Want something with little prep time but very fulfilling to hunger? Super high on the YUM meter and healthy? This was inspired by my mama, Mei-Lien. She’s one of the best cooks every – I swear I’m not being biased here even though I’m pretty much made out of what she’s fed me. It’s some sort of brown rice risotto….try it!

Ingredients:

1. Brown rice (boiled or you can buy microwaveable packaged ones for the lazy or rushed folks); 1/2-1 cup depending on how much leftovers you want.
2. Pesto – about 4 spoonfuls if you are using a cup of rice.
3. Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
4. Sea salt – however salty you like.
5. Sun-dried tomatoes – about 5-6
6. Anything else you want to throw in! Use your own creativity: mushrooms, chopped, sauteed onions….all depends on how much effort you want to put in and how much leftover scraps you want to use up.

Mix it all together. EAT appreciating these little pleasures nature gives us…

For those new to the rice field, there are many different types of rice. Brown rice is deemed one of the healthiest rices because it hasn’t been “processed” like white has. Www.whfoods.com explains, “The process that produces brown rice removes only the outermost layer, the hull, of the rice kernel and is the least damaging to its nutritional value. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Fully milled and polished white rice is required to be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3 and iron.”

There are two types of brown rice.

1. Fully unpolished – is when the entire bran layer is not removed, the color of the rice is very brown.

2. Partially unpolished – only part of the bran is removed, the color of the rice is light brown.

When cooking brown rice some advise that you should first soak it in water for 25 to 30 minutes before cooking but for me, I just cook it longer and use more water than I would rice and it comes out fine. I honestly have no technique with this. For fully unpolished it may be better to soften the bran layer on the rice seed. The ratio of rice to water is 1:2 (1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water). After the brown rice is done cooking, it’s naturally firmer than it’s whiter partner (polished).

Why brown rice? The “rougher” rice as opposed to the polished white?

• Provides all necessary carbohydrates requirements.
• Rich in fibers.
• Helps control blood sugar.
• Helps control cholesterol.
• It is a body building food.
• Beneficial for stomach and intestinal ulcers and for diarrhea. It is easily digested starch food.
• Because of the mineral content, it supplies important nutrient for the hair, teeth, nails, muscles and bones.


Written by Christine Cauble; referenced and excerpted via http://www.whfoods.com/