Quinoa Fried Rice with Mushrooms and Bacon

Quinoa, quinoa, again with the quinoa. Just a mere two weeks ago I was on this blog telling you how much I don’t really like quinoa….then posted this recipe for it. Now here I am again with another quinoa recipe. I guess I don’t totally hate it.

I think the thing about quinoa is that it is just too healthy and because I have children I feel guilty if I don’t serve them something quasi-healthy for dinner. Even if it does include bacon….but also quinoa…that’s right all the sudden I became a good mother, see how quinoa does that for you?

Anyway, this fried rice is a total life saver. It uses up every pathetic little thing in your refrigerator and gets your kids excited about eating things normally they would turn their precious little noses up at, like mushrooms, peas, and quinoa.

This is not so much a recipe as a guide on what is possible in your fried rice. If you are a vegetarian, leave out the bacon and use 3 tablespoons of peanut or vegetable oil instead of the bacon grease. Beat a couple of eggs and add that to the pan for some protein. Don’t have mushrooms, sugar snap peas, or corn on hand? Use green beans, bell peppers, or frozen green peas instead. The only non-negotiable aspects of this is of course the rice and the soy-sesame mixture at the end.

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Quinoa Fried Rice

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Bacon, mushrooms and quinoa combine for this delicious, healthy dinner recipe!

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Ingredients

• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, chopped
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons peeled and chopped ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 cups cooked and cooled rice (jasmine, brown, and long grain all work)
• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 cups sliced sugar snap peas
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Instructions

1. Heat a 12 or 14-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. Crumble and set aside.
2. Return pan with bacon grease to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook until carrots start to brown on the edges. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook until fragrant (a couple minutes more).
3. Add rice, quinoa, peas, and corn and cook stirring occasionally, until rice is heated through and starting to get crispy on the bottom, about 5 more minutes. Add cilantro, soy sauce, sesame oil, and bacon and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 347Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 595mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 13g

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