Scallion-ey Soy Sauce-ey Eggs

A meal concept I've been into lately

I’ve never really been the kind of dietitian to share original recipes.

Mostly because that’s not really how I tend to cook. I don’t like rules and to me, recipes feel like rules, which makes me want to rebel and go off script.

The only time I will not go off script is with baking. I’m (mostly) a rule follower with baking because I know there’s some precise food science going on and I don’t want to mess with it.

Though I don’t plan to start sharing recipes with you here, I thought it’d be fun to share “meal concepts” that I’ve been into lately.

To me, the difference between a meal concept and a recipe is this:

A recipe has a strict set of ingredients and instructions regarding the syntax of combining the ingredients. A meal concept is a loose idea for yummy combinations with lots of room to make it your own.

So here’s a meal concept I’ve been into lately:

Eggs steamed with scallions and soy sauce over rice

What you need:

• egg(s)

• sesame oil (or another oil/ butter to cook with)

• scallions, chopped

• soy sauce

• rice (I like the 3 minute microwavable one from TJ’s)

• a pan, ideally with a cover that fits

Optional:

• Frozen scallion pancake from TJ’s (you’ll see how this can come into play later)

• Chili onion crunch from TJ’s, chili oil, or another spicy component of your choosing

Here’s some loose instructions for making this meal concept come to life:

1.) Heat a pan and add sesame oil (any oil would work here, I enjoy the taste of sesame in this case)

2. Wait for the oil to heat up. Here’s my depiction of feeling for when the pan feels hot enough:

3. Crack an egg (or 2 or 3 or however many your heart desires). If the pan is hot enough, you should notice the whites of the egg congealing almost immediately upon hitting the pan. This is good.

4.) Immediately add your chopped scallion right on top of the egg. It’s okay that the egg isn’t fully cooked yet— don’t worry.

5.) Quickly add a dash of soy sauce right onto the egg and cover. Turn down the heat and let it rock for maybe like ~2 mins (or less if you like your egg more runny). The egg will cook quickly because of the steam from the soy sauce inside the covered pan. I’ve accidentally made my eggs too hard many times. Keep a close eye to avoid this.

5.) Prepare your rice. I’m a fan of 3 minute microwavable rice, but any rice will do.

I like to put some sesame oil on my rice to add some fat and flavor. When cooking, we must not fear fat! Fat = satisfaction and (putting my Intuitive Eating RD hat on) satisfaction = fulfillment which means moving on after eating feeling fulfilled making you less likely to feel preoccupied with food or binge later.

6.) Time to check on your eggs. I like to give the pan a little wiggle to see if they’re done. To me, they’re done when the yellows wiggle a little but not too much. I know that’s not very precise, but I warned you up front, precise isn’t my style.

7.) Using a spatula, transfer your scallioney, soy saucey eggs to your rice and top with chili oil or another spicy component if that’s your thing.

8.) At this point, I like to break the yolk and mix everything up. Because I’m a big fan of sweet and savory combo, I’ll typically eat this meal with a cup of tea with milk and sugar or a matcha latte.

As an alternative option, if you don’t have rice or you don’t like rice, you can make this version:

Follow all the above steps but instead of making rice, heat up a frozen scallion pancake from TJ’s. This is a different source of carb that compliments the protein from the egg and the fat from the oil wonderfully. Lately I’ve been very into this version of the meal concept.

I like to dip the scallion pancake in sour cream. So dreamy.

I hope you enjoyed that meal concept! I think this goes without saying, but just in case: the idea of having soy sauce, rice, eggs, and scallions certainly isn’t original. I recognize that these combination of ingredients comes from cultures that aren’t my own.

What do you think? Would you like to hear meal concepts from me more regularly? I’m still very much feeling out how to use this channel to share different parts of myself.

If you didn’t know, I run a business as an intuitive eating dietitian where I work with folks to heal their relationships with food and body. I write a separate newsletter for my business that you can subscribe to here if you’re interested in intuitive eating and body image healing content.

xoxo

Leah