While flipping through the index of one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks (desperately trying to come up with an “I” recipe), I was intrigued by the recipe for Indonesian Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng).
I don’t make fried rice all that often, but my kids really like it, and it’s a great way to use up leftover rice. It’s also a great way to use up any “random” veggies you may have hanging out in your refrigerator.
Nasi Goreng is often served with a fried egg on top of, or next to, the rice. There are many ways to make Nasi Goreng, though: you could add some cooked sustainable shrimp, organic chicken or beef instead, if you like, or keep it vegan and top with some cooked tofu or tempeh, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, finely shredded Napa cabbage, organic peanuts and/or almonds…
Nasi Goreng is best made with cooked rice that has had at least a few hours to cool.
Indonesian Fried Rice Recipe (How to Make Nasi Goreng)
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked brown or white jasmine rice
3 shallots or 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 small chile peppers, seeded and minced
3 tablespoon(s) peanut or coconut oil
2 Tb. wheat-free soy sauce or tamari (or fish sauce) mixed with 1 Tb. organic brown sugar or molasses
1 tsp. organic ketchup or tomato sauce
Pinch of Himalayan or sea salt
1/2 cup peas or snow peas
1-2 cups shredded cabbage, sliced peppers, sliced carrots, chopped broccoli or any other veggies (I used leftover Ginger Garlic Greens)- optional
1 bunch of scallions, diagonally sliced
Directions:
Stir the rice with a fork to separate the grains. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the shallots and chilies until the shallots are tender (about 1 minute). Add the sweetened soy sauce or fish sauce and the ketchup.
Add salt and the rice and stir-fry until heated through.
Add the vegetables you are using and most of the scallions and cook for a minute or two more (or until vegetables are cooked through).
Scoop rice out onto a serving platter and garnish with the remaining scallions and any of the other accompaniments mentioned above.
If it’s not spicy enough for you, you can serve your fried rice with your favorite Asian chili sauce.
On to the letter “H” (if you’re new to the blog, I am doing a personal alphabetical blogging challenge this month) and healthy huevos rancheros!
Huevos rancheros is a classic Mexican-inspired breakfast dish. There are countless ways to make it and it’s not always super good for you, but I like mine simple and healthy: with fresh tortillas, a little cheese, perfect fried eggs, great salsa, and sliced avocado.
Yes I said fresh tortillas, meaning homemade tortillas. Do you have to make your own? Of course not. But they are soooo easy to make (I really mean it!)
Corn tortillas are made with masa harina flour. Masa is available in natural foods stores and many supermarkets.
It’s also helpful to have a tortilla press.
If you’ve got what you need and are interested in making your own, here is a great tutorial on how to make corn tortillas from Simply Recipes. Again, you don’t have to make your own tortillas, but do try it sometime!
Recipe for Huevos Rancheros
serves 1-2 people
Ingredients:
2 corn tortillas, homemade or store-bought
2 eggs, preferably organic and free-range
2 tsp. butter or coconut oil
Himalayan or sea salt
1/2 cup fresh salsa
1/2-1 avocado, diced
shredded cheddar cheese, organic and raw if possible- optional
organic sour cream or crème fraîche- optional
organic black beans or refried beans- optional
fresh minced cilantro for garnish- optional
Heat butter in small frying pan, cook eggs slowly on one side until whites are firm and yolks are the way you like them: runny or slightly firm.
Turn eggs and cook a little more on the other side if you like them “over easy” (I like them this way). Salt to taste.
In a separate ungreased pan, heat your tortilla (about 30 seconds per side) and melt a little cheese on it, if you like.
Place one egg on each tortilla. Scoop about 1/4 cup of salsa over the top of each egg. Top with the avocado and optional garnishes and serve.
In honor of the letter “G”, we have Asian-inspired ginger garlic greens on the table today.
Dark green leafy vegetables are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat- they are incredibly high in minerals including calcium, and I just love them.
I had some lovely local organic baby bok choy so that is what I used to make my ginger garlic greens; you can use something else if you like, such as kale or collard greens. If you like things spicy, feel free to add a pinch or two of red pepper flakes to the greens while cooking.
Ginger Garlic Greens
Makes about 4 servings
Ingredients:
2-3 bunches baby bok choy, rinsed thoroughly, trimmed, and chopped (to equal about 6-8 cups)
1 Tb. coconut oil or olive oil
1-2 Tb. garlic, peeled and minced (use the larger amount if you love garlic)
1-2 Tb. ginger, peeled and minced (use the larger amount if you love ginger)
1 Tb. water
1 Tb. rice vinegar
1 Tb. tamari or wheat-free soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
toasted sesame seeds for garnish-optional
Directions:
Heat coconut oil over high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add the minced ginger and garlic and stir-fry for a minute or so. Add the greens, and then the water, rice vinegar, and tamari. Cook, stirring frequently, until the greens are wilted down and completely cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top, if using, and serve immediately.
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