Fried rice is one of my favorite comfort foods. Substituting quinoa for rice makes for a lighter and healthier dish that can easily be prepared at home for dinner and eaten for lunch as leftovers the next day.
One of the advantages of any fried rice dish is the flexibility it gives you to play and experiment with many ingredients. I prefer to include the vegetables featured in this recipe, but you can use whatever is in your fridge. I’ve done it with zucchini and mushrooms before, and I especially love using leftover meat or chicken! This healthy fried rice alternative is quick and simple to make, but most importantly, it is an extremely delicious and healthier option.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup of dry quinoa
- ⅓ cup of diced bell peppers (any kind)
- ¼ cup of diced onions
- ½ cup of fresh or frozen peas
- 1 clove of garlic
- ½ tsp of freshly grated ginger
- ½ cup of cubed cooked chicken
- 1 tsp of sesame oil
- 1 tsp of low sodium soy sauce
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp of sriracha per serving
- Olive oil for cooking
PREPARATION
- Cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.
- While the quinoa is cooking, place a pan on the stove and add olive oil. Turn the heat to low to cook the pepper and onion, moving them around with a spatula occasionally to avoid burning.
- After about three minutes, add the peas, garlic, and ginger. Add more oil if necessary. Keep stirring all the ingredients around the pan with the spatula for one more minute and add then, add the chicken. Pour sesame oil evenly over the mixture.
- Drain the quinoa and add it to the pan.
- While the final mixture finishes cooking, whisk two eggs and scramble them on low heat. If you prefer, the eggs can also be soft boiled as in the photo.
- Add the eggs and the soy sauce to the quinoa.
- Add about one teaspoon sriracha per serving and plate!
Yields three servings