Goods of the Body: Hearty Fried Rice Recipe

Not your Uncle Ho’s Rice

This delicious recipe is so chock full of healthy goodies that you can practically feel yourself getting healthier! As a dear Chinese-American friend told me, “It’s not traditional, but it is good!” Try it for yourself and let me know how you like it!

Hearty Fried Rice Recipe

Ingredients for 4 servings:

1 lb. lean pork (tenderloin or top loin are best); cut into chunks (or chicken, fish or tofu, as desired)
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped onion (or a tablespoon of dried minced onion)
1 garlic clove, minced (or 1 dash of garlic powder)
4 carrots (or 16-20 baby carrots); peeled & sliced, diagonally
2 celery stalks; sliced diagonally
1 medium (or 3 baby) Bok Choy; sliced diagonally
3 or 4 sprigs of fresh parsley, snipped
1 cup sugar snap peas sliced diagonally (or left whole)
¾ cup frozen green peas (not necessary to thaw first)
2 cups quick brown rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1¾ cups reduced salt chicken broth (I prefer Swanson Organic Chicken)
1 generous sprinkle ground ginger
1 egg

Directions:
Prepare all vegetables and meat before beginning to cook. Brown the pork in oil at medium high to high heat (don’t let it burn!) Just before browned, add onion & garlic and continue cooking and stirring ‘til nicely browned; sprinkle with soy sauce and ginger. Stir in the vegetables (except sugar snap peas & peas) to brown a bit, while heating your broth to a boil in the microwave or on another burner. Add the hot broth and rice to the meat & veggies, cover, and simmer on low for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, scramble and cook the egg, then cut into strips. Then add the sugar snap peas & peas and remove the fried rice from the heat for 5 minutes to stand with the cover ajar. Mix in the egg strips and serve, with additional soy sauce if desired. Serve with Green Tea, hot or iced.

These are the veggies I like to use. Feel free to substitute any from the following list, to equal about 4 cups altogether. I would recommend including at least a high carotene, a cruciferous, and a green vegetable to balance the nutrients.

Now, why this dish is good for you:
lean pork: build muscle, & sound immune system, maintain strong nerves, & repair cells, source of protein, iron, & B vitamins
olive oil: prevents heart disease, source of unsaturated fatty acids
onion: prevent death from heart disease, lower cholesterol, reduce respiratory inflammation
garlic: protects heart from aging, prevents heart attacks & strokes, fights infections and cancer
carrots: prevent heart attacks & colon cancer, lower cholesterol, reduce risk of breast cancer, source of beta carotene
celery: reverses the constriction of diseased arteries, lowers blood pressure
Bok Choy (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, source of vitamin C and Folate
parsley: builds red blood cells & strong bones, prevents heart disease, source of calcium, potassium, iron, vitamin C and folate.
sugar snap peas: drops cholesterol, prevents heart disease & adult-onset diabetes, lowers homocysteine, souce of protein & fiber
green peas: drops cholesterol, prevents heart disease & adult-onset diabetes, lowers homocysteine, souce of protein & fiber
brown rice: reduces cholesterol, source of fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E
ginger: prevents stomach ulcers, reduces headache & arthritis pain, lowers cholesterol, prevents heart attacks
egg (esp. omega-3 eggs) : source of protein, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids
Optional Ingredients:
Green Tea: prevents cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s; relieves allergies
Asparagus: lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, prevents cancer and arthritis, fights heart disease, helps to conserve muscle & maintain a healthy weight
Broccoli (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, high in vitamin A
Brussels Sprouts (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, high in fiber
Cabbage (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, source of vitamin C and Folate
Chinese Cabbage (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, source of vitamin C and Folate
Cauliflower (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA
Kale (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, source of vitamins A, C, calcium, iron, magnesium & potassium
Mustard Greens (Cruciferous): prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, maintain sharp vision, repair damaged DNA, source of vitamins A, C, calcium, fiber & Folate
Swiss Chard: help maintain steady heartbeat, prevent cancer & heart disease, keep your vision sharp, source of vitamins A, C, calcium, fiber, magnesium, iron, and potassium
Mushrooms: increase immune system cells, protect your liver, lower cholesterol, prevent cancer
Spinach: repair DNA, maintain a healthy heart & steady blood pressure, prevent stroke, cancer, and macular degeneration, source of lutein, folate, magnesium
Fish (esp. sockeye or pink salmon & bluefin tuna): prevents heart attacks, Alzheimer’s & gallstones, lowers blood pressure & cholesterol, source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, & B12
Chicken: builds muscles, organs, enzymes, maintain strong nerves, healthy brain, & immune system antibodies, source of protein, niacin,B6, B12
Tofu: drops cholesterol, prevents heart disease & adult-onset diabetes, lowers homocysteine, souce of protein

Recommended Reading:

The Healing Kitchen by Ellen Michaud & Anita Hirsch

RealAge Tip of the Day