Elk Stir Fry

I bet you’re asking yourself if you read that right….Elk?  Yep, it’s elk and I’ve been so excited to share this simple and nutritious meal with you because it’s darn delicious!

I’m so lucky to be working with Nicholyn Farms  this  summer because I have the opportunity to discover and experiment with new foods that are healthy and nutritious.  Elk tastes much like beef except it is leaner and is somewhat sweet.  That’s the great thing about cooking with it – it’s natural flavors shine through and you don’t need to add a lot for great taste.

After chatting with the owner, Lynda, we thought that a stir-fry would be a good way to introduce this meat to first timers.  A perfect way to utilize all the beautiful fresh produce.  For those of you who eat elk regularly, I’d love to hear about your recipes because I’m looking forward to cooking this again.

There was a time when I wasn’t eating any red meat but I’ve found myself leaning more towards a paleo diet in the last year although I can’t ever see myself giving up cheese!  I don’t want to ever put myself into a ‘one category kind of eater’ because I think if you stick to fresh, whole foods you’re on the right course.

Just a few more facts from Livestrong.com:

“A 3.5-ounce serving of free range elk meat, or roughly 100 grams, is relatively low in both calories and fats. One serving contains about 148 calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database. Of these, 26 come from fat, which comprises about 3 grams — about 6 percent of your daily fat allowance; only about 1 gram is saturated. This an insignificant amount of fat, and far less than the same-size serving of beef, which has 8.2 grams of fat, 3 of which are saturated.  Elk meat is considered a valuable source of protein.”

Like any stir-fry, you can use your favorite veggies so don’t feel that you need to use all that I’ve included here.  I loved the addition of fresh Spring kale to this one.  Just look at all those wonderful nutrients ready to go into your body!

You’ll want to be sure to cut your meat on the grain to ensure it stays super tender when you cook it.  Click here for quick tutorial from Serious Eats to help you with that.

I’ve added turmeric, red pepper flakes, garlic and curry to give this lots of flavor so there is no need for soy sauce.  Just let the spices dance on this fresh produce and give you a taste explosion in your mouth.  I’d love to hear if you try this.  It’s great to go outside of the box and discover new surprises.  Cheers!

I’m sharing this recipe with these fun bloggers.