Mushroom and Kale Stir Fry

On rare occasions when I was little we would have "breakfast for dinner."  Looking back, the idea seems simple enough and makes complete sense. When there is no time to assemble an entire dinner, you reach for the ingredients you always have on hand-bread, eggs etc.  However, when I was little this seemed so exciting and completely out of the ordinary.  This makes me think about how much meal ideology shapes our diets.  Healthy ideas, like eating vegetables at breakfast or eggs at dinner, sometimes seem odd.  But, that doesn't necessarily mean we can't do it.

I eat this dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The veggies and brown rice give me enough fiber and energy to keep me full.  The egg is a great source of protein, especially since I am always trying to cut back on the amount of meat I eat.  Go ahead- eat outside of the box.

What makes this bite better?
Whenever people are looking to lose weight, protein takes center stage and everything else gets cut out.  However, most people in the pursuit of weight loss forget that too much meat in our diet is detrimental to our health.  Eggs are a great meat substitute for multiple reasons.  Not only are they an excellent source of protein, but they are affordable.  It isn't always easy to purchase organic, local, humanely raised meats; the purchase of these meats is often limited not only by price but also by availability.  Organic, cage-free eggs are readily available and while they may seem expensive compared to regular eggs, they are quite reasonable compared to their chicken and beef counterparts.

Mushroom and Kale Stir Fry

Mushrooms 

Kale

Brown Rice

Eggs

Crushed Red Pepper

Onion

Chicken Stock (optional)

Clean and chop the kale and mushrooms.  I used cremini and portobello mushrooms because I prefer a heartier mushroom in a vegetarian dish.  Prepare brown rice according to instructions (I typically use boil-in-a-bag brown rice because it's so easy).  Dice the onion and in a large pan, sauté with olive oil for 3-5 minutes.  Add the kale and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and allow to brown on one side before sautéing.  Add the crushed red pepper and salt to desired taste.  Add about 1/4 cup of chicken stock (or use water) to create a slight broth.  Add desired amount of brown rice and combine.  In a separate pan, prepare one egg for each person (I prefer sunny side up).  The yolk creates a sauce that works wonderfully with the spice.  If you are preparing the eggs scrambled, you can add them directly to the stir fry.  I always serve this dish with jalapeño salsa.  Serve and Enjoy :)

TIP: This dish is very easy to make in large quantities and save for meals throughout the week.  The mushrooms-kale rice can be an excellent side during another meal or can be very satisfying on its own.