Carbo Load with Meat-free Meals

Days before my 4th NYC Triathlon, I decided to prepare some tasty, quick, simple meat free meals that would be healthy, easy on my tummy and sufficient for carbo loading. With the help of Trader Joe's, Boca and Morning Star products and some basic ingredients at home, I was able to do just that.

On Wednesday night, I made Japanese style fried rice with edamame, tofu and hijiki seaweed and a flame grill patty served on top. This dish can be dry, so if this is the case and you'd like to add more flavor, I suggest adding some sriracha sauce, which can make it spicy or a dollop of sweet and sour sauce to add sweetness.

Need:

• Package Trader Joe's Japanese style fried rice with edamame, tofu and hijiki seaweed
• 1 patty Boca all american flame grilled veggie burgers
• 3 eggs
• Furikake vegetable mix (or any furikake mix will do) to taste (buy at any Japanese Supermarket)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Pam

Do:

• Spray Pam in large frying pan. Heat pan. Add half or full bag of Trader Joe's style fried rice to pan (depends on how hungry you are). Allow rice to defrost in pan for 8 minutes while tossing. Add 3 eggs over the rice and scramble into rice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook rice until eggs are completed cooked. Sprinkle furikake and mix into rice. Put aside on a plate. 
• Respray pan with Pam. Put 1-2 Boca veggie patties in pan (depending on how hungry you are). Fry on both sides until well done. Put patty over rice.

The following evening, I made Morning Star chik patty burgers with Trader Joe's tofu edamame nuggets. You can obviously be creative about what you put into burgers, but I chose to keep it very simple adding only condiments. You can also make a dipping sauce for the nuggets if you want more flavor, but I like to eat them plain. A creamy aioli sauce works well or Russian dressing.

Need:

• 2 Morning Star chik patties original
• Package Trader Joe's tofu edamame nuggets
• Hamburger buns (I used Arnold 100% whole wheat sandwich thins)
• Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Relish, Mustard
• Pam

Do:

• Spray Pam in large frying pan. Place both patties and nuggets in the pan at the same time (if space is available). Continue flipping until all sides are cooked to crisp. 
• Place on hamburger buns and dress up with condiments of your choice. You can even add tomato, lettuce, pickles, etc.

So tasty, quick and simple. Enjoy!