Breakfast Fried Rice

A couple weeks ago I woke up inspired. I had less than an hour to get ready for work, but I just NEEDED a fresh, fun, filling new breakfast. I looked into my fridge. I usually dread this ritual because my fridge is not always the most cohesive and useful tool in my kitchen. Ha, that's some truth for you right there. Something that I always need to work on is details. It takes a lot of patience and willingness to see the bigger picture when you're setting up your fridge. Have you washed, sliced, prepped your fresh fruits and veggies? Did you cook your grains ahead of time?

It's a lot of work. Work that I usually don't have time for, or at least don't make time for. 

But that morning a couple of weeks ago, the stars aligned and I had just the right combo of items already prepared to have that fresh, fun, filling new breakfast. So there I was in my PJs, with ten minutes left to go until I needed to be in the car headed to work, taking pictures of this awesome breakfast on our deck. I just had to share it with you. 

It's fried rice with 2 eggs instead of just 1, wilted greens and roasted sweet potato. And I mean, wow, I can't wait to have it again.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt & Pepper to taste 
• 1 cup roasted sweet potato, sliced into small chunks
• 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 handful greens (about 1 cup)
• 2 eggs, scrambled 
• Feta cheese for topping, optional
• Hot sauce for topping, optional

DIRECTIONS

Start with a large pan and heat the olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat. After about 1 minute. Dump the sweet potatoes into the pan and begin to stir fry. To learn how to roast the sweet potatoes, click here. Cook for about 5 minutes. 

Next, add the rice to the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes and then add the greens. Add some salt and pepper to your liking. Once you see the greens wilting, push everything to the side. Whisk the eggs and add them to the newly cleared space in the pan. Scrape the eggs back and forth on the pan until the set. 

Once the eggs are set, combine everything. Cook for just a little while longer until the eggs show a little brown-ness. Get a bowl out, top with fresh radish, hot sauce, feta. Serve with fresh fruit and fresh coffee. Now breathe in the morning and know you've done something good for yourself. 

Enjoy!

And remember, sometimes that extra effort is totally worth it.

xoxo,

Karen

DIY Cauliflower Fried Rice

I've been reading this awesome book about dieting, food, and why we eat what we eat called,"The Foodist". Essentially, Darya's argument can be summed up with this picture....

Darya is a food writer (check out her blog, the Summer Tomato here), she is a neuroscientist, and an overall smart lady. Her book pretty much tells you to be patient with yourself, but you need to start eating REAL foods. It starts with veggies and clean protein, beans, quinoa, etc... And though that may sound completely tasteless and boring. It doesn't have to be! Darya explains that if you buy FRESH produce when it's in SEASON and close to home, those veggies taste like heaven. And once you allow yourself to learn a few easy ways to prep those fresh foods, you'll never want to go back to that processed stuff. 

Now, enter my take on on a take-out classic: chicken fried rice. Here's the catch though....there's absolutely NO RICE in this dish. 

All you need is a food processor to pull this recipe off. If you don't have one, may I strongly encourage you to get one? I haven't used one until recently, and now it feels like my left hand. You can chop veggies with ease, combine flour and butter to the right cornmeal texture, and so much more... 

The cauliflower is chopped and shredded in the food processor. After that, all you have to do is fry it in your wok along with the other ingredients, and it takes on a texture very similar to a grain like quinoa. It's really good! See how to do it yourself here, thanks buzzfeed!

Ready to make it yourself? Here's what you do:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head cauliflower, shredded in food processor 
• 2 cups brussel sprouts, shredded in food processor 
• 1 cup edamame 
• 2 heads broccoli
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 serrano chile, sliced and divided 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil 
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 2 large chicken breasts
• season the chicken with salt, pepper, chile powder, tumeric, coriander, and ground mustard (to your liking) 

DIRECTIONS:

• Chop and prep all your veggies first. Cut up your chicken into bite sized chunks. 
• Heat up your wok over medium heat with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil with 1 clove garlic and 1/2 of your serrano chile. Once fragrant, brown your chicken. About 5 minutes. Then take your chicken out and set aside. 
• Put your wok back over medium heat with the other 1/2 tablespoon oil, garlic, and serrano. Stir fry your onion for about 2 minutes. Then add the broccoli. 
• The broccoli will need to stir fry the longest. Let it cook with the onions for another 5 minutes. Stirring constantly. 
• Next add the edamame. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. The veggies should look really vibrant in color. 
• Now add your brussel sprouts. Stir fry for about a minute and then add the shredded cauliflower. Let it cook and gain some color. For about 3 minutes. 
• Add the chicken and soy sauce, combine thoroughly. 
• Push your stir fry mixture to one side of your wok. Crack the eggs in the newly opened space in the pan, scramble in the pan. Once cooked through, combine the eggs with the rest of the mixture. 
• Salt, pepper, and season how you see fit. I added coriander, chile powder, ground mustard, and salt throughout the entire cooking process. 
• Serve with siraccha. I also added salted sunflower seeds to my own plate, which was surprisingly delicious. 

Trust me, you may never go back to that old take out stuff. Your mouth is going to be opened up to some amazing flavors in this dish. And it's mostly just veggies! Yummy!

Did you make this dish? Snap an instagram pic and tag me @karenleannkirsch 

Eat well! Be well! 

And follow by email below :)