Cooking With Your Kids: Healthy Fried Rice

BWD, Jr. loves his rice, so let’s talk about

Healthy Fried Rice

I know, there’s something about “fried rice” that means it can’t be healthy, right?  It has the word fried in it, so it has to bad.  Listen,I know I’ve seen fried rice made where it in no way resembled a health food.  It was dripping with oil and butter and who knows what else.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way, trust me.  The way we make it at Blog Well Done central uses only a little oil, some soy sauce, and whatever veggies or meat we want to throw in there.  The version we make is a little high in sodium because we use soy sauce, but you can use low sodium soy to get around that if you like.

In terms of making this with the kiddos, this is a perfect recipe.  It requires a little cutting in the beginning (the type only adults should do.)  However, once that’s over, all that is required is stirring.  As long as you don’t mind a little mess, kids of just about any age can handle this recipe.

Healthy Fried Rice Recipe

One thing this recipe does require is some planning.  Fried rice is always best with rice that is a day old because it is dry and will soak up the soy sauce, broth, etc.  So if you can, make extra rice the day before and save some in the refrigerator.

Also, if you have it, use brown rice for this.  You’re going to make the fried rice brown anyway with the soy sauce, so you might as well use a healthier rice and sneak it past children who might otherwise be picky about that sort of thing.

You will need:

  • (optional) 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter (or a second tablespoon of olive oil)
  • 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 carrot, julienned
  • 1 stalk celery, julienned
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2-4 tablespoons of broth

Get your wok or skillet very hot.  (If kids are doing the work, go to medium-high.  It will take longer, but burn less.)

Add the eggs and scramble them.  Do your best to break them apart into small pieces.  When they are done, set aside.

Add the olive oil, the chicken and the vegetables with a pinch of salt and pepper.  (Not too much salt because of the soy sauce used later.)  Cook until the chicken is done.  Remove to a plate.

Melt the butter in the wok.  Add the rice, garlic powder, soy sauce, and two tablespoons of broth.  Stir the rice and watch as it rehydrates.  Cook until it has fully rehydrated.  You may need the other two tablespoons of broth depending on how dry it was.

Add the eggs, chicken, and vegetables back in, stir until they are hot and serve.

Enjoy!

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