An Asian stir-fry has long been considered a healthful choice.

But the idea of combining rice with a small amount of meat and lots of vegetables exists in other cultures, too.

The Spanish paella (pi-AY-yuh) is a nutritious one-dish meal that includes saffron-flavored rice, bite-size bits of seafood, chicken and sausage as well as tomatoes and peas.

Like a stir-fry, which is made in a wok, paella is typically made in a special wide, flat, two-handled pan. But unlike a stir-fry, paella is not a quick dish to prepare. Even a "simple" paella recipe at www.spain-recipes.com takes 60 to 90 minutes.

The Star's Weeknight Paella uses quick-cooking brown rice to speed things up. While quick-cooking versions shorten the amount of time needed to get dinner on the table, brown rice pumps up the nutrition. The whole grain contains fiber (1 cup has 3.5 grams), B vitamins and trace minerals manganese and selenium.

The USA Rice Federation (www.usarice.com) confirms that quick-cooking varieties have virtually the same nutrition as long-cooking brown rice. Brown rice also has not had the bran covering removed, so it is less fluffy than white rice but has a nuttier flavor.

Shopping tips: Saffron is pricey and can easily bust a budget. If you don't want to make the investment, doubling the amount of turmeric used is an adequate substitution.

We used mild smoked turkey sausage; if you want to kick it up a notch, add optional hot pepper sauce.

Cooking tip: For testing, we used Minute Brand quick-cooking brown rice; it cooks in about 10 minutes.

WEEKNIGHT PAELLA

Makes 6 servings

3 cups quick-cooking brown rice

1 cup frozen peas

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 chicken breasts (about 4 ounces each), diced

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces fully cooked smoked turkey sausage, sliced

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

¼ teaspoon turmeric

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ to ½ teaspoon hot seasoning sauce, optional

8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Prepare brown rice according to package directions. When rice is removed from heat, stir in peas, cover and allow to stand 5 minutes.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is done. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside. Add onion and garlic to skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Add sausage to skillet and heat through.

Stir in tomatoes, spices and seasonings; bring to a simmer. Add shrimp to tomato mixture; cover and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes until shrimp is done. Stir in chicken and brown rice.

Per serving: 437 calories (15 percent from fat), 7 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 94 milligrams cholesterol, 67 grams carbohydrates, 26 grams protein, 352 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber.

Recipe developed for The Star by home economists Kathryn Moore and Roxanne Wyss