Back to School Dinner to Add to the Rotation

And just like that, we are getting ready for back to school.

And that’s not bad exactly. It’s just the moment the summer softness disappears and the schedule snaps back into place. Alarms to set. Lunches to make. Drop-offs to coordinate. The 4-week adjustment to school routines.

And then 5pm hits and the dinner bell starts to ring. If you’re like us, that starts in shifts even earlier than 5pm.

This is a recipe I go back to every single year when school starts. Ground chicken stir fry. 20 minutes. Everything from Trader Joe’s. One pan. Clean up is simple, nutrients are there. And by the way, it is really yummy.

It tastes like you tried. You did not have to try very hard.

What you need

• 1 lb ground chicken

• 1 bag Trader Joe’s stir fry veggies

• Microwave sticky rice (this is the only thing I didn’t get from Trader Joe’s)

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tbsp avocado oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• Sesame seeds

• Sweet chili sauce

How to make it

In a pan, heat 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp avocado oil. Add 1 lb ground chicken and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Cook until browned. (By the way, this meat chopper is a kitchen must-have.)

Add the veggies, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Sauté until the veggies soften. I like to keep mine a little crisp for flavor and crunch.

Serve over rice. Sesame seeds on top. Drizzle of sweet chili sauce. Done.

That’s it. Sometimes, a simple dinner just works and this is one of them.

Keep the ingredients stocked and September gets a little easier.