It’s Monday…and most of what I see on social media (the little that I see) is about the dreaded start to the week.  Here we go again.  Why can’t we just make the weekend last a bit longer.  Can we call in a sickie and have a duvet day.  My head hurts from celebrating Ireland’s win over France in rugby, blah, blah, blah.

But personally I am grateful it is Monday!  Maybe because I have seen the preciousness of life before my very eyes.  To me everyday is special and I am grateful for everything, the good and the bad, because it is all part of the journey.  And when I put on this shirt today, I knew it was time I shared a little story and yes a foodie recipe too!

Those of you that know me, know I say a blessing before I eat a meal.  Lots of my friends and co workers are used to it and not bothered by it.  I don’t do it to be showy or pious.  Yes I am a Catholic Christian.  But I don’t do a blessing as an edict set out by my religion, though I know that is part of its precepts.  I say a blessing before I eat because there were times in my life when I had little or no food at all.  Only through the generosity of strangers, the church, food banks and other places would I have food to eat.

Recently I was at a restaurant by myself and said my prayer as I always do.  Just after I tucked into my delicious breakfast a lovely older man walked over to me and said, “I’m sorry to bother you but I saw you saying a blessing before you ate.  That is wonderful. You don’t see that anymore.”  I just thanked him for his kindness but didn’t get into my story of why, as I can at times do a bit of over sharing as you have learned.  But it made me realize that we are so conditioned in more affluent Western societies that food is in such abundance and we take it for granted. It is especially surprising in Ireland as it really wasn’t long ago that many of our ancestors were affected by the Great Famine.

This is not a blog post about how you should be praying, or giving to the hungry.  I am just putting a face to a phenomenon that we don’t notice because it might not look like one of us!  I remember hearing kids at school say that their parents told them to clean their plates every night at dinner because there were starving children in China.  I didn’t tell them, “well my mom doesn’t say that to us because actually, I am starving too, right here in the good old USA.”

And so I thought that today I would make a Chinese inspired dish.  For the “Starving Children in China” that I ne’r heard my mom talk about when I was a kid.   And while I might not be able to actually feed all those hungry kids, I can be grateful for the fact that I have food to eat today.  This is actually a ‘go to’ recipe that I make often as it helps to clear out my fridge of all sorts of goodies.  I hate wasting food (for obvious reason just mentioned above) and this quick meal is healthy and delicious.  I tend to make it on a Monday since I usually have left over roasted chicken from the weekend and some veg as well.  It can also be made with prawns or with just vegetables.  You don’t have to wait until a Monday to make it. You can prep all the bits and pieces separately to put this together yourself any day of the week.

The Guardian Newspaper just published a list of food dishes that every person should be able to cook by the age of 30.  And guess what?  Fried rice was on the list.  I suppose that it is quite easy to pick up a fried rice at a take way on the way home from work, but then of course it isn’t so healthy.  When you make food at home you know exactly what goes into it.  It is cheap, cheerful and non challenging for the beginner chef!

“Healthified” Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked Brown Rice (can use white rice as well if you prefer)

2 Free Range Eggs, put into a bowl and beaten a bit

1 cup cooked Chicken (or you can use prawns or pork whatever protein you desire or none at all)

1/2 of one large Onion, chopped

Soy sauce to taste (can use a gluten free variety)

Salt/pepper to taste

1 cup mixed cooked veggies (I usually use steamed peas, carrots, and broccoli)

A bit of butter or oil

Handful of mixed seeds and one spring onion (sliced) for topping

Method:

In a frying pan/skillet cook the chopped onion until soft (about 5 mins) and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Then add the chicken, rice and veg stir around until all mixed.  Move over to one side of the pan and add the beaten eggs to the other side of the pan and let them cook until loosely scrambled.  Then incorporate everything together and add soy sauce to taste.

Place on a plate or bowl and sprinkle with seeds and spring onion.

This recipe usually makes enough for two people.  Though my Hubby thinks it is enough for an army since I usually only have one helping (with a salad on the side) and he has to eat the rest.  But I love to make sure that anyone who eats at my table is fantastically full at the end of the meal!

While Pope Francis has been quoted as saying, “When you waste food you are stealing from the poor” as a person who was poor, I don’t think I would have known whether anyone was wasting or not.   But I think it was a powerful statement to make as it brings attention to an ongoing issue and his words might help turn the tide.  I love that some well known celebuchefs such as Jamie Oliver are bringing attention to the fact that much of the food that super markets throw away is in fact good and viable to use for feeding people.

So even if you don’t give this recipe a whirl, just know that I am grateful that you and I will have something to eat today whatever it may be.  We are all very blessed indeed!

Gr 8 Full LOVE!

YDP

ps. I did a tutorial of the fried rice on snapchat today (user name blissbakery) but this will vanish in 24 hours.  Subsequently I think I might do this for the youtube channel which is now semi-official.  There is one demo up there at the moment.  Of course, you know what is it is called right? YANKEEDOODLEPADDY! HELLOOOO!  So slowly, slowly its unfolding my friends!