover pan to keep warm.
- Cauli-Rice: Cut cauliflower into small chunks and pulse in food processor until it reaches rice consistency. Set aside. Melt coconut oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add cauliflower rice and sprinkle with sea salt. Cook 3 minutes. Use spatula to turn over, sprinkle with more sea salt, and cook another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- Stir Fry: Melt 1 tablespoon coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry beef pieces for 2-3 minutes, until both sides are browned & meat is cooked. Transfer beef to the pan with the magic sauce & melt another tablespoon coconut oil in skillet. Add broccoli. Toss to coat evenly with oil and cook 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup water and cover pan, steaming broccoli to desired level of tenderness (2-5 minutes more). Transfer broccoli to pan with magic sauce & beef. Melt final tablespoon coconut oil in skillet & add pineapple. Fry 1 minute each side until browned, and then transfer to magic saucepan.
- Use a large spoon to stir everything in the saucepan, until all is coated evenly with the magic sauce.
- Serve stir fry and magic sauce over the cauliflower “rice”.
Notes
- The cauliflower stem is edible and nutritious, too! Include it when making your cauliflower-rice.
- Time Saving Tip: Many stores sell pre-chopped cauliflower rice in the frozen food aisle. 1/2 large head cauliflower is equivalent to about 3 cups of cauliflower rice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Courses
- Method: Stovetop
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Credit: recipe photograph taken by Christina Feindel
Yum! I wasn’t sure my magic sauce would turn out because I don’t have access to coconut aminos here in Mexico, but I used Fish Sauce instead and my family loved it! Thanks so much for the recipe, I’ll be coming back to this one.
Excellent substitute! It’s a different flavor profile, but equally delicious. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
I am just over a week into the Wahls Paleo Plus protocol with AIP restrictions as well. I know I would have to omit the honey in the Magic Sauce but do you know if I can use the sherry? I don’t see anything in her book about cooking with alcohol but am thinking that if it is okay in AIP it should be fine. Thoughts?
Hi TJ. Wahls Paleo Plus is the ketogenic level of her diet. I wouldn’t recommend this recipe for that level. Instead, try the Steak Arugula Salad, which is another one of my favorites. If you’re just doing regular Wahls Paleo (non-ketogenic), this stir fry recipe will work fine.
I just made this sauce with a beef and broccoli stirfry. I also added pineapple, and carrots and scallions as well. I coated my steak with arrowroot starch before searing it, and it thickened the sauce. SO GOOD. This is so delicious, definitely going in the rotation!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for commenting, Kirsten.
Hi, the magic sauce sounds wonderful! I can’t use any alcohol in my cooking because it triggers migraines 🙁 . I was wondering if there was anything I could substitute for it?
Thanks
I’ve never made it without the sherry, but you could try apple cider or another kind of juice and see how it goes? If you do, please report back and let us know how it worked.
I love how informative your posts are, Eileen. I always come away learning something but not bogged down or feeling overwhelmed. Thanks so much for linking my liver pate recipe up. Which reminds me…I need to make some! I’m doing “round two” of your sauerkraut recipe and will NOT overfill this time – and NOT burp my Fido. That sounds weird. But you know what I mean…
XO
Jen
Awww, thanks Jen. You make me feel loved, and a little bit cool, because we have our own code language. 🙂
I’m about to embark on this AIP journey. Just wondering about the magic sauce…. my food lists say to avoid alcohol and yet it appears in two forms here. Is this permissible because it is cooked before hand? Thanks in advance.
As long as the alcohol is used in cooking, it’s allowed on the AIP.
Ooh magic sauce! Sounds absolutely delicious 🙂
I just made this for dinner and it was so delicious. I swapped bok choi for broccoli because that was in the fridge. My girls aged 3.5 and 1.5 inhaled it!! Thank you. Itis meals like this that make me glad I am doing the AIP!
Thanks for sharing, Laura. That’s awesome!
This recipe look awesome! I think it will be a real winner with my family. I’m putting it on the menu for this week! Pinning this one 🙂 Oh, and thanks for sharing it on Wellness Wednesdays!
I like broccoli, cauliflower, and garlic… this looks delicious. 🙂
what about an organ meat recipe with the magic sauce?
Oooh. That’s a good idea. If it could transform beef liver, that would be the ultimate test.