Having a variety of foods and flavours is pretty important to overall wellness. By including different kinds and colours of foods into your diet on a regular basis, you expose yourself to an abundance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients found across a wide spectrum of sources. I think I am naturally drawn to this principle of eating from a diverse menu. Not only would I become nutrient deficient and susceptible to many types of disease, but I think I’d just get bored of eating the same thing day after day. Food is meant to be enjoyed and appreciated!
So here’s a fairly easy fried rice dish a threw together on a whim. Most of the vegetables in this dish are readily available at any grocery store throughout Vancouver (and across Canada, for that matter). Of course, I always encourage the use of organic produce whenever possible (watch for my article about the most heavily sprayed and dangerous produce).
Ingredients:
20 medium raw shrimp or prawns – tails/shells removed (use however many you like. I use 20 because I like to have about 5 on each plate)
1 small onion – diced
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 green bell pepper – cut into 1/2 inch pieces (or smaller)
1 yellow bell pepper – cut into 1/2 inch pieces (or smaller)
2 cups mushrooms – halved and sliced
1 zucchini – halved and sliced
1 cup pineapple chunks or bits
2 organic free range eggs
1 tbsp fresh ginger – minced
1 tbsp tamari (naturally fermented soy sauce)
1 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp unrefined sugar
1 cup brown rice – cooked and cooled (once cooked becomes about 2-3 cups)
Instructions:
Pre-cook the rice and set it aside to let it cool (but don’t let it dry out)
In a small bowl, mix together the tamari, sugar and white wine. Give it a stir and set it aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a large stainless-steel skillet. Toss in the onions and cook until soft (4-5 minutes)
Add the ginger and stir it around for a minute.
Add the peppers, mushrooms and zucchini. Stir them around and let the cook until they just start to soften (3 minutes or so).
Toss in the shrimp and let them cook until they become opaque.
Add the eggs (you added the eggs raw and let them cook in the stir fry, OR scramble them up separately and add them in once cooked) and pineapple chunks. Add the cooked brown rice and give everything a good stir. Finally, take the sauce you have set aside, give it a little stir to make sure the sugar is dissolved, and drizzle it in to the pan. Mix it in well so the rice becomes a deeper colour.
Feel free to explore your vegetable options with this dish. I’ve used asparagus, red peppers, carrots among other types. Use vegetables you love, and experiment with new ones. Now sit down, relax, and enjoy your dish!
