While we often enjoy this as a meal, this delicious cashew vegetable fried rice is equally perfect as a side dish! Full of yummy veggies, whole grain rice and cashews it is packed with nutrition too.

I usually double this vegetable fried rice so there are leftovers for lunch the next day. It is that good, that it tastes delicious even cold.

What you’ll love about this recipe:

EASY – You can prepare the rice and chop any fresh veggies a day or two before and store in the refrigerator making it an easy to cook up when you are ready
HEALTHY – With whole grain rice, veggies and raw cashews this makes for a hearty and healthy main or side
INEXPENSIVE – Simple inexpensive pantry items like the whole grain rice and nuts, plus veggies (fresh or frozen). I often make it when I have some veggies that need using up to save waste and hence money!

This cashew fried rice was inspired by our local farmers market

While I love all the on-farm markets in our area during the growing season, our community Farmer’s Market that is held at (oddly enough) Market Square every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday all year long. Saturday brings in the most vendors and you can buy everything from fresh eggs, honey, produce, seasonal flowers, locally made essential oils, meats, cheeses, and the list goes on and on.

Visiting the Saturday market is a highlight no matter what time of year. In the summer it is bursting with the local farmer’s bounty, from November, through the holidays it is a great place to shop local for gifts. Signs of spring start to pop up around February with tulips and other spring florals to bring home and brighten up those remaining winter days.

We always buy at least a pound of cashews at the Saturday Market, but quite often more. The nut vendor has the absolute best cashews I have ever eaten. I buy the raw cashews for cooking, and the roasted & salted cashews for snacking. Either way, they have the most rich, almost buttery flavour. We usually break open the bag as soon as we get in the car.

Of course, fresh carrots, broccoli and onions are plentiful at the market every week. The beauty of this Cashew Vegetable Fried Rice though, is that you can throw in whatever veggies suit your fancy. Cauliflower or even Brussels sprouts would be delicious too!

Handy tip: Prepare Ahead!

Prepare the rice and chop any veggies a day or two ahead and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This makes it the perfect quick week night meal or side dish during the holidays when there is lots to do in the kitchen!

Cashew Vegetable Fried Rice

Name: Cashew Vegetable Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 large carrots, diced small; 1 onion, diced small; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup small broccoli florets; 1/2 cup cashews; 4 cups cooked brown rice; 3/4 cup frozen peas,; 1/4 cup soya sauce, low sodium

Yield: 8 side servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This hearty cashew vegetable fried rice is an easy and delcious dish that is equally perfect as a side or a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

2 large carrots, diced small
1 onion, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup small broccoli florets
1/2 cup cashews
4 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup frozen peas,
1/4 cup soya sauce, low sodium

Instructions

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat, add carrot and onion and saute until almost tender. Add garlic and continue to saute for 1 more minute. Add cashews and broccoli florets to the pan and continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is fork tender.
.Add the cooked rice, soya sauce and peas. Season with salt and pepper, stir occasionally until peas are cooked and rice is heated through.