These are 3 meals perfect for the school year when you are short on time and energy!
Disclaimer: I am not by any means a professional chef and full disclosure, I do not typically measure things when I cook so some measurements are logical, 99% accurate estimates :)
Simple Egg-Fried Rice
Egg-fried rice is by far one of my favorite quick and easy things to make. It is super versatile and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you’ve never made this before, I have no doubt that it can easily become your go to quick and easy dish!
(PC/Kaya Long)
(PC/Kaya Long)
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
4 cups Rice (brown, white, or combo)
4 eggs
4 large carrots (chopped)
2 bell peppers (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 bunch Green onion (chopped, whites and greens separated)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 tsp Ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbsp shoyu/soy sauce
3 tbsp vegetable oil, peanut oil, or olive oil
½ tsp Chinese five-spice
Toppings (Optional but highly recommended)
Sunny-side up egg (one per person)
Sesame seeds
Sriracha
Instructions
Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl.
Heat a tbsp of oil in your wok (or pan if you don’t have). Add the eggs, scrambling them until set for a few minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add another tbsp of oil and sauté the onions for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Cook until the onions are translucent and the garlic is aromatic.
Add the vegetables and sauté for 2 minutes or until soft.
Add the cooked rice (reheated if frozen) and combine, breaking up the rice. Drizzle in the shoyu, sesame oil, and five-spice. Add more if necessary.
Stir in the green onion greens and turn off the heat. Serve immediately.
Allergy Substitutes
Gluten free - Simply swap out the soy sauce for a gf alternative like tamari (I do this every time)
Vegan - Just don’t include the egg
Notes
Use rice that has been frozen or sitting in your fridge. This is ideal because the rice will take on more flavor
Teriyaki Tofu and Veggie Bowl
This bowl is a reliable dinner that makes great leftovers too! It is delicious, nutritious, and easily customizable to fit your preferences and align with what you have in your fridge. If you ever get bored, you can always mix things up!
(PC/Kaya Long)
(PC/Kaya Long)
Serving Size: 4-5
Ingredients
Bare Minimum
3 Japanese Sweet potatoes or 2 Yams
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic salt (can use a combination of regular salt & granulated garlic instead too)
½ tsp black pepper
1 Block of tofu
4 cups of rice
6 Bok choy bunches (washed and chopped)
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 bunch of green onion
Teriyaki sauce (I like to make a super quick homemade teriyaki sauce)
Optional Additional Toppings
Sesame seeds
Edamame
Portobello or hamakua ali'i mushrooms (sautéed)
Avocado
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 ℉.
Cook the rice. Rice cookers are where it’s at, but you can cook the rice in a saucepan too.
Cut the tofu in half horizontally so the block is half its initial height. Press the tofu. I like to place the two slabs side by side on a cookie sheet and place a cast iron skillet on top with a paper towel in between.
While the rice is cooking, cut up the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Cut them lengthwise, in half lengthwise again, and then horizontally into bite sized pieces from there (see picture above).
Put the potato pieces onto a baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tbsp of olive oil, the granulated garlic, and black pepper. Place in a preheated oven to bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are soft when poked with a fork and have nice color on the outside.
While the potatoes are cooking mix up your teriyaki sauce ingredients if you are making your own.
Cut the tofu in half lengthwise and then cut each half into 8 even pieces across to create 16 uniform tofu rectangles (see picture above).
Heat the 1 tbsp in an ideally nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu blocks and start searing. Flip after a few minutes to get some nice golden brown color on the other side.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic for a few seconds and throw in the bok choy.
Pour the teriyaki sauce on the tofu and simmer until it thickens. Assemble your bowl and serve immediately.
Notes
Teriyaki sauce - I like to add some sriracha in mine for an extra layer of flavor and an added kick.
Grab and Go Burrito
Meal prepping burritos at the start of the week is by far the best kept secret to effortless and nutritious lunches throughout the week. Each individual can select their favorite ingredients to curate their burritos to their liking. Not to mention, it is a great way to use leftovers.
Yields: Up to you!
Here are some of my favorite ingredients listed below:
Ingredients
(How much of everything you prepare depends on how many burritos you want to make)
Brown rice
Beans (pinot, black, or a combo) - You can make them fresh or used canned beans
Lettuce (chopped)
Sautéed bell peppers and onions
Kale or spinach (sautéed)
Cheese
Salsa
Tapatío hot sauce (cholula or other brands work too of course)
Instructions
Just fill up your burritos with your ingredients. Make sure not to overstuff them.
Wrap tightly. The key is to keep the edges secure while you are folding the tortilla over the filling.
Allergy Substitutes
Gluten free - Use corn tortillas or other gluten free tortilla alternatives.
Dairy free - Either choose to pass on the cheese or use a dairy free alternative (eg. violife cheese alternative).
Storage
Store the burritos in gallon-sized plastic storage bags. You should be able to fit 4-5 in each one.
Place the sealed bags in the freezer to store.
Reheat
When you want to have one for lunch just pop it in the microwave for 1 minute on each side (2 minute total, flipping halfway between).
Optional - Cook it in a pan after you’ve done this to get a nice crust and color on the tortilla.
Cover in tinfoil to go or put in a container for lunch.
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