This is a sumptuous week day dinner that is light and refreshing and full of vitamins, super foods and protein. It takes 10 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook, so is easy when you need to eat something comforting with substance but not stodge.
Its gluten, lactose, soya, nut and meat free and the use of ginger and garlic adds not only to the health benefits but also to the aroma coming from the kitchen.
The dish is vegetarian, but can be made vegan by substituting the egg for tempeh or cooked firm tofu. Alternatively if you prefer to add meat or fish, pre-cooked prawns or chicken would do the trick.
As you know by now, I am a big fan of adding an egg to a noodle or rice dish, poached or fried but with a running yoke, as it gives a little extra richness to the dish.
A little digression therefore on eggs, since I have been doing some extra research to make sure the eggs I buy are ethical and by that I mean clean and humane. As you know, I was vegetarian in my youth for over 15 years due to the lack of humane certified meat available.
Today we do have a choice as consumers, and therefore I have personally reintroduced sustainable fish and some meat alongside the practice of mindful eating. (I just heard a few of you audibly yawn; yes I can hear you through the Internet!!)
Don’t dismiss mindful eating out of hand just yet, it is not a diet or about giving up anything (now you are intrigued…), it is about experiencing food, whatever it may be, more intensely and pleasurably. Harvard and Cornell University recently have published some papers and blog articles on how mindful eating could be the costless solution in the fight against obesity and a mindful lunch hour has recently become part of the schedule at Google. Not so happy-clappy-hippy-dippy now hey!!
Here is a quality article, with a nice snappy title, from the New York Times if you would like to read more;
In moving to the USA I found I was frequently baffled by the amount of choice, but also what the different labels mean. Some of the labels in the USA on egg cartons are; Organic, Non-GMO, Vegetarian Feed, Free-range, Pasture raised, Natural, No-added hormones, Animal Welfare Approved and Humane.
You can see where the confusion comes, and to be honest that is because there is less regulation in food and agriculture than you would think. Humane for example is not regulated by the USDA and No-added Hormones makes no sense as hormones and steroids are not allowed in poultry so you actually want to look for a label that indicates no antibiotics.
I won’t go into too much detail, but needless to say, it is worth some investigation to understand what you are actually buying and eating. I myself use Vital Farm eggs in the USA and Clarence Court eggs in the UK. Both of which make their practices abundantly clear on their packaging and respective websites.
Here are some links if you would like to know more;
http://goop.com/decoding-the-carton-how-to-buy-clean-humane-eggs/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkadvice/11411975/What-are-the-most-ethical-eggs-you-can-buy.html
This recipe was taken and adapted from vegetarian living. I made double portions, one for lunch and one for dinner the next day and Mr. B ate both (and so did I), needless to say therefore that the below recipe should serve 4.
Ingredients
- 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 200g frozen peas
- 2-3 tbsp. coconut oil
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 10g ginger, peeled and julienned
- 300g, cooked rice noodles
- 4 free range eggs
- 1 tbsp. black or white sesame seeds
- 1 red chili, finely chopped
For the sauce
- 30g ginger, finely grated
- 3 tbsp. tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp. mirin
- ½ tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
Method
- Cover the broccoli and peas with boiling water, leave for 5 minutes to simmer, drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside
- Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan or wok, when smoking hot, stir-fry the spring onions, garlic, ginger for 60 seconds. Now add the broccoli, peas and noodles. Stir in the sauce and allow to bubble for a few minutes.
- Place another frying pan on to high heat with a little oil and fry the eggs to your liking.
- Serve the noodles topped with a fried egg and garnish with the sesame seeds and chopped chili.
- Delish!
