Not Quite “Fried” Rice

Hey babes!

How’s your 2022 going? Are you participating in Veganuary? Still sticking to it? Opted for a more flexitarian approach? Maybe trying to give Meatless Monday a go? Good job! Whatever path you choose to walk to a healthier life, I’m proud of you. Let Mama give you a little smooch.

So, if there’s one thing that everyone has probably eaten whether they’re WFPB, vegan, vegetarian, or other, it’s rice. And this might be a stretch of the imagination, but if you live in the US, you’ve probably gone a step further and had fried rice, maybe at a nice restaurant, a buffet, a mall, your school, or at home.

I love rice bowls piled high with vegetables and mushrooms and spices, but I get that’s not everyone’s vibe. At least one of my children is NOT about the vegetable life (the irony, I know), so when I make dishes for the three of us, I have to stick with simple add-ins. But there is one ingredient that makes a big difference, nutritionally, and the kids have yet to notice: brown rice.

Brown Rice

In case no one has screamed it at you before, brown rice is the healthier, less refined sister of white rice. In the refinement process, white rice loses its bran shell and germ, which contains a large portion of the nutrients, as well as the fiber.

I’ve said so much about fiber in the past it almost doesn’t bear repeating, but it’s also, in my opinion, the most lacking piece of the SAD (standard American diet), so just for a quick recap: fiber fights heart disease, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, regulates blood sugar, feeds your gut microbiome, and assists in weight management, along with many other benefits. More fiber (from actual food, not weird supplements) is always a good choice (for those without health contraindications, mileage may vary if you have IBS).

On top of the fiber, brown rice is also a good source of the antioxidant varieties phenol and flavonoid, as well as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, B1 and B6, and a full day’s dose of manganese.

Once you have the base, it’s all about the add-ins. If this were for a meal prep, I’d be throwing in mushrooms, broccoli, asparagus, chili peppers, or any other of a dozen vegetable combinations. But for the whole family, we keep it simple, and frankly cheap. Green onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and the trifecta of cheap veggies (carrots, peas, and corn), and done. Frugal, kid-friendly, and super-fast? Perfect combo for a Monday night in my house. Though, for a little extra pizazz, I also like to add in some scrambled tofu for the protein and the B vitamin punch that comes with nutritional yeast. You could also add in 1/4-1/2 cup of JUST egg or my Mung Bean Egg recipe as a delicious substitute.

And that is really all there is to it. This recipe is so easy I never took the time to actually write it down until now. Let me know how you and your family like it. How did you mix it up to make it your own?