Twice as Nice Rice

When I was a teenager, I attended a folk music festival in Canada with my best friend's family. It was 4-days guitars, sandals, and imported cotton dresses that flowed in the summer breeze on nights of sweaty dancing with thousands of other hippy-types. Camping during the event, we would prepare many of our meals prior to the drive north and one of the staples we endearingly termed, "Hippy Fried Rice." It was cheap, it was healthy, and it kept with modest refrigeration. Fast-forward to college, and HFR became a cheap, healthy staple to nourish and to nosh.

Twice as Nice Rice is a more refined (and more delicious) version that was inspired by its predecessor, HFR. Perhaps HFR inspired my desire for quick and healthy storable meals all those years ago!

Version I
2 cups pre-cooked brown rice (leftover saves the most time)
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup zucchini or summer squash, finely chopped
- 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
- 5-6 green onions
- 1 cup veggie/chicken broth
- 3-4 Tbsp. soy sauce/liquid aminos/ tamari sauce to taste
- 2 Tbsp. chili garlic sauce (to taste)
- 3 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

Add the toasted sesame oil to a sauce pan over med-high heat. Add the carrots. Stir 1 minute. Add the other vegetables including green onions. Stir and cook about 3 minutes. The veggies should be warm and slightly tender but not fully cooked. Add the broth, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce. Stir. Add rice. Cook 4-5 minutes until hot and well mixed. Serve hot and accompanied with soy sauce, chili garlic sauce and flavor to taste.

Top with roasted cashews if you got 'um. They add a crunch and richness that is unstoppable.

Mood variations/additions

Add these when you add the rest of the vegetables and increase cooking time by 2-4 minutes.

COMFORT: 6oz bite-sized pieces of soft tofu. It has that nice mouth feel. You won't be disappointed.

POWER: add 1 cup chopped chicken (leftovers or rotisserie is easiest)

HAPPY: add 1-2 cups raw (or cooked) shrimp. Eating shrimp is an affordable luxury and always makes me happy.

FEISTY: 6oz crumbled seitan. a chewy powerhouse. You'll be satiated and satisfied you ate food occasionally pronounced like the devil.

HUNGRY: 2-3 eggs. Who doesn't have eggs in their fridge and don't they taste amazing when you are starved? After the rice and vegetables have cooked, scoot the rice and veggies to one size of your sauce pan/wok and crack the eggs right into the pan. scramble them first and then mix them into the rice.


AHHH OHH. It's October (or January):

What if I don't have summer squash zucchini?!

That's it. ABANDON SHIP. Break out the Tuna Helper. If you don't have all the ingredients as listed, it won't work.

No No No No No. Flexibility. summer squash is only an "impression" vegetable....the only reason I included it on the ingredient list is because I had some in my fridge the last time I made this delish, hearty dish.

And HELLO! Zucchini is an Italian vegetable and TANR is definitely Asian Inspired. Think, "What's in season?" and "What can I sneak in that's already in the fridge before it spoils?" (the latter is definitely on my mind most of the time as my eyes are bigger than my stomach at the farmer's market!)


In the future, I'll add other Versions. For now, enjoy Twice as Nice Rice. It's three times as nice when you eat the leftovers for lunch the next day!