Healthy Meal 101: Restaurant Stir-Fry Dishes in the D

By: Amber Ogden | January 23, 2015
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We’re nearly through the first month of 2015, Metro Detroiters! Can you believe it? With that being said, how’s your healthy eating plan going? Some of you may be cursing me for bringing it up, others are probably adapting to their new lifestyles with flying colors.

Either way, it’s always fun to get some new food inspiration, isn’t it? Whether you need a boost of motivation or just a fresh idea, here’s some unsolicited food advice: stir-fry! You can make it at home, but you can also enjoy it when you go out with friends. It can be tough scanning through a menu drooling over a list of “things you really want to order but really shouldn’t on your new fad diet,” but veggie stir-fry with a little bit of protein falls in the safe zone. Here are a few places where you can find delicious stir-fry dishes in the D:

Seva, with locations in Ann Arbor and Detroit, has a vegan, energy-boosting stir-fry dish on its menu. Cilantro-Peanut Stir Fry is unlike anything you’ll find on most menus, isn’t it? Broccoli, yellow peppers, red peppers, mushrooms, mung sprouts, carrots and green onions are tossed in a scrumptious cilantro-peanut-ginger-lime sauce.

It’s all served on brown rice and topped with roasted peanuts. This stir-fry is so healthy you might find yourself able to spring for a Seva soda, made with homemade syrup and pure Michigan beet sugar. Try lemongrass or pomegranate!

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Thai Basil, 37273 Six Mile Rd., Livonia, is a family-owned Thai restaurant that I just tried myself for the very first time the other night. The recipes follow those traditionally found in northern Thailand, and there are plenty of stir-fry options to choose from.

Try Pad Cashew (cashews, carrots, celery, water chestnuts, onions and bell peppers tossed with sweet chili sauce), Vegetable Delight (pea pods, baby corn, carrots, water chestnuts, celery, bamboo, broccoli, white onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and bean sprouts in a homemade brown sauce) or Sweet Chili (onions, celery and bell peppers tossed with Thai sweet chili sauce). Each stir-fry option can be served with your choice of chicken, pork, beef, tofu, scallops, mixed seafood or veggies.

Om Café, 23136 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, is a vegan and vegetarian café with fresh items just bursting off of the menu. If you fancy stir-fry, order the Vegetable Stir-Fry, a blend of sautéed garlic with carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, red onion, tamari, basil and scallions.

You can add kale to your meal (for no charge!), and tofu, tempeh or seitan for a slight extra charge. It’s served with your choice of brown rice or udon noodles, and gluten free noodles are available as a substitution. While I’m not too familiar with tahini onion gravy, it’s available to order as a side to your stir-fry!

The Hills Bar & Grill, 6810 North Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills, has plenty of variety on its menu, but we’re here for the stir-fry, aren’t we? The Asian Stir-Fry Bowls consist of bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, squash, carrots and rice noodles. The dish comes with your choice of sticky white or sweet brown rice, and you can add chicken, crispy chicken, filet mignon or shrimp.

If you’re there this Saturday after 9 p.m., it’s reverse happy hour time. House wines cost just $3. Treat yourself to a glass of Riesling for consistently going to the gym all week! And if you didn’t, well, drown your sorrows.

Eating healthily is manageable whether you’re cooking for yourself or eating at a restaurant in Metro Detroit—all you have to do is be smart about your choices! And when your choices include the above stir-fry options, your choices are nothing but delectable. 

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