Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup

I've been really into soup lately.  It is great to have when it is so freaking cold out and it is a super easy lunch for me to take to school.  Since Bri is a vegetarian and since I am always so busy, I have started looking for vegetarian soup recipes that I can make in my crock-pot.  This way, it is a low maintenance meal and we end up with tons of leftovers.

Minestrone soup is one of my favorites and this recipe is just like the Olive Garden minestrone.  It is vegetarian and the noodles and beans make it a filling meal.  Plus, you can make it in a crock pot!  It is perfect!

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
(adapted from Cooking Classy)

Ingredients:
32 oz vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium diced tomatoes
3 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 small zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups small shell pasta, whole wheat
5 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can cannellini beans, drained rinsed
14.5 oz can green beans, drained
2 cups packed baby spinach
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Add vegetable stock, water, diced tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sugar to your slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2.  Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans, cannellini beans, green beans, and spinach.  Cook for another 40 minutes on high or until pasta is tender.  Season more with salt and pepper if needed.  Serve with shredded parmesan on top.

Enjoy :)

Monday, January 27, 2014

Cherry Tomato Cobbler with Gruyere Biscuits

Another cold day off means I get to share more stories and recipes!  I have already had a very productive morning: ran 4.5 miles, finished lesson plans for the week, submitted grad-school homework, and found a yummy recipe to make for dinner (oh and I'm about to start baking a crazy good looking dessert).  I am appreciative for the day-off, but I know that I am going to have to make it up eventually.  However, I think I'd rather go to an extra day of school when the weather is nice and have the time off when it is crazy cold like today.

What I really want to tell you about is this: It's restaurant week!  I love the idea of restaurant week and when I saw that R.J. Grunts had a restaurant week menu, I knew that Bri and I just had to go.  We had a cute little date night at this fine establishment and enjoyed some amazing food.  We got vegetarian chili and french onion soup for our appetizer, burgers and the salad bar for our entree, and a deep-dish cookie with ice cream and a chocolate oreo shake for dessert.  All this, plus a glass of wine each, was $33 per person!  It was a great deal and all the food was amazing.  We were super duper stuffed because of it, but it was a great night!  We came home and watched an episode of Sherlock on PBS and then passed out because of our food coma.  It was wonderful.

Eating out has turned into a great treat because we hardly ever have the time anymore!  With Bri in law school and me teaching, we are usually too busy or too tired.  On one of those nights, I made this awesome Cherry Tomato Cobbler with Gruyere Biscuits.  It was delicious and we had tons of leftovers to heat up during the week!  I love that this uses veggies and I adapted the recipe to use whole wheat flour and a lightened up biscuit mixture.

Cherry Tomato Cobbler with Gruyere Biscuits
(adapted from Tracy's Culinary Adventures)



Ingredients:
Tomato Cobbler:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large sweet onion, sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme
3 lb cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
Gruyere Biscuits:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 cup shredded gruyere, plus 2 tbsp
1 1/2 cup half and half (or heavy cream)

Directions:
1. Make the biscuits: In a large bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in the butter with a fork or pasty cutter until well combined.  Stir in half and half until just combined.  Stir in shredded cheese.  Place in fridge to chill.
2. Make the cobbler: in a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat.  Add in onions and cook for about 20-25 minutes or until onions are soft and caramelized.  Add in garlic and thyme and cook for another 3 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl.
3. Add the tomatoes, flour, and red pepper flakes to the bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Preheat oven to 375 and place tomato mixture into a 13 by 9 inch pan.  Take the biscuit dough of the fridge and drop 1/2 cup sized balls on top of the tomatoes.  You will cover almost the entire pan.  Sprinkle the rest of the gruyere cheese over the top.
5.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  Biscuits will be lightly browned and tomato mixture will be bubbling.

Enjoy :)


Sunday, January 26, 2014

Caramel Apple Scones

Okay, these scones are just phenomenal.  Seriously.  Make them.  I am considering whipping up a batch of these babies right now since I just found out that we have yet another snow day.  Also, since there are not enough days built into the year, I might be going to school until July at this point.  I mean, we might even have another day off tomorrow.

With all this time off, I have been working out, cooking, and blogging.  I keep telling myself to be productive and get ahead on schoolwork, but I am currently enjoying a glass of wine while watching the Grammys instead.  I don't have any regrets.

But seriously, I should be productive.  With all this first year of teaching thing, I am now also taking two courses to further my own education and go for my Illinois license.  So, I have lesson plans and my own homework!  So far, the classes are interesting and not too much work.  I know there are some projects on my horizon and so I want to try to get ahead so that I do not feel too overwhelmed when things become more intense.

However, I am still just sitting around planning recipes instead.  In fact, I just made these amazing Baked French Fries with a Homemade Cheese Sauce as well as a huge pot of Healthy Vegetable Soup.  Yum!  And tomorrow, I am planning a crock-pot meal of Chicken Marsala so that I have lunch/dinner ready for the rest of the week! I guess that is productivity in its own right...right?  I love being able to do all this and sleep in, but I know that I will have to go back to reality eventually and schoolwork is just as important!

Caramel Apple Scones
(adapted from Recipe Girl)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
1 cup non fat plain greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
1 tsp vanilla
Caramel Icing:
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp skim milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a pan over medium heat, melt butter.  Place diced apple and cinnamon in the pan and cook until apples soften, about 5-7 minutes.  Turn off heat.
3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder.  Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut in the butter until just combined.  Stir in the yogurt, vanilla, and apples.  Mixture will be lumpy.  Do not over work it too much.  Roll out the mixture on a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment paper until you have it formed into a rectangle about 4-5 inches in width.  Cut diagonally into scone (triangle) shaped pieces.  Place on parchment lined baking sheet.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes or until scones have risen and bottoms begin to brown.  Let cool.
5. While baking, make the caramel sauce: in a medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in brown sugar and milk until well combined.  Whisk for a minute.  Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla and powdered sugar until well combined.  Drizzle over finished scones.

Enjoy :)

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Roasted Corn and Green Onions

I recently ran the longest run that I've done in a while.  I've been sort of lazy this winter because it has been so cold and snowy and it is just no fun to run outside.  So, I've been running on the treadmill we have at our apartment building, but I get so bored and it is hard to stay motivated.  I do have Netflix and I worked my way through the entire series of Gossip Girl, but now I don't know what to watch next.  I'm thinking Breaking Bad?  I hear its great so hopefully that will keep me interested and running.  My long run happened because I found Grease on Netflix!  It was fantastic! I ran through most of the movie and then when I started to get tired around 7 miles, I skipped to the end to watch the last few song scenes and made it up to 8 miles! Typically, I've been getting to 5 or 6 on the weekends and then feeling tired/bored.  I felt really good about this run and it was so fun to watch all those classic scenes from Grease.  I don't know what I would do without Netflix!

Running is my way to stay fit and shed a few pounds this winter.  I have also been trying out new, healthy recipes.  The one today is a vegetarian recipe that incorporates some great veggies.  It was also delicious and I gotta send my thanks to How Sweet It Is for the great idea! I love her blog and I always find something delicious on it! It's awesome.

Brown Butter Gnocchi with Roasted Corn and Green Onions
(adapted from How Sweet It Is)

Ingredients:
1 package whole wheat gnocchi, cooked according to directions
2 ears corn
5 green onions, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter
parmesan cheese
few basil leaves, chopped

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and then swirl the pot until the butter browns.  Set aside.
2. Season the corn with a little salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, pour a few tbsp olive oil and place the corn on the skillet.  Turn occasionally and continue to cook until the kernels become bright yellow.  Take the corn off the heat and cut off the kernels. Place back into the skillet and add the chopped green onion and cooked gnocchi.  Cook over medium-low heat until gnocchi becomes toasted.  Turn off the heat, pour in the brown butter, toss to combine and top with parmesan cheese and chopped basil.

Enjoy :)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Vegetarian Pad Thai

Today is a pretty big day.  Besides being my half birthday, I am starting my first day of second semester!  This means it will be the longest I have ever been at the same school during the year.  I'm not sure if this has truly hit me yet.  I am still feeling like a student teacher and at any moment I will switch to a middle school!  I am excited about second semester and I really have been having a great year.  Today is all about Triangle Congruence! I have a lab for my students to experience over the next two days and I am excited to see how it goes!

Also, today is my first day of two online classes that I am taking to continue my education.  I am less excited about this, but the classes do seem interesting and I have never taken an online class before.  I was sort of enjoying the whole graduated thing where I didn't have to worry about personal homework or grades.  However, I do need these classes to get a permanent license for teaching and so it is totally worth it.  The first week, all I have to do is submit an introduction of myself to an online discussion.  Not so bad.

I am also still attempting to be healthy and today's recipe is perfect for that.  It is a lightened up, vegetarian version of Pad Thai.  Bri and I made this as one of the first recipes in our new apartment together.  It was super delicious and I'm actually craving it and considering making it again tonight!

Vegetarian Pad Thai
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
8 oz fresh pad thai noodles
4 limes, for juice and serving
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Siracha sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
14 oz firm tofu
1/2 cup shredded carrots
8 green onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt
roasted peanuts
fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Soak noodles according to directions, drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tsp of canola oil over medium heat.  Add in beaten eggs and cook, undisturbed, until eggs are just set.  Place eggs on a cutting board.  Roll the eggs up and then slice into strips.  Set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add 4 tsp of canola oil and cook the tofu until golden brown, flip so that you get both sides.  This should take about 6-8 minutes for each side.  Place on cutting board and cut into small cubes.
4. In a small bowl, place 2 tbsp lime juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar.  Whisk to combine.
5. Add 1 1/2 tsp of oil to your skillet and heat over medium heat.  Add in the carrots, green onions, and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add in the lime juice mixture and let simmer.  Add noodles and, stirring constantly, cook for another minute.  Add eggs and tofu, toss to combine.
6. Serve mixture with lime wedges, roasted peanuts, and fresh cilantro.

Enjoy :)

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Roasted Garlic Potatoes with Scrambled Eggs

This breakfast was so freakin good that I forgot to take photos!  We had guests who stayed over at our apartment and I threw these potatoes together in the morning for a delightful little brunch.  It was so easy to make and ended up being a huge hit.  These Garlic Potatoes are amazing and definitely a great weekend brunch idea!  Or, serve them as a side with your dinner!  Since it is the weekend, I have brunch on my mind and I figured this was a fantastic recipe to share.

My weekend has already been so much fun! My friends, Russ and Tim, are in town from Wisconsin and we had a great night last night.  We went to dinner at City Dough and had a great meal!  Its right by the Wellington stop on the brown line, so if you are ever in the neighborhood check it out.  Also right there, is DMK Burger Bar which is fantastic, but typically has quite the wait.  So, between these two options you will have a great meal!  After dinner, we met up with some more friends and went out to some bars.  It was a blast.  I, of course, became super tired well before the end of my friend's evening and had to go home (I did get up at 5!).  I am excited to reunite with them today for some more fun around Chicago!

So, here's to a great weekend!  Make some Garlic Roasted potatoes, whip up some scrambled eggs and then you can start your day off with a great breakfast!

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
3 lbs. red potatoes, washed and quartered
6-7 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Toss potatoes in a bowl with enough olive oil to coat and the minced garlic.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3.  Place potatoes in a 9 by 13 inch pan and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes.  Toss every 20 minutes or so.  Serve hot.
4. For the scrambled eggs, I scrambled two eggs with about 2 tbsp of skim milk and a little bit of salt and pepper.  I find that the milk adds a lightness to the eggs that is really great.  Then, I scramble them in a small pan until medium-well done.

Enjoy :)

Friday, January 17, 2014

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

I may or may not be being a bad teacher right now.  It is finals week, and I am currently sitting in the 2nd period final.  2nd period is my Math Lab and so it is not a "math class" and I don't have a final to give.  Instead, I am sitting in a "supervision" where I have to observe students in the cafeteria and keep them from leaving.  It's tough work, but someones got to do it :)

I have some work to do for next semester, but I already graded the three finals from yesterday and I decided that a therapeutic blogging break was in order before I got back to more work.  Plus, I made homemade Peanut Butter Cups and they are just too cute and too yummy to keep hidden from you all.

Plus, I made a major life change yesterday! Well, major and exciting for me.  This is probably too much build up for normal people, but I am not one of those.  I am a crazy enthusiastic reader.  I love books.  I love reading for fun and I have always kept a book next to my bed.  Even in college when I didn't have any time, I still tried to get in 5-10 minutes every night of reading.  I love the way books feel, I love the way a library smells, and I am a tad crazy.  I get stressed when I don't have a new book in mind once I finish one.  Now that I ride the train for an hour every morning and another hour every afternoon, I am going through books like crazy.  I like to buy my books because I like collecting them, rereading them, and lending them out to friends.  So, I am running out of space.  Also, I am running out of money!

For the holidays, I got a ton of money in amazon gift cards and last night I finally broke down and purchased a kindle.  I was holding out because I really love holding a book, but since it is becoming such a passion of mine to read and collect books, I figured this would be a good move.  I am excited to get my new toy and to read more!  I have no idea how these guys work and so if anyone out there has any recommendations, please let me know! And now, back to my delicious treat for the day!

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:
1/2 cup creamy, natural peanut butter
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
pinch of salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
9 oz dark chocolate chips
9 oz milk chocolate chips
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:
1. In a microwave safe bowl, melt 1 tbsp butter, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate in the microwave stirring after every 30 seconds until smooth.
2. In a bowl, beat peanut butter, 2 tbsp butter, and salt.  Beat in powdered sugar until well combined.
3. Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners.  Drop 1 tbsp of chocolate into the bottom of each one.  Then drop 1 heaping tsp of the peanut butter mixture into the center of the chocolate.  Then drop enough chocolate on top to cover the peanut butter and fill to the top.  Place in fridge to chill until hardened.

Enjoy :)


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Eggplant Rollatini

I love Sundays.  This Sunday is a little bittersweet though.  On Friday, after school, I drove straight up to Wisconsin to visit one of my best friends, Tamara.  Tamara is also a teacher and we became besties while in college together.  I truly think we're soul-mates.  We met because when asked to draw a picture of something that represented who we are, we both drew cupcakes.  Seriously.  So it was just wonderful to be able to spend the weekend with her.

She is a basketball coach and so I got to see a bunch of games this weekend.  It was really neat to see her school and her teams playing and it was also relaxing since I got to just sit around and chill out!  I met some of the teachers she works with and it was just nice to see what she has been up to.  On Saturday, we had a great night catching up over some homemade butternut squash risotto, bruschetta, and wine.  We watched movies and had some quality girl time.  I couldn't believe how much I missed those nights from college and it made me nostalgic.  However, it also made me so grateful how close she still is and how easy it was to pop in for a visit.  Friends like this are one in a million and I am so thankful for her and this great weekend.

This is why I am feeling slightly bittersweet on this Sunday.  I had to say goodbye.  But, then I went home to my family, went for a run outside (since its incredibly above freezing today!) and got to spend some time hanging out and just catching up on schoolwork for the coming week.  Finals start Thursday, and so I am organizing my review materials, reviewing the finals, and getting ready for the new semester!  I can't believe second semester is basically here!  This year is flying by!

Anyways, besides that risotto recipe that I linked to (definitely try it!) I have a new recipe to share! THis is going to be consistent with my attempt to eat healthy and lose a little bit of weight.  It is a recipe for baked Eggplant Rollatini.  This looks like lasagna roll-ups, but instead of noodles, you use eggplant!  The extra veggies combined with the delicious cheese and spinach filling is just amazing!  If you are looking for a great meal that is healthy and can feed a crowd (or give you tons of leftovers) this is a great one to try!

Baked Eggplant Rollatini
(adapted from Skinnytaste)


Ingredients:
2 eggplant sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
salt and pepper
your favorite marinara sauce
1/2 cup light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Romano
shredded light mozzarella
10 oz frozen spinach, cooked and drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:
1. Place sliced eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt.  Let sit for 15 minutes and then pat dry.
2. Preheat oven to 400 and place eggplant slices on a lightly greased pan.  Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes or until eggplant slices are slightly softened.  Pat dry again with a paper towel.   
3. In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, cooked spinach, egg, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. 
4.  Pour some sauce into a 13 by 9 inch pan and spread it out to cover the bottom.  Take each eggplant slice and spread some of the cheese mixture down the middle.  Roll up the slice as tightly as you can.  Place into the pan.  Repeat with all of the eggplant slices.  Pour some sauce over the top of the eggplant rolls and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.  
5.  Bake for 60 minutes or until eggplant is very soft and cheese has completely melted.  

Enjoy :)  

Monday, January 6, 2014

Easy Quesadillas

I have a day off of school today due to the extremely cold temperatures!  It is currently -15 degrees where my apartment is and since school is so far north, it is -17 up there!  Jeez!  It is really really cold and so I am planning on staying in, cooking up some comforting Healthy Mac and Cheese, and watching a movie!

I am also going to get an extra head start on more of my schoolwork since I want to be prepared for the next four days as well as the week after.  Finals are coming up and I want to make sure that I am ready with plenty of review activities so that I can help my students be as successful as they can be!

Today, I wanted to share another good "Cold Day" recipe.  It is easy, uses ingredients that you just have lying around, and is delicious.  I love a good clean-out-the-fridge recipe that is also comforting and yummy!

Easy Quesadillas


Ingredients:
medium whole wheat tortillas
light cheddar cheese (or your favorite)
pepperjack (this is the only must-have, it makes them so good)
sliced vegetables (I used red peppers)
avocado, sliced

Directions:
1. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place tortilla on skillet for a few seconds and then cover half with some cheese, then peppers and avocado slices, and then more cheese.  Take empty half of the tortilla and fold it over to cover the other side.  Let it heat up for about 2-3 minutes and then flip the quesadilla and continue to warm for a few more minutes.  The cheese should melt and the quesadilla should stick together.
Serve with salsa or sour cream if you want!

Enjoy :)
Benny's all set for this crazy cold day :)

Friday, January 3, 2014

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

As Winter Break winds down, I have to say I have been so grateful for these two weeks off.  I have slept in, ate when I actually felt hungry, ran almost every day, cooked, played with Benny, watched a ton of Netflix, and read four books! It has been amazing.  Stay-cations really are wonderful!

Last night, I got to have dinner with my mom and saw a ton of my girlfriends at Love's.  It was just like old times and it was great to be with so many wonderful people.  Now that the weekend is here, I have a ton to catch up on for school!

There are two more weeks of first semester which means finals are right around the corner.  I am busy planning lessons to re-teach some of the things we learned right before break (I'm pretty sure I forgot everything over break when I was in high school) and lessons to review before finals.  I can't believe I am nearing the end of my first semester as a teacher.  I have learned so much, gotten to know my students (who are awesome) and have already survived 2 of my 3 evaluations.  I feel like I am well on my way to becoming a pro, but I know I am going to continue to learn for the rest of my career!  For example, I recently went to a co-teaching conference and learned a ton of great strategies to incorporate into my teaching style.  I am excited to try to incorporate a few in the new semester!

And, to celebrate a wonderful break, today I have a recipe that is just delicious.  I know that many of you are trying to eat well and keep to your new years resolutions, but once in a while, it does not hurt to have a little treat!  These White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies are just the trick!  They are chewy, tasty, and comforting!

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 tsp cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk four, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
3. In another large bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and egg white until well combined.  Beat in vanilla.  Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until just combined.  Stir in macadamia nuts and chocolate chips.
4.  Spoon about 2 tbsp of cookie dough and form into a ball.  Place all cookies on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Bibimbap

Well, Happy New Year! I can't believe 2014 is here.  2013 was always such an important year in my mind because of my graduation, job search, and move to a new apartment.  Growing up, I always thought of myself as a member of the "Class of 2013."  I never really thought about 2014, but here it is!

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, I am trying to be healthy and happy in this new year.  While I'm not sure that I believe in hard-core dieting to lose weight, I do want to focus on maintaining my health and keeping up my workout routine.  I downloaded a cool app yesterday that encourages a healthy lifestyle.  It is called Lose It! and it is about weight loss.  You log what you eat and how you exercise.  What I like about the app is that it creates a calorie budget for you based on your age, height, and weight.  Then, you get to set your personal goals, join communities, and record your progress.  I like that this app is personalized and allows me to create a totally manageable goal.  I don't want to do anything extreme, just stay healthy and this app is great for that purpose.  Plus, this app is available for iPhone and Droid as well as a website if you don't want to get the app!

In the spirit of healthy choices, today's recipe is super healthy and easily adapted for any diet.  Bri and I made this to use up a ton of veggies that we had on hand and it ended up being a fantastic meal!

Bibimbap
(adapted from Snapfood)

Ingredients:
2 cups brown rice, cooked according to directions
sesame oil
light soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
assorted fresh vegetables, your favorites!
(I used mushrooms, green onions, shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach and sweet onion)
2 eggs

Directions:
1. All you have to do is sauté the veggies in the sesame and soy sauce.  Use as much oil as you like, less if you want to be healthier!
2. Serve mixed vegetables on top of the cooked brown rice in a bowl.  Top with a fried egg, more soy sauce, and siracha (to taste).

Enjoy :)