Weekday Rice Bowl

I don’t tend to look to the airport restaurant options as inspiration for recipe posts, but I’m 2 for 1 on recipe recreations for a particular spot in the Denver airport. Have you tried Modern Market, there is actually a location in Dallas, but I’ve only ever eaten here in the Denver airport after two stints in Vail, CO. Peep my Wintergreen Salad recipe. A recreated menu item that I loved finding in the airport a couple of years ago after an indulgent bachelorette trip.

I think most can agree you feel a sense of creativity, emotion, and recharge after a trip. As a food blogger, this is particularly true. I love being inspired by travel eats. A few items on my mental list to recreate are the warm pimento cheese with bacon jam from Mountain Standard in Vail, and the Nutella Stuffed Banana Cookie from Thoroughbread in Austin.

Today I’m recreating a dish my sister actually ordered for breakfast after our trip to Vail. In no other place other than….the airport. I can’t find it on the current Modern Market menu, but this breakfast rice bowl really fits the bill for a satisfying and healthy meal before a flight. I gathered all the ingredients on my post-vacation grocery run and quickly made it for lunch. I hope you enjoy!

Weekday Rice Bowl
yields 1 serving

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked rice (I use brown basmati)
1/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed (I like to buy this veggie hash at TJ’s for optimal veggie content. If you don’t like corn, chopped yellow bell pepper would also be great.)
1 sunny-side-up fried egg
Pickled Red Onions (I love to make my own)
Cojita cheese
Verde Salsa
Hot Sauce
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

Directions:
In a small saute pan, lightly heat rice, quinoa, black beans, and corn over low heat until warmed through. Oil is not needed in the pan for this step. If things start to stick, add a small amount of water to loosen it in the pan and continue to warm everything through.

Remove the rice mixture from the pan and add to your serving dish. In the same pan, add a small amount of oil. Fry your egg over medium heat until the whites are set and the yolk is runny.

Add the fried egg to your rice mixture. Top with cheese, pickled red onions, verde salsa, and a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and hot sauce!

Annie