I may be late to the party, but I am just now discovering how incredibly convenient frozen vegetables are. My default has always been fresh veggies, but, according to Michael Pollan in his book In Defense of Food, “Freezing does not significantly diminish the nutritional value of produce” [like canning does] because the crops are picked and frozen at the peak of freshness.
So in some cases – if you are comparing, let’s say, fresh blueberries flown in from another continent to local organic blueberries that you froze yourself at the height of the season – the frozen berries could possibly even be the better (i.e. more nutritious and certainly less-traveled) option out of those two choices.
So in an effort to save time I decided to try out a bag of frozen, pre-cut, mixed veggies to make a super quick and easy weeknight dinner. And let me tell you what – not having to wash, peel, and chop (and even select at the store) all the different fresh veggies in this meal was definitely a time saver – without sacrificing too much in the way of taste.
When there are a lot of flavors going on, like this fried rice recipe, I find it harder to detect the difference between fresh and frozen. I will continue buying fresh veggies for simpler meals and side dishes, but it’s nice to know that frozen is a decent option when you are in a pinch!
Super Quick and Easy Vegetable Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice cooked according to package directions (for a quick dinner, it is highly recommended to make this in advance and store in fridge)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 teaspoon ginger fresh, minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 – 10-oz bag frozen veggies mixed and chopped (I opted for the “Chinese-style” mix)
- 2 eggs
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste (red or black)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce reduced sodium organic recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- In a large saute pan or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and ginger to the pan and cook while stirring for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Pour the frozen veggies into the pan (straight out of the bag – no need to defrost!) and cook while stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes.
- Using a spatula push the veggie mixture to one side of the wok. Drop in the 2 raw eggs on the other side and let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes before stirring the entire mixture together. Season with salt and (red or black) pepper to taste.
- Once the eggs are fully cooked add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice to wok. Mix together thoroughly, serve warm, and enjoy!
This recipe has been in my to cook binder for a few years now. I finally made it tonight. Very easy, looks great and even my meat eating husband enjoyed it. I do feel that a flavor is missing but I can’t figure out what it is. Has anyone suggested flavor add ins?
I’ve been looking for the rice you recommend and can’t find it anywhere! Amazon always says its sold out. Is there a different brand you’re using now?
This is what I’m looking for: Lundberg Family Farms Short Grain Rice, Brown, 32 Ounce
Lately, we’ve made fried rice with the leftover rice from Chinese takeout or delivery. It’s two nights if easy meals… even if one of them isn’t real food :p.
I had to run errands with my girls after work/daycare pick up so we got home pretty late. Everyone was hungry and I was tempted to call and order a pizza but I remembered I had all the ingredients for fried rice! I was able to literally make this in under 15 minutes, and am so glad I was able to make something wholesome, resist the easy way out, and saved some money. Thanks for the great recipe!
What kind of wok do you own?