brown rice

,

Delicata Squash stuffed with Brown Rice, Caramelized onion, Spinach and Toasted Walnuts

,
IMG_2625.jpeg

I have been cooking with delicata squash a decent amount during shelter-in-place since we are limiting trips to the grocery store and they have a long storage life. I’ve experimented with stuffed squash (I even posted a recipe about a month ago) and I am really loving them! Using whatever you have on hand, you can create delicious combinations! This one is so tasty, and I love how the toasted walnuts compliment the nuttiness of the brown rice. I plan to make this over and over again. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

(serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side)

  • 2 delicata squash

  • 1 cup brown rice, rinsed

  • 1 yellow onion, sliced 

  • 4 cups spinach 

  • ¾ cup walnuts, toasted

  • 1 tbsp butter

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

  • 1 clove of garlic, smashed

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

  • Cook brown rice according to package directions.

  • Prepare the squash by cutting off the ends, slicing lengthwise and removing the seeds. Coat the squash with avocado oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and tender.

  • In a pan over medium heat, saute onion in butter and a pinch of salt, stirring every so often until caramelized, which will take about 25 min. Deglaze pan with 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar. Add spinach to the pan and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.

  • Make vinaigrette with olive oil, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.

  • Pour vinaigrette over cooked brown rice and then add spinach and onion. Stir to combine. Stuff squash with brown rice mixture  and top with walnuts.

  • Optional: Garnish with fresh parsley 

, ,

Brown Rice Bowl with Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, and Peanut Sauce

, ,
DA88BD2B-AFBA-4A7B-8E72-4F1E22705D99.jpeg

Peanut butter is an American classic. Who didn’t grow up with PB+J as a household staple?! While peanut butter and jelly is still a favorite of mine, I love using this creamy ingredient when baking or to add some richness to a dish, in the form of a flavorful sauce. Peanuts are given a hard time these days and there are many misconceptions around whether they are healthy or unhealthy for us. Peanuts (and peanut butter) are legumes (in the same family as beans, lentils), not nuts. They can be a healthy addition to our diets, but it’s important to consider quality when shopping for these ingredients. Most peanut butters out there contain added ingredients like hydrogenated oils and sugars, which can cause inflammation and weight gain. If shopping for peanut butter, look for organic peanut butter with only one ingredient: peanuts.

Here is a simple recipe that can be adapted however you like! If you have other fresh veggies on hand, like peppers, spinach, asparagus (whatever it may be), feel free to swap those in instead! You can also just make this sauce and use it as a dipping sauce for chicken, beef, or spring rolls. I personally love how both the brown rice and peanut butter have a nutty flavor profile, but feel free to swap our brown rice for a grain of your choosing (quinoa, Farro, buckwheat)!

Ingredients:

(serves 4)

  • 1 ½ cups of brown rice

  • 2 sweet potatoes, cut into ¾ inch cubes

  • 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets

  • 4 zucchini, cut into ¾ inch cubes

  • 3 tbsp avocado oil

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Peanut sauce Ingredients:

  • ½ cup creamy or crunchy natural peanut butter

  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)

  • 2 tsp honey

  • 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice

  • 2 cloves of garlic, pressed

  • 3 tbsp warm water


Directions:

  • Prepare brown rice according to package instructions.

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss sweet potatoes with half of the avocado oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes, flipping about halfway.

  • With 20 minutes left of roasting for the sweet potatoes, toss broccoli and zucchini with the remaining avocado oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.

  • While veggies roast, prepare the peanut sauce. Add more water and lime juice if necessary to reach a smooth consistency.

  • Once veggies are cooked, create brown rice bowls topped with vegetables and peanut butter sauce! 

Health Benefits of Peanut Butter:

  • Peanuts/peanut butter are a high-protein food, making them a great option for a post-workout snack (to build and repair muscles) or for a midday snack that fills you up between meals

  • Half the fat in peanut butter is comprised of oleic acid, which is a health monounsaturated fat (also found in olive oil). It also contains linoleic acid, an essential omega-6 fatty acid. It’s important to keep in mind the importance of balancing our omega-6 intake with omega-3 foods.

  • Peanut butter is high in antioxidants, which can help our bodies fight oxidative stress.

  • The high amounts of unsaturated fats, vitamin E, and B vitamins found in peanut butter are beneficial to improving brain health!


Sources and additional reading:

Brown Rice Mushroom Leek Risotto

IMG_2172.jpeg

I love a delicious, creamy, satisfying risotto as much as the next person, however, I find that I rarely actually order this dish at a restaurant because they are always loaded with butter, cheese, and cream. Classic risottos can be so incredibly rich, and when I order it I often end the meal feeling sick. That is why I created a healthier version of one of my favorite dishes - a risotto made with leeks, mushrooms, and a whole grain brown rice. It’s still rich and creamy, but it will leave you feeling nourished rather than ill after enjoying. Hope you love it as much as I do!

Ingredients:

(serves 2, generously)

  • 1 cup brown rice

  • 2 cups mushrooms (I use shitake), cleaned and sliced

  • 4 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced

  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 tbsp butter or ghee

  • ½ tsp salt

  • ½ tsp pepper

  • ½ cup white white (dry)

  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

  • ¼ cup finely grated parmesan cheese



Directions:

  • Add broth to a small saucepan and keep warm over low heat

  • Heat 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they are lightly browned and tender stirring frequently. Sprinkle with salt, give a good stir and then remove the mushrooms from heat and set aside.

  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining tbsp of olive oil, leeks, garlic, salt and pepper and cook until tender (about 5 minutes)

  • Add rice and stir to toast rice a bit (about 2-3 minutes). Add wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan

  • Turn the heat to medium low and stir until wine is absorbed. Add broth, a ladle-full at a time, stirring until liquid is just absorbed each time. Keep adding liquid and stirring until rice is fully cooked. If you need more liquid, add additional broth or water. It will take about 45 minutes to an hour for the rice to cook through.

  • Once rice is fully cooked, stir in grated cheese and mushrooms and serve!

  • Optional: garnish with fresh parsley

Health Benefits of Brown Rice:

  • Brown rice is an unrefined, whole grain (unlike white rice) and therefore still has its bran and side hulls, which are rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as an excellent source of fiber.

  • One cup of brown rice provides us with more than 80% of the daily value of manganese, which benefits our nervous and reproductive systems and helps us synthesize fats.

  • The high fiber content in brown rice is important for healthy digestion and for keeping blood sugar levels stable

  • One cup of cooked brown rice has more than 25% of our daily value of selenium, a trace mineral that many of us do not get enough of - selenium is essential to thyroid hormone metabolism and for immune support. Another great source of selenium is brazil nuts!

Sources and additional reading: