Meatless Monday - Super Fried Rice

It seems like some foods just pack in a lot of nutrition with their flavor.  My favorite "super foods" include broccoli, kale, and ginger.  Ginger tastes great and is not only a good digestive aid but also has anti-inflamitory and pain relieving properties.  Broccoli and kale are very dense in important viamins and minerals.  What more could you want?  How about combining all these ingredients and more to make an easy and delicious dinner that is low in fat and calories.

Another nice thing about fried rice is that you can make a few substitutions and still get a great meal.  So if you can't find all the ingredients at the grocery store or farmer's market just omit or change it to something similar.  With fried rice it's okay to play with your food.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, beaten

3 tablespoons light olive oil, divided

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 hot pepper of your choice, seeded and chopped

1 head broccoli florets

2 cups kale, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 2-inch piece fresh gingerroot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 cup uncooked short-grain brown rice, cooked according to the package instructions

1 1/2 cups frozen, shelled edamame, defrosted

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preparation:

Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat then lightly coat with olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Add the eggs, and cook them as thinly as possible. Transfer the eggs to a cutting board. Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add another tablespoon oil. Add the hot pepper, bell pepper, broccoli, and kale. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, turning often, until the vegetables soften. Add the garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute, until it becomes fragrant. Increase the heat to high. Transfer the vegetables to a warm bowl and add the remaining olive oil, and the rice. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, turning the rice over with a metal spatula and scraping up bits that stick to the pan. Add the edamame and soy sauce and remove from the heat. Stir two or three times to mix in the soy sauce. Chop the scrambled eggs. Top the fried rice with the eggs and scallions and serve. 

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