Dairy Free Gluten & Grain Free Nut Free Paleo Specific Carbohydrate Diet Whole30

Garlic Scape & Crispy Beef Stir Fry

Name: Garlic Scape & Crispy Beef Stir Fry
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 3 cups garlic scapes ((approx 12 garlic scapes)); 500 grams sirloin, flank or skirt steak (cut against the grain into very thin strips); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 3 tbsp arrowroot starch; 2 tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil; 1 large yellow onion (thinly sliced ); 1 yellow or orange bell pepper (thinly sliced ); 1 bunch scallions (cut into 1 inch pieces); 2 tbsp chopped ginger; 3 tbsp coconut aminos ((or tamari/soy sauce)); 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp honey ((or 1 medjool date for whole30)*); 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp sesame seeds

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If you are looking for a way to use garlic scapes, look no further than this stir fry. Garlic scapes are the star of the show and cooked with crispy beef, bell peppers, onions and scallions in a flavour packed dish. This stir fry takes less than 30 minutes to make and is Paleo, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Whole30 and Keto too!

WHY YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS GARLIC SCAPE STIR FRY

Garlic Scapes are often reserved for pesto or pickles, but this is a fun way to use them and switch up your usual weeknight stir fry.
The beef is so crispy and delicious, I have to use so much willpower to stop myself from eating it all while the veggies cook.
This stir fry takes less than 30 minutes to make so it’s perfect for weeknight dinner.
It’s incredibly versatile, feel free to add in other vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, asparagus or zucchini.
Leftovers taste just as good the next day!

WHAT ARE GARLIC SCAPES?

I was given a bag of garlic scapes from a friend and immediately started researching what the heck they are. It turns out that garlic is one of only a few plants that has two harvests, the garlic scapes that grow out of the bulb and are harvested in summer, and the bulbs, which are harvested in early fall. When growing garlic, so much of the plants energy goes into producing the green scapes, that they must be cut off before flowering so the plant can channel its energy into producing a flavourful bulb.

DO GARLIC SCAPES HAVE A STRONG GARLIC TASTE?

Garlic scapes have a flavour similar to a scallion or chive and are much less sharp tasting than a garlic clove. When cooked the flavour becomes even more mild and sweet. Their texture closely resembles a cooked green bean or asparagus spear.

HOW TO PREPARE GARLIC SCAPES?

Garlic scapes are incredibly easy to prepare and can be cut into any desired length. The thicker end of the garlic scapes that are lighter in colour can often be stringy and harder to chew, I recommend cutting this portion off so you are just left with the tender part.

IF I CAN’T FIND GARLIC SCAPES WHAT ELSE COULD I USE?

Unfortunately garlic scapes can only be found during the summer months, so if you would like to make this recipe when they are out of season, try adding in 3 cloves of crushed garlic when cooking the ginger and use 2 cups of green beans in place of the garlic scapes.

WHAT CUT OF BEEF IS BEST?

When it comes to choosing a cut of beef for a stir fry there are a variety of cuts that work, so for me it all comes down to budget. Because the steak in this recipe is cut so thinly, it is unlikely to become chewy when cooked, so top sirloin, flank, skirt or rump would all work well.

HOW THICK SHOULD I CUT THE BEEF?

I recommend cutting the steak as thin as possible for maximum crispiness once cooked. If you are struggling to cut the steak thinly, pop it into the freezer for 20 minutes to slightly firm up, this will make cutting so much easier. When cutting the steak always cut it against the grain. The grain is the direction that the muscle fibers run, and can be identified as the white lines in the steak.

IS THIS STIR FRY SPICY?

Not at all! This stir fry is very mild in spice to allow the flavour of the garlic scapes to shine through. If you prefer a bit of spice, feel free to add another teaspoon of black pepper or thinly slice a chili pepper and add it in with the other veggies.

I DON’T EAT BEEF, COULD I USE SOMETHING ELSE?

You can! The beef can be substituted for thinly sliced pork (tenderloin or chops) or chicken. Alternatively if you are vegetarian, swap the beef for thinly sliced portobello or shiitake mushrooms which will add a nice “meatiness” to the dish.

IS THERE A SUBSTITUTE FOR ARROWROOT POWDER?

If you are not following a grain free or paleo diet, feel free to substitute the arrowroot powder with corn starch or potato starch which will both result in crispy beef.

HOW TO MAKE THIS STIR FRY SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE DIET LEGAL

To make this stir fry Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal, omit the arrowroot powder and instead liberally season the beef with salt and pepper before cooking it. The beef will still be crispy and delicious even if you skip the arrowroot.

CAN I MAKE THIS GARLIC SCAPE STIR FRY IN ADVANCE?

If preparing this stir fry in advance I recommend cooking the beef and setting it aside and then cooking the vegetables up to a few hours in advance. Keep the vegetables and beef separate and only combine them together right before serving to help to ensure that the beef stays crispy.

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS?

Leftover Garlic Scape Stir Fry will last for up to 4 days in the fridge and can be reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top until warmed through. Unfortunately any leftover beef loses its crispiness but is still delicious and the coating helps the sauce to stick to the beef on all sides.

Here are a few more beef recipes that you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!