10 minute stir fry for one

There's this terribly delicious stir-fry recipe I got a while back. The only problem is that the rest of my family mostly feels the "delicious" part of that description ought to be left out and that "terrible" would suit it just fine.

I tell you, this place is growing more and more similar to a Crazy House everyday.

Fortunately, I stumbled into this easy alternative yesterday and just have to share. It's super fast and easy, includes some protein and veggies, is seasonally sensitive...as well as lazy shopper sensitive because these things are in my fridge or cupboard most of the time.

So here we go. Set your timer for 10 minutes.

1. Put a small pan on a small burner and turn the heat to medium-high.

2. Pull out a carrot and head of cabbage from the fridge. Chop them up. Cut those carrots on a bias if you're wearing your fancy pants.

3. Assist/scold children in whatever activity they are engaged in.

4. Put down a little oil in your hot pan and toss in the veggies. I sprinkle a little salt over top to softed them up a little faster.

5. Once those veggies have just the smallest amount of crunch left in them, push them to the side of the pan and crack an egg into the empty space. Stir it up to scramble and cook. Once the egg is mostly cooked stir the veggies back into it.

6. Time to get saucy. Turn the heat off (keeping the pan on the burner) and add 1 Tb soy sauce, 1 Tb vinegar, 1 Tb peanut butter and 1/2 Tb white sugar. I also add a good dash of cayenne at this point. You're probably supposed to blend this before adding to the pan...but I find making a little space for it and mixing in the pan before stirring it through the egg & veggies works fine too.

7. Quickly assist child who has locked themselves in the bathroom.

8. Add rice. So you'll need 1/2-1 c. leftover rice in the fridge waiting for you if you want this to be fast. You'll have to think 20 minutes ahead of time if you don't. Stir your rice into the pan. The rice is cold, the burner is off (if the burner is still hot, remove pan from it), but if you're fast, you can mix in the rice, stick a plate over the pan and the remaining heat will take care of things nicely.

9. After squelching another child-related uprising, flip your pan and plate over, throw on some cilantro if you've got it, and you've got a 10-minute stir-fry for yourself:

I like this for breakfast -- got to my salt and vinegar somehow -- but lunch or dinner would work just as nicely.