Crispy eggplant bacon takes the place of meat in a quick fried rice, adding smoke and richness without extra shopping. The plant-based strips stay crunchy against the rice and eggs, making this shelf ingredient do the heavy lifting.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 18 at the stove.

About 1120 calories a serving, 25 g protein, 198 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need one package plant based eggplant bacon (Simple Truth), 2 cups cooked rice, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 medium onion, to taste salt, to taste pepper.

1. Chop the eggplant bacon into bite-sized pieces and fry in 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until the edges crisp, about 4 minutes, stirring often; move to a plate.
2. In the same pan, scramble 2 eggs in 1 tablespoon oil, breaking them into small pieces as they cook, then push to the side when just set.
3. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 medium onion minced, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute while the pan stays hot.
4. Stir in 2 cups cooked rice, breaking up clumps, then add the eggplant bacon back and toss everything together until heated through, about 2 minutes.3 min
5. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then divide between two bowls.

Cook mode

Note Swap fresh diced tomato for the onion if you prefer. Keeps three days chilled in an airtight container and reheats gently in a pan with a splash of water. Serve with hot sauce and a simple slaw of shredded cabbage.