This delicious stir fry quinoa and bulgar wheat dish is an ideal fried rice substitute especially for those who have already adopted the habit of eating less rice. Instead of rice, I use Waitrose’s quinoa, chickpea, bulgar wheat and rice mixture. Interestingly, there are only 165 calories in this superfood mixture. You may be interested to know that the rice added to the mixture is brown rice. This is considered less starchy than white rice.
Information on Ingredients
For information purposes, here is the actual composition of the ingredients in the superfood mixture. Waitrose’s site cites the following composition in its packet: Cooked quinoa (39%) (water, quinoa), cooked chickpeas (22%) (water, chickpeas), cooked bulgur wheat (22%) (water, bulgur wheat), cooked wholegrain brown rice (10%) (water, wholegrain brown rice), cooked wholegrain camargue red rice (6%) (water, wholegrain camargue red rice), sunflower oil.
The ingredients used in this superfood mixture is the reason why this product is always on my shopping list. They are relatable and does not contain weird EXXX questionable chemicals. It is not cheap at US$5.76 a packet but it contains all the goodness the body needs. This amazing, easy to prepare mixture is indeed suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Since this mixture is good for 2 servings, the trick is to add more ingredients like extra chickpeas, green peas and vegetables to add more volume so that this dish lasts for up to 3 days per serving each day or up to 4 servings per sitting.
I refrain from using the microwave to cook this superfood mixture. Instead, I use the trusty pot. There are 2 parts to this recipe – cooking the rice and the vegetables.
How to stir fry the vegetables
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
250g shitake mushrooms, sliced
250g frozen vegetables, thawed and cooked in microwave for 3 to 4 minutes
1 bunch asparagus, sliced
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp ikan bilis stock
pepper to taste
Method
Heat oil in pan on medium heat.
Add onions and stir fry till transparent.
Next, add mushrooms and cook till they sweat.
Pour in the cooked mixed vegetables and asparagus. Stir thoroughly.
Then add oyster sauce and ikan bilis stock. Stir the mixture well.
Sprinkle some pepper and stir mixture again.
Stir all ingredients for another minute and turn off the heat.
How to cook Waitrose ingredients in a pot
Ingredients
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Waitrose ingredients
1 cup liquid vegetable stock
1 tin chickpeas, drained
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp kicap manis or sweet soy sauce
pepper to taste
Method
Heat oil on medium heat.
Add garlic and fry till the aroma is released without it turning dark in colour.
Then, add Waitrose mixture and stir.
Next, add liquid vegetable stock and pepper. Mix again.
Now add the chickpeas and stir thoroughly.
Drizzle kicap manis or sweet soy and mix well.
Lastly, add the cooked vegetables described above to the Waitrose mixture. Mix all the ingredients till they blend well.
Serve and enjoy.
While the cooking process seems tedious as it has to be done in two parts, it is actually hassle- free and quick to prepare. This tasty and nutritious dish is perfect for office lunches or a quick lunch at home. It tastes similar to fried rice but it is definitely lighter without that bloating effect that rice has.
If you prefer more moisture in the rice, you can add more liquid vegetable stock. If you prefer a drier texture, then 3/4 cup will suffice. You may ask what is the purpose of the stock. Well, the mixture is hard and dry when it comes out of the packet. Adding some stock will soften the mixture and give it some taste.
This mixture may be a luxury to many based on its price. However, it’s a great alternative to rice. Keep a few packets in the kitchen larder for lazy days or on days when you need some healthy goodness, a change from greasy and high saturated food. The overall benefits of this superfood mixture outweighs the economic cost per packet.
The good news is this mixture is versatile. It is great in salads. Add this amazing mixture together with plenty of raw greens! Happy trying!