Since my husband and I have been eating more healthfully this new year, a whole world of recipes has opened up to us. We didn’t realize what kind of rut we’d gotten into until we started trying new things two or three times a week.

Last week, we tackled an Indian chicken dish, an Italian pork dish with braised leeks, and this beef stir-dish. Actually we’ve done the stir-fry twice now.

The original recipe, which we adapted from one in Southern Living magazine, called for Brussels sprouts. We made it on a night when it was just the two of us eating, because our son isn’t crazy about Brussels sprouts. But when we made it again Sunday night, we substituted broccoli florets.

I think I like the broccoli better.

It’s such a joy to get in the kitchen and create new and wonderful flavors again. I highly recommend it.

Beef Stir-Fry

1 pound flank steak

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided

1 tablespoon chicken broth

6 ounces beef broth

11⁄2 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1⁄2 plus 1⁄4 teaspoon cornstarch

12 ounces fresh Brussels sprouts or broccoli florets

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

11⁄2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh mint

Hot cooked basmati rice

Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin strips. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Stir-fry steak, in 3 to 4 batches, in 1 tablespoon hot oil in a large cast-iron or stainless-steel skillet over high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Transfer beef to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon chicken broth to pan and deglaze, scraping up browned bits.

Whisk together beef broth, sugar, soy sauce, lime juice and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth. Add deglazed pan drippings and stir. Set aside.

Wipe pan clean. Stir-fry Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved) or broccoli florets in remaining 1 tablespoon hot oil over high heat 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add jalapeño, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry 1 minute. Pour soy sauce mixture over sprouts or broccoli, and bring mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until sprouts or broccoli florets are tender. Stir in mint and steak. Serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings.

Ginna Parsons is the Daily Journal’s food/home/garden editor.