Broccoli, it’s not just for breakfast

Here’s a recipe that includes a lot of vegetables, is adaptable and healthful.  Even my cooked vegetable-hating daughter Casie, will eat it, that is, if I don’t include broccoli. She is probably emotionally scarred. I really did make her eat broccoli for breakfast.  It was a power struggle at dinner. If she didn’t eat her vegetables that night, she had to eat them for breakfast, Which she did.  I’m not sure what I would have done the next morning if she still refused.  And yet it could have been worse. My stepdaughter Melissa recently told us when she was a kid, her mother ate the tasty floret tops of broccoli and Melissa had to eat the stems.

Turns out, Casie got her cooked broccoli revenge by stopping by the neighbor’s  garden on her way to school, and picked and ate the raw greenbeans and peas. She told me this recently. If only I’d known she would eat the vegetables raw, I’d have served them that way. And yet stolen veggies do taste sweeter.

So, broccoli or not, you are sure to enjoy stir fried rice.

#1 Rice,

2 cups of Cold rice.  Prepare it a few hours before you’re ready to make dinner. I don’t care what kind of rice, brown, white, aborrio, jasmine.  Just not  quick cook rice.  You’ll want it just a little undercooked and quick rice gets mushy.

#2 Wok your veggies

.  Really, if you have a wok, you won’t need me to teach you this recipe.  I find a large fry pan works just fine.

Put pan over heat, when hot, pour in  2-3 tablespoons of oil.Olive, sesame, canola, What kind of oil doesn’t really matter. (If you show this to a serious cook or chef they will certainly argue this point)

Saute vegetables Your choice:

Broccoli coins (broccoli stems, Cut off the bottom tough 3-4 inches. Then cut the stalk up to the floret part that Melissa never got to eat. Slice cross wise into coins, about ¼ inch thick.)
sliced Onion

Carrot sticks

Peppers, cut into slices

Minced garlic

Broccoli tops/florets, cut into similar sizes so they cook evenly.

Celery slices

Yellow summer squash and/ or zucchini, cut into sticks or coins.

Cabbage or bok choy sliced thin

Sliced mushrooms

Sliced water chestnuts

Scallions cut ½ on an angle

Use the vegetables you like.  Saute them in order, from the ones who take the longest to cook to the shortest.  I have listed them in that order. Don’t cook the veggies until they get soft, you want them a bit crisp.

#3 Season  

Most common is to use soy sauce. You can also use fish sauce tamari   or any of the dozens you’ll find in the Oriental aisle in the supermarket.  Read those lables.  Most start with sugar and water followed by a bunch of dehydrated things that you can add on your own. Do you really want sugar in your stir fry?. I read the label on my soy sauce bottle. #1 is soy,  a bit of sugar and water.  And the warning “Caution, contains soy”  PS your peanut butter contains peanuts too.

If you want, add other seasonings,  whatever herbs you like, Chinese 5 spice, salt, pepper,  You don’t have to go out and buy fancy stuff. Taste as you add to decide how much seasoning you need.

#4  Scrambled egg.

 Some recipes have you cook the egg before the vegetables. You can if you want, but I like to scramble 1-2 eggs and pour on top the hot  vegetables. Cook the eggs until firm, and chop and  disperse in the pan.

#5 Rice time! 

Dump the cooled rice on top, stir everything together until the rice is warm, and you’re done!

Carnivore Tip:  Cook your meat of choice as the vegetables sauté.  Fry in a different pan or bake in oven.  When done, slice and stir into the vegetables and rice.   To keep my serving meat-free, I take out as much as I want before I stir in the meat..  Yes, we serve dinner out of the pan sometimes.  If you want to wash extra dishes or your in-laws are coming for dinner., use a bowl.