Bay Scallop Stir-Fry

(Serves 4)

PREP TIME: 15 minutes. TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes.

After adding the sauce to the skillet, cook it for a minute; the cornstarch will thicken the sauce, helping to coat the ingredients. Plus, there won’t be a pasty taste.

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 pound bay scallops, patted dry

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice and return to a boil, stirring once. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set sauce aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, scallion whites, carrots and ginger; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes to 5 minutes. Add scallops and scallion greens; cook, stirring occasionally, until scallops are cooked through, about 2 minutes to 3 minutes.

3. Whisk sauce and add to skillet; cook, stirring until thickened, about 1 minute. Serve scallop stir-fry over rice.

Per serving: 365 calories; 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 15 percent calories from fat); 52 g carbohydrates; 38 mg cholesterol; 1,574 mg sodium; 25 g protein; 3 g fiber.