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Brown Rice- Cooked The Right Way…
One of the changes I have made recently is to make more brown rice. I started making this healthy rice a few years ago- but didn’t make it very often. The taste wasn’t so good and the texture was even worse. Although I knew how healthy it is, I just couldn’t get myself to eat it.
Then, I noticed Indian basmati brown rice at Trader Joes – which piqued my interest. I brought it home and decided to treat it like white basmati rice. I sauteed it in some olive oil and added a bit of salt. I find brown rice to be quite bland and discovered just a little salt makes a big difference. I also cooked the rice in chicken broth. If you are a vegetarian, try a vegetable broth or even better- mushroom broth. The idea is to add as much flavor to the rice as possible.
So, the first thing to tackle was the flavor- we took care of that. The second is the texture- you have to add extra liquid in order to cook the rice correctly. In this case I started with 1 cup of uncooked rice. You want to add any where from 2 3/4 to 3 cups of chicken broth or water. The third thing to remember is to cook the rice on low heat. This ensures well cooked rice grains.
If you follow these directions, I guarantee a delicious plate of rice that is healthier than white rice. My daughter prefers white rice but eats this with no problem. It’s really up to me- the more I make it, the more she likes it. Try it and let me know how your family reacts…
- 1 cup brown basmati rice
- 2 3/4 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
Add the rice to a deep saucepan with the olive oil. Saute on medium heat for a minute. Add the salt and chicken broth. Bring to a boil on high heat. Lower the heat to medium making sure the broth is still simmering. Cover the saucepan half way. Let it simmer for 20 minutes or till the liquid evaporates on the surface. Cover the saucepan all the way and drop the heat to very low and cook for another 20 minutes. Can be paired with a variety of dishes.
Cauliflower and Scallop Stir Fry
This is a great start to the healthy eating I had envisioned. Cauliflower and scallops are my husband’s two favorite things to eat- usually separately. I thought of using them together in one dish. I have seen some kind a sicilian risotto dish with both cauliflower and scallops used together- with raisins and nuts. I was a bit skeptical pairing them together- but decided to take a chance and go ahead and make a stir fry.
I love doing stir fries. They are quick and easy to make. It is nice to have some kind of tamari and soy sauce in your pantry. Some other things handy for a Chinese inspired dinner are rice vinegar, sweet chili sauce, black bean sauce and of course garlic and ginger are a must. I always have all of these ingredients in my pantry so I can make any dish on a whim.
I started by broiling cauliflower florets with a bit of oil and tamari. This gave the vegetable a sweet nuttiness and a great golden brown color. I then whipped up a simple sauce with black bean sauce, tamari, rice vinegar and sweet chili sauce.
The dish is very simple, yet quite sophisticated. I loved the sweet cauliflower with the sweet scallops. The two textures are similar yet very different. I sliced the scallops in half and got more bang for my buck. Be careful not to over cook the scallops- it will spoil the dish.
I made fabulous brown rice and served the stir fry on top. Big success- it was low fat with very big flavor. Exactly what I am looking for.
- 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to broil.
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Add the cauliflower on to the cookies sheet. Add the soy sauce and oil, mix well and broil till golden brown. Keep aside.
- ½ pound scallops, cleaned and sliced in half
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons black bean sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
Mix well in a bowl and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
- 1 medium white onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
In a wok like saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium high heat. Add the scallops and sauté for a minute (careful not to break them). Add the cauliflower and the sauce. Mix well and serve with brown rice.
Eat This, Not That…
Okay everyone, it the beginning of a New year and it is time to make some changes and most importantly, stick to them.
I am not much into making new year resolutions. I don’t like the pressure nor do I appreciate feeling like a failure if I don’t continue with the resolution. Instead I start making small changes in December and by the time the new year rolls around, I am already used to doing things a bit differently- and more likely to stick with them.
I started a new exercise regiment 3 weeks ago. I am walking briskly on my treadmill for 30 minutes everyday and doing a core and abs work out in addition. I feel good and am already noticing a change in my energy level, etc. I am also thinking of doing a cleanse for a few days. Have any of you out there done one lately? I would love to get more information…
In terms of food, I am incorporating more fish and seafood in our diets. One source I have found is Vital Choice. It is an online resource for fabulous seafood- very healthy and delicious. I will also try to eat less wheat and more vegetables, protein and fruit. It is going to be tough giving up pasta- well, I am not planning on giving it up- just cutting back a bit. I recently bought brown rice pasta from Trader Joes and am excited about using it.
I wanted to share a few things I have changed in my pantry- it’s now been a few years now and I am very happy about it. I got rid of white sugar, white flour and canola oil. I now use turbinado sugar, evaporated cane juice, white whole wheat flour and extra light olive oil. Most of the ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joes, Whole Foods or Costco.
I use all types of raw sugar to bake, cook or just add to hot beverages, etc. Its great to use as many unprocessed things in your cooking as possible. I prefer using extra light olive oil for its goodness. It has absolutely no flavor, so cooking, baking and frying is healthier. I have stopped buying all-purpose flour. I only bake with white whole wheat flour. I feel good about baking cookies and cakes with raw sugar and less processed flour.
The other thing I have incorporated into my day are some raw nuts- walnuts and almonds. Just a hand full do the trick. They get rid of that pesky need to snack on something unhealthy. The best way to store raw nuts is to store them in the freezer. They last a lot longer and don’t turn rancid.
The other thing I look forward to everyday is Really Raw Honey. It is simply the most delicious honey I have ever had. It is completely unprocessed and still has the pollen, honey comb and live enzymes. I top a bowl of fruit and greek yogurt with a spoon full of this amazing honey.
I have shared my healthy plan for 2010 and now would love to know if you have one…
Wrapping Up The Last Decade… and A Big Thank You!
As I write this, it’s very surprising a decade has passed- so quickly. Somehow time seems to pass much faster as I get older. I was thinking of writing a final post for 2009 and I realized that it would be the last one for the decade.
Lots of things to be thankful of- I have been quite busy bringing up our beautiful daughter. I can’t think of a lot of other things that happened in this past decade. I am sure lots did, but somehow it all seems like a blur. Everyone is healthy and happy- thank God.
Oh, one thing that stands out in my mind is our big kitchen renovation two years ago. It started May of 2007 and continued for about 6 months. We were without a kitchen for about 3 months. I managed with a hot plate and a fridge in my living room. The food was obviously not the focus at that time but thanks to a few good friends, we got some yummy food delivered to us. By the time everything was done, we were thoroughly sick of eating out (never thought I would say that)- and then the big reveal- I saw my beautiful kitchen with the extended area including a dining room, sitting room, mud room, guest room and a bathroom. I was beyond thrilled- even now when I come down in the morning, I look around and marvel at the space and all the colors. It makes me extremely happy. My stove, fridge and sink thrill me. I love looking at them and of course using them.
Once the kitchen finished end of 2007, I began thinking of using my kitchen to teach cooking classes. I started in Fall 2008. End of that year, I changed my static website to a blog and decided to post a recipe everyday through the week- I guess the point was to give people ideas what to cook.
Well, what started as an experiment has become a part of my life. As I cook anything, I am thinking how to post it on this blog. The blog has lead to many interesting things, including writing for the New York Times, The Local and AOL’s, The Patch. I never thought I would enjoy writing so much.. and I never thought people would enjoy my recipes so much.
This is my way of thanking all of you for reading, commenting on and most of all cooking my recipes. It is the best feeling in the world when someone emails me or stops me in Maplewood village to tell me how they cooked at home instead of going out and how easy it was to follow a recipe on my blog.
So, here is to a new year filled with delicious, healthy recipes from my side and lots of comments and cooking from yours!!