Cashew Chicken Stir-fry with Napa Cabbage

Cashew Chicken Stir-fry is quick, easy and so good! Chicken and cabbage are glazed with a sweet, savory and spicy honey and coconut aminos Asian inspired sauce, with scallions, ginger, cashews and a whole lotta basil. It’s versatile and freezer friendly making it perfect for big batch cooking! For those nights at home when you need a no fuss homemade takeout pick me up!

Weird times lately, right? Weird seems to be the only feeling that makes sense around this very real public health crisis. What just a little over a week ago seemed like something so far away, is here and is turning lives upside down, to say the least. With peoples health at risk, people putting their own health at risk, people losing jobs, schools closing, limited human connection, economic instability, it’s a lot to take in. But the one thing we know will remain constant, we still need to eat. Our families, kids, pets, we all need to eat. We need food to nourish our bodies as well as our souls. It can be a simple way to bring focus, simple joy and comfort to a very weird time.

Cooking and eating food can be grounding and centering when life might feel unpredictable. It takes us out of future centered questioning and uncertainty to the reminder that we are still human and our feet are still on the ground. It brings focus into real time by bringing us back to nourishing our bodies and caring for ourselves and others in the present moment.

For many, cooking and eating might mean needing to get creative, getting pushed out of comfort zones, uncertainty, and so much more, especially in the wake of people’s hoarding behaviors. With empty or picked over shelves, being flexible, resourceful and adaptable is key. Cooking from recipes and planning groceries around meals might be challenging while trips to the grocery are limited and as the amazing grocers bust their butts restocking shelves. I’m working on flexible meal prep info, adaptable and batch recipes, pantry ideas, freezer meals, fun recipes and more, whatever people might need to be resourceful and sane out there while things remain different from day to day.

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In This Together

My husband and I are privileged to be able to stay home, and really, as mostly homebodies, the “isolation” doesn’t feel much different from our normal lives. But for every individual who put themselves on the forefront of this pandemic by keeping healthcare accessible and maintaining our essential infrastructure networks, no amount of gratitude will ever be enough. And as a passionate lover of food and a health and nutrition advocate, we must not forget to help our friends, our neighbors, our communities who are truly struggling to find nourishment through this time, whether it be due to illness, accessibility or financial stresses. A few ideas to consider and things we’re looking into:

• Donating food, cash or time to local food banks.
• Donating to organizations such as Feeding America, No Kid Hungry, Meals on Wheels
• Checking in on elderly neighbors or neighbors with compromised immune systems to see if they need help getting groceries or hygiene supplies.
• So many homes with kids that rely on meals provided at school. Checking school lunch programs or churches offering free meals for donations or anything they might need.
• Other ways to help:
  • Donate blood
  • Support small businesses and pick up gift cards to use later
  • Start holiday shopping early and shop small online
  • Be an advocate for small business products or services you love and share on social
  • Order curbside takeout or delivery from small local restaurants (if offering) and again gift cards!
  • Tip deliveries generously
  • Look for ‘tip lists’ or ‘virtual tips jars’ to continue tipping as a would be patron and don’t forget dog walkers, baristas, and other services you would normally tip
  • Donate to local homeless shelters to help offset cost of medical supplies
  • Go-Fund-Me fundraisers
  • Eater has a list of relief organizations for restaurants and food service workers
  • So many local, national and international relief fundraisers and organizations out there. From housing assistance to supporting healthcare costs to looking out for services and small businesses that rely on us as, we are all in this together.
• Also, don’t forget to check in with friends and family who are out there on the front lines.

As I’ve mentioned FLEXIBILITY and ADAPTABILITY is key with food these days. This Cashew Chicken Stir-fry recipe was made prior to COVID-19 landing in the states. But the amazing thing about stir-fry is it’s prob one of the MOST adaptable dishes to make!

Cashew Chicken Stir-fry Substitutions & Variations

• No chicken in your freezer? Use any protein you have on hand. Pork, steak, ground turkey or whatever you have.
• Make it vegetarian with tofu or tempeh. OR once the veggies have sauteed and have been coated with sauce, make a well in the center and scramble some eggs. Once scrambled and cooked, mix with the veggies or serve on the side with rice.
• The veggie substitution options are endless. Instead of napa cabbage, use up veggies from the fridge. Or throw in a bag of frozen veggies (stir fry blend, broccoli, green beans, spinach, peppers, etc.)
• No scallions? Sub in a regular onion or frozen onions. Or just leave them out.
• Can’t get your hands on fresno or serrano peppers? Spice it up with cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes.
• No cashews? Peanuts work well too.
• No fresh garlic or ginger? Use powdered. 1/4 tsp. powdered ginger for every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic for every 1 fresh clove of garlic.
• What about the basil? Basil or no basil this recipe is delicious. You could leave it out or sub in cilantro.

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If you make this Cashew Chicken Stir-fry with Napa Cabbage (or any version of it) make sure to leave a comment or give it a rating! And if you’re into taking photos of your food (like me), be sure to give me a tag on Instagram!

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