Sunday Morning Breakfast Rice Bowl

Sunday mornings are sometimes meant for brunch, mimosas, restaurants, Sunday Funday, etc… but right now in quarantine Sunday mornings are made for getting rid of all the random leftover ingredients in my fridge. When Maroon 5 said “But things just get so crazy, living life gets hard to do” in their song Sunday Morning, they were undoubtedly singing about the depths of my fridge. Things get CRAZY. And then living life… gets hard to do!!!!

In order to make living life in my tiny quar-quar house a little bit easier, I have a “use it or lose it” Sunday brunch rule. This leads to some interesting but ultimately successful combinations. Last weekend’s was this rice bowl which ended up being quite delicious despite (or because of?) its randomness.

Remember, the beauty of the breakfast rice bowl is that it’s meant to use up all your little odds and ends from the past week’s cooking, so you can sub in all sorts of vegetables and proteins depending on what you have on hand. I swear if you just crack an egg on top, it will make alllll the flavors and textures come together in the end.

Breakfast Rice Bowl

1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
1 cup leftover cooked rice
1/4 white or yellow onion, diced
1 cup kale greens (or other hardy greens as needed to use up!)
1/2 cup cremini or button mushrooms, quartered or sliced
1/4 cup black beans
1/2 cup cooked ground beef/turkey, ground plant protein, or chopped up grilled chicken
1/4 cup shredded cheese (optional)
4 eggs

Optional toppings: diced avocado, rough-torn fresh herbs, shredded cheese, hot sauce

Heat the oil in a big skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add in your mushrooms, cooked beans and/or meat, greens, and any other produce you’re tossing in there. Cook everything until warmed through and the greens are wilted, then throw in the cooked rice and sprinkle with your seasonings - S&P, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne are all good in here - or if you have some on hand, the TJ’s Umami seasoning is good in this one too. Sauté everything together until the rice is warmed through as well - taste and season additionally as needed. If you are using cheese, now is a good time to mix it in as well.

Now you crack your eggs in! Let them cook uncovered for a few minutes until the outer whites are becoming opaque, then put a lid on your skillet to seal the deal, aka cook the top of the egg and the yolks. The rice will continue to cook and get slightly crunchy at the bottom of the pan - I love those crispy bits.

Once the egg yolk is cooked to your liking (I recommend runny!), portion out the fried rice with the fried eggs into 2-4 portions (1 egg per four people or 2 eggs per two people, depending) and top with fresh herbs, chopped avocado, or whatever else you have to use!