In a small sauce pot, combine the rice and 1½ cups [2½ cups] water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover, and keep warm. Meanwhile, start preparing the rest of the meal.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup [2 cups] water to a boil. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Drain the spinach, transfer to a medium bowl, and let cool. Wipe out the pan. While the water is heating and the spinach is cooking, prepare the remaining vegetables.

• Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then crosswise into ¼-inch-thick half-moons. 
• Trim the root ends from the scallions; thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate. Set aside the white parts for your protein and the green parts for garnish.

In the same pan used for the spinach, warm 1 teaspoon [2 tsp] oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches if needed, arrange the squash in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook, turning once, until lightly browned and starting to soften, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Add more oil between batches if needed. Do not clean the pan.

• Ground meat: Cut a small corner from the ground meat packaging and drain off any excess liquid. Transfer to a plate; pat dry with a paper towel. 
• Tofu: Pat the tofu dry with paper towels; cut into ½-inch cubes. 
• Plant-based chicken: Pat the plant-based chicken dry with a paper towel.

Measure 1 tablespoon [2 TBL] bibimbap sauce base for your protein and 1 tablespoon [2 TBL] for finishing the spinach. To the remaining sauce base, add as much gochujang as you like; set aside for serving. 

In the same pan used for the squash, warm 1 to 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add your protein and white parts of the scallions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring and breaking up the ground meat if using, until the protein is lightly browned but not yet cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes for tofu, and 3 to 5 minutes for ground meat or plant-based chicken.

Add 1 tablespoon [2 TBL] bibimbap sauce base and cook, stirring occasionally, until your protein is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the plate alongside the squash and cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan.

When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible, then roughly chop and return to the bowl. Add 1 tablespoon [2 TBL] bibimbap sauce base and toss to combine.

When the rice is almost done, in the same pan used for your protein, warm 1 to 2 teaspoons butter or oil (from your pantry) over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Crack the eggs directly into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the whites have set and the yolks are slightly runny, 2 to 3 minutes. If you prefer firmer yolks, cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. 

Transfer the rice to individual bowls. Place the spinach, squash, carrots, and your protein in separate piles on top of the rice. Top each bowl with an egg. Garnish with the green parts of the scallions and as much bibimbap sauce–gochujang mixture as you like and serve.