Ahhhh dinnertime. Dinner should be delicious, stress-free, and healthy, right? Which of course, is not always possible in our world of jobs, families, friends, obligations,  and simply ‘trying to fit it all in’. That’s when Sunbasket comes in, and Thank God for Sunbasket! Sunbasket is a recipe-delivery service company that sends fresh, farm-to-fork inspired meals and ingredients for you to make in under 30 minutes. I chose my package to send me meals for two, so it sends us 3 different recipes, 2 servings each. The perfect amount for my boyfriend and I! There’s also options for Family-style if you’ve got more mouths to feed.

The ingredients are already perfectly portioned, non-GMO, almost always organic, and you can also choose from Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Vegan, and other dietary preferences to meet your needs!

Plus, for me personally, I’m not a huge meat eater, so it’s nice to have vegetarian options and fresh ideas for new recipes. They send you these perfect recipe cards to follow, and I keep all of them for future reference if I ever want to make an unbelievable recipe on repeat (hello, I’m talkin’ bout you seared salmon tacos). Not to mention, when I do enjoy eating meat, I enjoy when it is sustainably sourced and grass-fed when possible (more nutrients, less overall fat, more sustainable and ethical), which they are all about too! This meal was one of my favorite, Veggie Kimchi Fried Rice, a delicious recipe that made me venture out of my comfort zone with ingredients and it was AMAZING!

Sunbasket – Vegetarian Kimchi Fried Rice (veg)

Print Recipe

• Author: Sunbasket
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Yield: 2-3 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ¾ cup jasmine rice
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 or 2 heads baby bok choy
• ½ cup kimchi (Napa cabbage – red chile peppers – onions – fresh chives – fresh garlic – fresh ginger – salt – sugar)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• ¼ pound shredded carrots
• ½ cup petite peas
• 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (optional)
• Fried rice seasoning blend (gluten-free tamari – sesame oil)
• 2 pasture-raised organic eggs
• Nori strips

Instructions

1. In a small sauce pot, combine the rice and 1½ cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover, and keep warm.
2. While the rice cooks, prepare the vegetables and the sesame seeds.
3. In a dry small frying pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Do not clean the pan.
4. Peel and coarsely chop the yellow onion.
5. Trim the root end from the bok choy; cut the bok choy in half lengthwise, then crosswise into thin strips.
6. Coarsely chop the kimchi.
7. Fifteen minutes after the rice starts to simmer, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bok choy, kimchi, carrots, peas, and as much sambal oelek as you like, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and the fried rice seasoning blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. While the stir-fry cooks, prepare the eggs.
9. In the same pan used for the sesame seeds, warm 1 to 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Crack the eggs directly into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites have set and the yolks are slightly runny, 2 to 3 minutes. If you prefer firmer yolks, cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer.
10. Transfer the fried rice to individual bowls. Top with the fried eggs and nori strips, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve.

When it comes to cooking, I usually stick with the basics and my usual recipes on repeat. I often don’t venture out with new recipes that have crazy ingredients because, let’s be honest…when am I ever going to use sambal oelek again?? (which is an incredible Korean hot sauce by the way… edit: I now use sambal olek all the time! Especially in these Asian-Inspired Roasted Brussel Sprouts) Sunbasket sends you the perfect amount of the necessary ingredients so you don’t have to go hunting down one particular thing and buy a whole bottle (only to throw away if you never use it again…) Trust me, these recipes are so fresh and innovative and have truly turned my weeknight meals into something to look forward to, not dread!

As for this kimchi fried rice, it is made with kimchi, which is a a traditional Korean cuisine of fermented veggies (often cabbage and radishes). The best thing about kimchi? It is FULL of probiotics (thank you fermentation!), which introduce healthy bacteria into your gut to keep your digestive system movin’ and groovin’ right. It also contains rice (carbs to keep your energy up), bok choy (wassup Vitamin K), carrots (hello healthy skin, Vit A), eggs (gimme that Vitamin D and protein), as well as nori seaweed (high fiber, high protein, rich in iodine to keep your thyroid healthy, and cancer-fighting potential). This dish is simple, nutritious, and delicious!

This recipe is totally doable! I high recommend checking out Sunbasket even just for a week… Not ready to try it out? At least look at all of their INCREDIBLE recipes online to get some new ideas! I have been hooked, now I’m off to go enjoy one of my other Sunbasket meals this week…Moroccan Chicken Wings with Sesame Bok Choy Slaw and Cashews (yummm!).