Quick Grown-Up Meal

You’d think at 29 I’d have more quick meals in my repertoire. I’d be able to whip up a quiche for an impromptu dinner party in the blink of an eye. I’d have casseroles and speedy saute combinations at the ready. Instead, I find myself in the student lounge three nights each week with the same meal I ate in third grade: peanut butter and jelly sandwich, string cheese, baby carrots and a piece of fruit. Considering peanut butter is on my list of “Five Things You’d Take if You Were Stranded Eternally on a Deserted Island,” I grew alarmed when I found myself grimacing as I spread another slice of whole wheat bread with my favorite nut butter just the other day. Could it be? Was it actually possible for me to tire of the one invention I am certain is even better than sliced bread? (Honestly, we all know sliced bread is only as good as the tasty peanut butter which is spread upon it) Unwilling to fathom a world in which peanut butter could not heal all that ails me (yes I believe it can), I tucked the tub away and placed a moratorium on my favorite condiment for one week. Did I starve? Did I just eat jam sandwiches instead? Certainly not! In fact, I came up with some really delicious, and quick, meals that I’ve now happily added to my dinner rotation. In addition to a fabulous mixed greens salad with pecans, herbed goat cheese, dried cherries and homemade vinaigrette (with or without grilled chicken), I invented this little number. If you already have leftover brown rice, this can be ready in five minutes. For real!

Curried Rice with Vegetables and a Fried Egg

1/2 c. cooked brown rice
1 green onions, chopped
1/2 medium orange pepper, chopped
1 large egg
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic chili sauce
freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add pepper and saute, with or without a splash of olive oil, for 4 minutes.

2. Add rice, curry powder, soy sauce and garlic chili sauce, stirring to coat. Heat thoroughly.

3. Remove rice and pepper from pan and place on serving plate.

4. Crack egg into pan, keeping edges as contained as possible. Cover pan with lid and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Or, cook just until white is set, flip and cook 3 more minutes.

5. Slide egg out of pan on top of rice and pepper. Top with green onion, if desired. Serve.

Serves 1.

What 5 things would you take if you were going to be stranded eternally on a deserted island?

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