Stir-Fried Ground Beef and Vegetables

Total time: 30 minutes
    You could substitute thinly sliced flank steak or beef pre-cut for stir-fry if you prefer.  Any bits of vegetable left in the fridge would be fine in this: sliced Brussels sprouts, broccoli, whatever.

 Ingredients:

• 8oz ground beef (mince 240gr)
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1 medium carrot
• 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
• 2 ribs celery
• 4oz (120gr) water chestnuts
• 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) beef stock
• 1 tbs tomato paste (or ketchup if you don't have tomato paste)
• 3 slices peeled ginger, about 1" diameter  (2.5cm) 1/16th" thick
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame or walnut oil
• 1 tbs cornstarch (or thickener of choice) dissolved in
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1/2 cup (3.3oz, 95gr) quick-cooking brown rice   substitute Basmati
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock   or whatever your rice calls for
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

 Instructions:

• Mince garlic
• Chop onion and pepper. 
• Clean and slice mushrooms. 
• Slice celery at an angle into 1/8 inch slices. 
• Cut carrot into matchsticks. 
• Drain and slice water chestnuts. 
• Peel and chop ginger. 
• In large non-stick skillet heat oils over medium-high heat. 
• Add onion, celery, pepper and carrots and stir-fry 5 minutes. 
• Add mushrooms, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 3 minutes more. 
• Add beef and sauté breaking it up as it browns. 
• When beef is brown add chestnuts, tomato paste and stock. 
• Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer 5 minutes. 
• Give the cornstarch mixture a stir to recombine.  Turn the heat up under the skillet and add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until thickened.  Serve over rice.
• Rice 
• Cook rice according to package instructions adding the oregano with the stock
• Fluff and serve.