Who doesn’t love fried rice? The problem is that when you order the dish in restaurants, it’s usually made with white rice and can be loaded with fat and sodium. So I decided to perform a recipe resuscitation and make a healthier version of this Chinese restaurant staple. MORE: Should You Be Drinking Quinoa Instead of Eating It? Day-old quinoa works best in this dish because the grains will be slightly dried out. If you use freshly cooked quinoa, your fried “rice” will end up being gummy. So plan ahead and make a batch of quinoa the night before. Or if you make it fresh, spread it out on a tray and let in cool in the refrigerator or freezer for a few hours before moving along with the rest of the recipe. Serves 4 1 c quinoa, rinsed3 tsp safflower, peanut, or other neutral-flavored oil2 eggs3 cloves garlic, minced1 Tbsp minced ginger3 scallions, sliced, separated into whites and greens, + extra for garnish1½ c chopped carrots, broccoli, and peas2 Tbsp less-sodium soy sauce or tamari2 tsp sesame oil½ tsp Sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
- Place quinoa in saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cover. Cook 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool (ideally, overnight in refrigerator).2. Prepare 1 teaspoon of the oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add eggs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until firm. Break eggs into pieces with spatula and transfer to plate.3. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in wok. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrots, broccoli, and peas and cook a few minutes, stirring often, until crisp-tender.4. Add cooled quinoa and stir to combine. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, Sriracha, scallion greens, and cooked egg and stir to combine. Garnish with additional scallion greens. NUTRITION (per serving) 260 cal, 11 g pro, 31 g carb, 4 g fiber, 3 g sugars, 11 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 310 mg sodium