Meatless Monday: Vegetable Fried Rice

Monday, Monday you're here again. Time to start the week off right with a meatless monday meal. Today's meatless meal is vegetable fried rice. This is a great way to start the week, because you can do all the prep the night before & once you get home from work all you have to do is throw it together. Even those of us who love to cook have days (usually Mondays) where we just don't want to cook.  That's why I've made a habit of prepping my Monday meals while making Sunday dinner. Last night while making a delicious Sunday dinner, I prepped my veggies & rice.  Because I took the time to prep last night while I had time, tonight's dinner only took about 15 minutes (including phone time).  
Here's How I like my Vegetable Stir Fry - Lots & Lots of Veggies - whatever veggies I've got on hand (which is usually a lot) & as close to a 50/50 ratio of veggies to rice as I can get.
The Deets
1/2 Cup Mushrooms chopped
2 Cups finely chopped Carrots
1 Yellow Squash 
1 Large Broccoli Floret 
1/2 Bell Pepper 
5 Sweet Peppers (red, yellow, orange) 
1 Jalapeno
1 1/2 Cup Brown Rice cooked according to directions
3 Eggs
Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 TBS Olive Oil 
2 TBS Soy Sauce
1 TBS Tempura Sauce

The How To
Chop all vegetables to desired size (for stir fry I like mine chopped very fine)
Add oil to pan and heat to medium high
Begin with mushrooms and squash, once seared nicely add peppers, next add remaining vegetables, add 1 TBS Soy sauce and cook on medium high for 5 minutes.

  (this version from a few weeks ago has Purple Cabbage)

In separate pan scramble eggs

Add cooked rice and eggs to vegetables, add soy sauce and tempura sauce. Mix well and continue over medium high for another 5 minutes.  Add Sesame seeds.

Plate, Pray & Enjoy!

Meatless Mondays - Veggie StirFry

       Did you know that the average American eats 200 lbs of meat a year? Did you know that going meatless one day per week may reduce your risk of chronic preventable conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity?  Did you know it can also help reduce your carbon footprint and save natural resources like fresh water and fossil fuel?  Did you know it can also save time in the kitchen?
       I am by no means a non-meat eater, in fact when I eat a meal and realize it is {Shudder} Vegan, I must eat some type of animal to make up for it.  However, sometimes, I just need a lighter meal & as I'm sure you know by know I love veggies! So I've decided to join the Meatless Monday Movement. You can learn more about Meatless Mondays here.
      For our First Meatless Monday I decided to revamp an old favorite: StirFry.  I love stirfry! It's quick, it's healthy, and it's a kitchen sink recipe - add what you've got & it will still be tasty. 
The Deets
Whatever You've got!
5 Large Mushrooms
1 Large Carrot
1 Stalk Broccoli 
1 Zucchini
1 Cup Snow Peas
1 TBS Oil (Olive or Canola)
1 tsp Sesame Seed Oil
1 Package Flat Rice Noodles (I used 5mm)
Soy Sauce
Tempura Sauce
Garlic Salt
Other great add-ins
Asparagus
Bok Choy
Bean Sprouts
Celery
Onion
Nappa Cabbage
Peppers
If it's a veggie it's in!

The How To
In a large pan place rice noodles in warm water over low heat (cook until soft usually about 15 minutes)

Chop Veggies to desired size - I mix up the sizes & cuts to keep it fun

In a Large Skillet heat Oil on High
Add Mushrooms, sprinkle with Garlic Salt and Sear mushrooms to desired texture
(Note the order depends on your desired crunch factor - I like my mushrooms & Zucchini cooked well & my other veggies crunchy, hence the order)
Next Add Zucchini & Broccoli
Sprinkle with Tempura Sauce
Add Carrots & Snow Peas
Once veggies are seared, sauteed or cooked to your version of perfection add the noodles
Sprinkle with Soy and Tempura Sauce to Taste
Mix and cook on Med-High for 5 minutes

Plate, Pray & Enjoy!

Happy Meatless Monday!