Healthy Simple Fried Rice
Like pizza and ice cream, fried rice is in the “everyone loves it” category of foods. When I’m at Benihana (That’s right, I said Benihana! You know you secretly love it too.) and they ask me if I want fried rice, I hesitate knowing I shouldn’t - but I can’t resist.
This recipe is the quick and easy, healthier, home-cooked version. If you have some vegetables in your fridge and you don’t know what to make for dinner, try this fried rice. Plus, It's a kid fave.
Note: Don’t cut the amount of oil in this recipe. If you don't use enough oil, the dish starts to taste more like a rice casserole. Plus healthy fat is good for you - it won't make you fat, feeds your brain which is made of fat, helps you feel satiated, balances your blood sugar, fuels your cells, lowers your LDLs, and reduces inflammation, which is the precursor to many ailments many of us suffer. So, like we said, don't skip the fat.
INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion roughly chopped into 1 inch pieces
6 ounces protein of choice - shrimp, chicken, pork, tofu.
2 ounces chopped broccoli
2 ounces chopped carrot
2 asparagus
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs, beaten
4 T soy sauce (gluten-free alt is Tamari or coconut aminos)
4 T avocado oil (optional oils – grapeseed, sesame oil - not toasted)
4 cups cooked white rice (I use Botan a Japanese rice) or brown rice works well
Instructions
Make rice according to the package directions. This should take roughly 30 minutes.
While rice is cooking, chop the meat and all vegetables.
Place the meat in bowl and marinate in 1 T of soy sauce.
Heat 1 T oil in a skillet, add onion and stir-fry until the onion is still crisp but starts to turn brown, about 1 minute.
Add all the vegetables and stir-fry until crisp and tender about 4 minutes. I cover the pan for 2 minutes so that the vegetables cook through.
Remove veggies and place in a bowl.
Add the protein to the skillet and stir-fry until cooked through - roughly 3 minutes for shrimp, 5 minutes for chicken.
Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 minute then transfer the mixture to same bowl your cooked veggies are in. Set aside.
Put the remaining 3 T oil in the skillet; heat until shimmering. Add the rice; stir-fry, breaking up clumps, until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Make a well in the middle of the rice so that the egg can touch the pan. Add the egg; stir until scrambled, about 2 minutes then mix it into the rice.
Return the meat/vegetable mixture to the skillet, along with the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and the scallions - stir to combine.
Serve immediately with some Sriracha and sliced lime on the side.
Servings: 4-6
Time: 50 mins
HEARTFUL RECIPE - Use brown rice, coconut aminos or Tamari for an even healthier version. - One of our real food recipes that focuses on veggies, protein, healthy fats and/or healthy carbs and doesn't include gluten, dairy, soy, refined sugar, corn or peanuts.
