When we lived in Thailand we discovered that the kids really loved fried rice. Something that I noticed early on was that kids do a lot better at getting their veggies in if they are chopped into small, uniformly sized pieces. You might be shocked at what you can get your kids to eat when it’s diced small and similar size to all the other veggies or foods in a dish. Recipes like the one below are great quick and easy methods to get the whole family full of phytonutrients.
So, what are phytonutrients? Phytonutrients are the chemical compounds in plants that protect the plant. The beauty of it is that studies have shown they also can protect us and improve our health dramatically. The reason we “eat the rainbow” is because the colors represent the types of phytonutrients and each has unique benefits! Watch this video to learn more.
Rainbow Rice
Fight all types of disease by increasing your phytonutrient intake!
- 2 cups brown rice (short grain)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (or avocado oil)
- 1 zucchini
- 1/2 red bell pepper (or large red tomato)
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper (or 3/4 cup pineapple or yellow squash)
- 1 yellow onion
- 1/3 cup red onion
- 2 carrots
- 1 tbsp ginger (fresh, grated)
- 1 lemon or lime
- sea salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari, more or less to taste)
Soak rice for 12-18 hrs with lemon, strain and cook according to package directions in broth or water with 1-2 tbsp of avocado or coconut oil.
Dice all veggies to about the same size and mince garlic and ginger.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in large pan and add onions. Sauté for 2 minutes until soft with a pinch of mineral salt.
Add veggies from hardest to softest giving each 2 or so minutes before adding the next (don’t forget a small pinch of salt when you add each new ingredient). If you’re adding animal protein this is the stage to add in your eggs and scramble or cooked chicken.
Once veggies are your preferred tenderness add in your cooked rice and sauté for a few minutes on high. Add in 1ish tbsp of coconut aminos/tamari and serve hot with fresh lime, cucumbers and hot sauce!
Optional add ins: cilantro, basil, cabbage, jalapenos, Asian chili’s etc.
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