Fried rice is always a delicious and filling dish.. but not always the healthiest. Most often, it is overloaded with sodium, high in fat and calories, and made with refined white rice.. booooo!
This fried rice recipe is adapted from the Clean Eating Magazine. This magazine is always a great read. Recently a friend, who is also a Clean Eating fan, recommended a new edition that is full of awesome healthy meals! I hit the stands and picked it up that day!
What makes this version of fried rice so great is that it is made with brown rice. Taking out the the main ingredient (white rice) and swapping it for it’s unrefined version greatly increases the nutritional value of the dish.
White rice, or any refined carbohydrate for that matter is one thing, and one thing only…EMPTY CALORIES!!
Take a whole grain of rice: it is made up of different layers, the core, the germ and the bran. The germ and bran layers contain most of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the rice. During the refining process the germ and bran are removed stripping these healthy layers and leaving you with a sad, lonely, little core.
The body does not have to work to break down and digest the bran and germ, so the core is absorbed and digested quickly (also why white rice cooks much faster than brown), which can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. However, the calories in refined and unrefined rice are the same, yet the unrefined version keeps you full longer, takes longer to break down (no spike in blood sugars), and contains more nutrients! Yay!!
This recipe is full of nutritious vegetables, as well as eggs and edamame beans, which both add vegetarian protein to the dish! The sodium is also kept to a minimum with the use of low-sodium soy sauce and the sesame oil and seeds add in a dose of calcium, zinc, and magnesium!
Now, with this recipe, Fried Rice can actually be a well rounded, delicious AND healthy Meatless Monday meal!
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 2 eggs
- 8 oz mushrooms, stemmed and chopped into chunks (I used crimini mushrooms, the original recipe calls for shiitake, it's up to you!)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 3 cups cooked brown rice, cold
- ½ cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1-2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Mist a non-stick wok or large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium to high heat. In a small bowl beat eggs with 2 tbsp water. Add to wok, cook in a thin layer until set, about 1 minute. Flip and cook about 30 seconds on other side. Transfer eggs to plate.
- Wipe out wok and mist with cooking spray, return to stove top at medium to high heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, carrots, ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are softened (about 3-5 minutes). Stir in rice, edamame, green onions, soy sauce and maple syrup.
- Cook stirring frequently until mixture is heated through and loses most of it's moisture.
- thinly slice eggs and stir into rice mixture. Remove from heat and stir in sesame seeds and sesame oil.
*Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine
Enjoy!
Christal
Nutritionist in the Kitch
Amazing photos. You are truly talented at food photography. I might try this one, but I’d add some chicken or have a little stir fry with it.
Thanks Jason! It’s a Meatless Monday meal though! 🙂 I bet you’d like it without chicken!!