From a moral perspective, I’d love to go vegetarian… from a practical perspective, I know that’s unlikely to happen in my foreseeable future. Instead, I’ve resolved to be more mindful of where my meat comes from, and more respectful of the fact that an animal has to die as part of the process.
I hope I didn’t lose anyone there.
So, what does this mean for me? For starters, less wastage. No more buying enough beef to feed an army only to eat it for leftovers a couple of times and then throw it out. It also means ensuring that a couple of nights per week I cook meat-free. Luckily, I’m not that fussy when it comes to food. In our house we tend to get into a bit of a routine with our meals (easy + healthy + tasty = perfect) and once we find something we love it tends to stay on high rotation.
This vegetarian fried rice is pretty much my favourite veggo meal at the moment. You can have it on your plate in about 20 minutes… and if you prepare your rice earlier you’ll have it ready in five minutes – seriously, five minutes!
Easy Vegetarian Fried Rice (serves 2)
Ingredients
1 cup cooked brown rice
6-8 stalks kale, chopped
Big handful green beans, chopped
4 stalks asparagus, chopped
1/2 capsicum, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 bunch bok choy, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 small red chilli, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 dessert spoon coconut oil
Tamari
Chilli flakes
Coriander
Method
1. Heat oil in large wok to a medium heat
2. Add chilli and garlic and sautee for 2 mins
3. Add vegetables, good dash tamari and stir-fry for 2 minutes (until veggies are cooked to your liking)
4. Add brown rice to the wok and mix well
5. Pour in lightly beaten eggs and stir until egg is cooked and mixed through
6. Top with coriander and chilli flakes to taste
This meal was inspired by one of my oldest and best friends. We don’t see each other as much as I’d like these days (three kids under six and living at opposite ends of Sydney will do that) but Clem, her husband Benn and their three girls are my dose of family in this city. I lived with them back when I first moved to Sydney and Clem used to make a version of this meal with chicken in it – we’d eat it and watch So You Think You Can Dance on a Sunday night (if we weren’t having spaghetti on toast…), followed by a cup of tea and two biscuits before bed. Isn’t it amazing that food can bring back such vivid memories?
I hope you guys love it as much as I do and create some fabulous memories of your own!
bunnyhopscotch says
A yummy recipe! Thanks, Jess. Rice and fried rice is a cultural food for me. Incidentally, according to my granny, fried rice was originally cooked by Chinese peasants as a kind of budget meal using leftovers – much like the origins of French bouillabaisse. I love how it can be simple, nutritious and tasty at the same time. (P.S. I share your views on the veggie-meat conundrum.)