Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The case for fried rice

This morning I woke up and discovered I was stranded without breakfast.

Usually I have some bread for toast, or something I've baked, or in a pinch I'll eat a yogurt, which I dislike but will eat under the assumption that it is good for me. Breakfast is definitely my least favorite meal. I'm not much for eggs, waffles, pancakes, French toast, oatmeal, or other typical breakfast items. Yet somehow those cartoons I watched as a kid about how breakfast was the most important meal of the day have really stuck with me. I try to eat something every morning to get my feeble Hungry Dog brain moving before heading to work.

I was about to resign myself to an apple when I remembered I'd made fried rice the night before.

Before you judge, let's break it down, shall we?

You've got your rice, which is a carb. Same as toast, right?

You've got protein: bacon and a little egg. 

And, you have lots of vegetables. I add whatever I've got on hand to my fried rice, which in this case was a veritable cornucopia: Napa cabbage, carrots, celery, red pepper, peas.

All the major vitamins and nutrients are covered. So when you really get down to it, homemade fried rice is probably healthier than what a lot of people eat for breakfast.


"But Hungry Dog," you're thinking, "fried rice is full of oil and salt. Not very healthy for someone on the sad side of 30."

Yeah, so? Oil and salt make the world go round. Let's live a little, people.


And you can't tell me this doesn't look good.

14 comments:

  1. I think that looks like the breakfast of champions!

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  2. Agreed, this is TRULY the breakfast of champions. Wheaties ain't got nuthin' on this! I love putting a fried egg over some fried rice and a little bit of soy sauce -- great for any meal!

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  3. I'm with you. I've had chicken salad for breakfast before, so I can relate to starting your day off with a little leftover dinner.

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  4. You know, I have quite a few odd and end vegetables, plenty of rice. Why aren't I making fried rice for dinner....Well, since reading this post, it is what I am going to make for dinner. Thanks.

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  5. You are your father's daughter! As a kid growing up in San Francisco, he had rice in some form almost every morning for breakfast, including rice gruel! Surprised and delighted he would certainly be on your extolling fried rice for breakfast! MOM

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  6. I've eaten cold pad thai for breakfast -- at 5 a.m. in Hawaii. So I see nothing wrong with fried rice in the morning. Sounds very good to me.

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  7. I eat fried rice in the mornings sometimes too! I actually cook it for breakfast. Mine is simpler with just rice, eggs, and a little garlic.

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  8. You had me laughing at this post! In Malaysia, fried rice is a perfectly acceptable breakfast, so are noodles and curry (I kid you not). Toast on the other hand - blah. So all in context :) And salt and oil really do make the world go round.

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  9. Hey, nothing wrong with a non-traditional breakfast.

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  10. Yep- it looks good all right. During Air Force years we were friends with a Chinese-American couple and she taught me to make easy fried rice. Nothing like it for breakfast!

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  11. I'm pleased to know I'm not alone in eating fried rice for breakfast! Maybe if I just start eating dinner food in the morning I'll begin liking breakfast...

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  12. I have to agree, fried rice is a good breakfast, but I would have to add hot chili sauce to it. I always say, fat, salt and sugar make food taste good. So bring it on!

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  13. just the other day i was wondering how one would go about preparing fried rice. my own experience with it comes from a take-out carton. your pictures are so lovely and appetizing that i'm now craving it for breakfast, lunch, AND supper. :)

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  14. I wouldn't have thought anyone needed to make a case for fried rice - the most versatile recipe on earth! See me - mom of three and many a time saved by the fried rice bell.Kitchenbutterfly.com

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