I am a morning person. I naturally rise earlier than most. I love the stillness of mornings and am thrilled by sunrises. But calling myself a morning person tends to lead to mistakes like thinking I can think about tomorrow’s lunch tomorrow morning rather than just planning and getting it ready tonight. On a groggy morning the only thing that saves me is a fridge with lots of prepped ingredients that can be assembled into different things.
Instructions if you care to duplicate this dish: stumble into kitchen. Put one cup of rice and one cup of coconut milk along with a little salt in the instant Pot. Set on high pressure for six minutes and plan for 10 minutes of natural release before opening lid. Make sure the thingamajig on top is set to seal.
Meanwhile, pull out all the spiralized veg in the fridge from the last couple of days of spring rolls. Pack the cucumbers, yellow squash and carrots in a small weck jar. Note that you are finishing off the carrots and remember that you should look for fatter carrots next time – easier to spiralize. Dress the veg with the dregs of the bottle of nuóc châm and a splash of rice vinegar. Close jar and shake.
Snip herbs on hand – mint, chives, cilantro into small container. Pour a little coconut cilantro dressing left over from the Moosewood Restaurant Table African Grain Bowl recipe into a smaller container. Slice strawberries into container.
When complete, open instant Pot and taste rice. Decide to go for a bit more salt next time. Divide rice into single serving containers while realizing you eat rice too seldom to really know what a single serving ought to be.
Go get dressed. Remember that you have neglected protein on this plate. Open a can of black beans and portion some out. Eat one bean. Decide to count on the flavors in everything else to
make up for the blandness of the beans. Decide that “the blandness of the beans” is as good a summation of bleakness as you can imagine.
At lunch, assemble plate. Realize that your coworkers are fully aware of this odd part of your life so you are free to take your plate to an empty conference room for a natural light #notsaddesklunch photo. Wonder idly if it is cheating to then eat it at your desk under the fluorescents.
Serves 1. Gladly.