When he first told me of his love for eggs and rice I was dumbfounded. Outside of fried rice at Chinese restaurants I had never heard of the combination. And to be completely honest, I thought it sounded absolutely awful. But in the interest of being a good sport with my new boyfriend, I agreed to try it. As I looked down at my plate of rice topped with a fried egg, I was still doubtful. And then I took my first bite and I was blown away! It was delicious, nourishing, and comforting. It felt like something I would imagine a grandmother would make for you when you were home sick.

Eggs and rice have since become a staple in our house in a number of forms and while putting a fried egg on top of a bed of rice feels too simple to share as a legitimate recipe here, I did want to share with you the other way that we eat eggs and rice in our family on an almost-weekly basis: Brazilian-Style Fried Rice.

I love this recipe because it is so flexible. It is the meal we make when there is nothing much in the house. It is meal we make when we have no time to cook. It is the meal we make when we have various leftovers to use up, but not enough of any one thing. It is the meal we make when my little one hasn’t eaten a vegetable in days and it is starting to stress me out.

In Portuguese this dish is called Mexidinho and in Brazil it is one of those dishes that everyone’s family does in their own way. My recipe is based on my husband’s approach, which is really by feel rather than a recipe, so feel free to adjust it to your own tastes and desires.

The basics are simple: leftover rice, eggs, and a vegetable of some sort. After than you can add anything you want: beans, cheese, diced meat, leftover cooked vegetables, etc.

I know this may seem strange, but I highly recommend trying this one out!

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Brazilian-Style Fried Rice (Mexidinho)

Course Dinner

Cuisine Brazilian

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 7 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Jessica Braider

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 3-4 eggs about 1 egg per person
• 2 cups cooked rice or another grain
• 1 cup chopped or small vegetable frozen is fine (e.g., peas, chopped spinach, broccoli florets, corn, chopped tomatoes)
• 1 cup of optional add-ins: beans or legumes diced already-cooked meat or tofu, grated cheese, leftover cooked vegetables, I’ve even added leftover stuffing (see picture)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large frying pan, melt the butter. Add the eggs and scramble in the pan until just starting to solidify, about 1 minute. Add in the rice and stir until starting to warm, about 1 minute. Add in vegetables and any other add-ins. Mix until everything is warm. Salt and pepper to taste.

<p>The post Brazilian-Style Fried Rice: Dinner in 7 Minutes first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>

We all know we should be eating more vegetables. Many of us try to get them through salads at lunch or an extra serving at dinner, and those are great approaches. But what about breakfast? In mainstream U.S. culture, vegetables in breakfast is often a strange concept, unless you are having a fancy brunch with a frittata or quiche (which can also be easy and quick breakfast foods, like these spinach bites). Instead we often think of breakfast as the time for starches and fruit.

One of my favorite ways to get the veggies into my breakfast is with the 5-minute breakfast scramble. This easy, delicious, and fun option for breakfast is a great way to get everyone off on the right foot. It’s got protein, carbs, and vegetables, and can be adapted in countless ways.

The trick is a tiny bit of foresight. When you are making vegetables for dinner, make some extras. Roasting potatoes or sweet potatoes? Chop and roast one or two more than you think your family will eat. Washing greens? Wash and tear up some extra and pop them into a bag. Chopping an onion, carrot, or bell pepper? Put some aside in a storage container. Steaming some broccoli or cauliflower? Steam a ½ cup more than your family will eat. Then, the next morning when you go to put your breakfast together you have the veggies ready to throw into your scramble!

<p>The post 5-minute Breakfast Scramble: Getting vegetables into breakfast first appeared on The Balanced Kitchen.</p>