This gluten-free vegan recipe makes yesterday’s vegetable platter into a satisfying meal. Like traditional Thai food, this recipe uses a combination of salty, sweet, sour and spicy ingredients to enhance the flavor of the vegetables. Prep and cooking time 20 min (not counting cooking the rice). Makes 2 servings. 

2 cups of cooked brown rice
half an onion diced
1 clove of garlic diced
3-6 oz tofu cut into half-inch squares
1 tsp sesame oil (or vegetable broth)
1 tsp coconut oil or any vegetable oil (or vegetable broth)
1 cup of a mix of diced vegetables (carrot sticks, peppers, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, etc)
1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
1 tsp brown rice syrup (or powdered palm sugar or other sweetener)
1tsp brown rice vinegar (or white vinegar, umeboshi vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, etc. Up to you. Something sour)
dried or fresh chilies to taste
Cucumbers? Put them on the side for garnish and rice scooping

If cooking with oil:
1. Heat the oil on a low flame in a frying pan, wok or wide shallow pot
2. Add the tofu and fry until just starting to brown on at least one side. Stir every couple minutes. Add a splash of soy sauce, vinegar and sweetener and stir.
3. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 3-5 minutes. Stir a couple times
4. Add the chopped vegetables and fry for 3-5 minutes. Stir a couple times
5. Add the remaining soy sauce, vinegar and sweetener to the bottom of the pan so the sauces mix together beneath the vegetables
6. Add the rice and heat until warm

If cooking without oil:
1. Heat vegetable broth on a low flame in a frying pan, wok or wide shallow pot
2. Add the onions and cook until the start to soften
3. Add the tofu and more veg broth if the onions did not create enough liquid
4. Add the chopped vegetables and fry for 3-5 minutes. Stir a couple times
5. Add the remaining soy sauce, vinegar and sweetener to the bottom of the pan and mix 
6. Add the rice and heat until warm

Pack the fried rice into a small bowl that will make the rice a pretty shape on your plate. It’s like playing in the sandbox. Pack the bowl and turn it over on your plate. Sprinkle chilies on top for some spice.