Editor's Note: My friend, author Olivia Folmar Ard, turned a medical wake-up call into a resolution to follow a healthy diet. She began inventing new recipes and sharing them on her website, OliviaFolmarArd. I invite you to try this healthy and delicious recipe--and don't miss Olivia's novels (I'm a big fan!) Check the BOOKS tab on top of her website for more. --Barb

meatless friday redesign

In July, I wrote a guest piece for author Carolyn Astfalk's blog (later published on Medium) about my struggles with infertility. Since publishing "When God Says Wait," I have received a diagnosis for these struggles: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (hereafter, PCOS).

PCOS is a complex creature, but luckily it's treatable. I'll spare you the details (or at least forward you to a site more suited to give them to you) and get down to brass tacks: all manner of things in my body are out of whack, including insulin. To help combat this, I've gone on a specialized diet that's been proven to help women with PCOS lose weight, decrease symptoms, and eventually conceive.

While not as strict, this diet is very similar to what someone with diabetes might adhere to. Carbohydrates, my very favorite nutrient, can now only make up 40% of my diet. That sounds like a lot, but compared to the free-for-all pasta-rice-and-bread paradise of pre-PCOS living, it's really not. I really want to stick to this plan, for my health and for that of my future children (I'm not giving up hope!), so I've been trying to come up with healthy, delicious low-carb recipes to help keep me on track.

This stir fry was surprisingly bright, delicious, and incredibly filling! This is not the first recipe I've created, but it is the first one I've written down. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Tweet "For #MeatlessFriday try this Shrimp + Veggie Stir-Fry recipe from @oliviadeard"]

Note: If you're not on a low carb diet, this would be delicious over lo mein noodles or egg fried rice.

"Meatless Friday: Shrimp and Veggie Stir Fry" by Olivia Folmar Ard for CatholicMom.com Copyright 2016 Olivia Folmar Ard. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

Shrimp and Veggie Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1/2 head napa cabbage, sliced thin
2 zucchini, cut into 1/4" rounds
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
​​36 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, cleaned, and chopped into thirds (if frozen, allow time to partially thaw)
2 TB minced garlic
2 TB sesame oil
2 TB soy sauce

Directions:

1. Hand toss prepared napa cabbage, zucchini, and matchstick carrots in medium mixing bowl until all vegetables are evenly distributed. Repeat this process with prepared green bell pepper, Vidalia onion, and scallions. Add 1/2 tsp each of ginger, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to each bowl and toss to evenly coat.

2. Heat large wok or saute pan over medium high to high heat--settings will vary with different ranges. Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until garlic begins to darken.

3. Add onion, scallion, and bell pepper mixture to garlic and oil, toss to coat in oil and evenly distribute. Cook for 1-2 minutes, agitating with spatula constantly.

4. Add prepared shrimp to the wok and toss to coat in oil and evenly distribute. If using pre-cooked frozen shrimp, cook 2-4 minutes, agitating with spatula constantly. (If using raw shrimp, cook until bodies turn opaque).

5. Add remaining vegetables and toss to coat in oil and evenly distribute. Cook for 2-4 minutes, or until green vegetables brighten. Serve immediately.

Servings: 4

You can find all our Meatless Friday featured recipes here.

Copyright 2016 Olivia Folmar Ard.

Author Olivia Folmar ArdAbout the author: Olivia Folmar Ard is a secretary, part-time student, full-time loving wife, and devoted Christian. Her new adult women's fiction trilogy The Bennett Series addresses issues facing today's generation while adhering to timeless moral principles. Her Advent novella 'Tis the Season is scheduled for a Thanksgiving Day release. She and her husband JD live in central Alabama, where they attend Valleydale Baptist Church. Visit Olivia at OliviaFolmarArd.