Fried rice is a classic take out staple that, when done well, can be a hearty, satisfying and even healthy dinner. But how often is it delivered that way? Instead of counting on your local chinese take out joint to keep the grease low and veggies high, make it yourself! It’s super easy and you get to customize the dish to fit your family’s taste.
Using brown rice is healthier than using white, but I like substituting quinoa to up the health ante even more. Though quinoa seems like a grain, it’s actually a relative of dark leafy greens packed with protein. But using quinoa is not just about health. There is something about the way quinoa’s smokiness works with the sesame, soy, and rice vinegar that makes this even tastier than the brown rice version. It also comes out lighter and fluffier. Yum!
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I tried to keep this low in oil and soy sauce so that you can feel good feeding it to the whole family (6 months and up!), but feel free to add more of both if you want a more decadent version, a little bit more like the kind you skipped from the take-out joint.
Fried Rice-Style Quinoa
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 tbsp peanut oil*
1 tbsp sesame oil, plus an extra drizzle*
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions, green & white parts, chopped
1/2 block firm tofu, cut in 1/4″ cubes
1 zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 carrots, shredded
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp asian fish sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 eggs1.%uFFFDMix the soy sauce, fish sauce, and rice wine vinegar. Set aside.
2. Put oil and garlic in a cold wok. Turn heat to medium-high and saute garlic until it turns golden brown. Add tofu and white part of scallions. Saute until tofu begins to brown.%uFFFDYour wok should get nice and hot, so stand by as you brown the ingredients–you’ll need to stir a lot and watch carefully to avoid burning.
3. Add veggies (except for the green part of your scallions) and saute until soft. Then add cooked quinoa and mix thoroughly. Stir every minute or so while quinoa heats through.
4. In the meantime, whisk eggs in a bowl and heat a drizzle of sesame oil in a small frying pan%uFFFDover medium heat. When the pan is hot, fry the eggs omelette style (skip the fold over–make what looks like a pancake). Once cooked through, remove eggs from heat and cut into strips (I like small bits of egg in my fried rice, so I make these about 1″).
5. Once the quinoa is heated through, add the egg and sauce mix. Toss a few more times to distribute, adding the green part of the scallions before the last toss.
*I like a mild sesame flavor. If you prefer a stronger one, use 2 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp peanut oil.
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Get more family-friendly recipes and tips on Stacie’s blog, One Hungry Mama.
Kids change the way we cook, but they don’t have to change how well we eat.
