HEALTHY MEALS: BROWN RICE
Brown rice doesn’t always have to be overcooked, boring, and bland. In fact, when done right, brown rice is an easy and healthy swap for pasta, noodles, or perhaps other less robust rice (we’re looking at your white rice). We’ve come up with four different recipes that highlight the natural beauty and essence of our most underappreciated ingredient. Well… maybe that’s a stretch, but they seriously taste great.
Method
Stovetop Rice Method:
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil.
Add the rice, cover with a lid and cook for 25 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. *If there is still some water left, let the rice cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Turn off the heat and wrap the lid in a dish towel and replace it on the pot. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Season and serve as desired.
Oven-Baked Rice Method:
In a small dutch oven, bring water to a boil on the stovetop.
Add the rice, and cover with a lid. Place the pot in a 375°F oven and cook for 35 minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes, covered.
Season and serve as desired.
Basic Meal Prep
Serves: 1-2
Seared Chicken Method:
Slice the chicken breast in half lengthwise.
Combine garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, oregano, smoked paprika, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Stir to combine.
Add the chicken breasts and combine with your hands.
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Preheat a large skillet with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.
Pan sear the chicken, cooking on both sides for about 4-6 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165°F when cooked through.
Allow to cool completely before portioning and storing.
Sesame Broccoli Method:
Combine olive and sesame oil, whisk to combine.
Toss broccoli with both oils, salt, and pepper on a small rimmed baking sheet.
Roast at 400° F for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan for even browning. Continue cooking for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the broccoli is crispy.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Allow cooling before portioning and storing.
Assembly Method:
In your choice of Tupperware, portion the chicken breasts, broccoli, and brown rice.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Fried Rice
Serves: 1-2
Fried Rice Method:
Add about 1 tablespoon of oil to a large high-sided skillet or wok and heat over high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until they are browned and crispy, and reserve in a separate bowl.
Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the onion and carrots to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, or until slightly tender, then add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
Push the vegetables to the outer sides of the pan, add another 1-2 teaspoons of oil to the center of the pan and add the rice. Flatten the rice into an even disk.
Drizzle the sesame oil along the outside rim of the pan and allow the rice to crisp undisturbed for 1 minute.
Add the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, peas, and reserved mushrooms. Stir and/or toss everything to combine in the pan.
Once again, push the rice and vegetables to the outer sides of the pan, add another 1-2 teaspoons of oil to the center of the pan and add the egg. Using chopsticks or a fork, scramble the egg until it is cooked completely, then toss/stir to combine with the other ingredients.
Season the rice to taste with salt and pepper, then garnish with green onions and optionally, spicy chili crisp.
Larb
Serves: 1-2
Lettuce Wraps & Mango Sticky Rice inspired by Spider-Man: Homecoming
Larb Method:
In a medium skillet, add the dry brown rice and dry toast for 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat. Make sure to stir the pan periodically to avoid uneven browning. Once browned, allow to cool completely.
Add the toasted rice to a food processor or high-powdered spice grinder, blend until the rice reaches a coarse-sand consistency.
In a large skillet, add the vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat and then add the pork. Using a fat sided spatula, break up any large pieces of pork and continue cooking until the pork is browned.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Spoon the larb mixture into the large lettuce leaf cups and serve.
Avgolemono
Serves: 1-2
Avgolemono Method:
Heat the stock in a medium pot or high-sided skillet.
In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy.
While whisking, stream the lemon juice into the eggs.
Slowly add small amounts of warm stock to the egg mixture. One half of the stock has been incorporated, set the mixture aside.
Meanwhile, add the chicken and rice to the chicken sauce. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is warmed through.
Add the tempered egg mixture and cook on medium-low heat for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the soup no longer froths when whisked. Make sure to stir constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Serve immediately.
Ingredients
Stovetop Rice Ingredients:
1 cup dried brown rice, basmati
2 ¼ cups water
*Optional:
½ tsp fresh thyme
1 Tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lime
2 Tbsp parsley
To taste salt
Taste pepper
Oven-Baked Rice Ingredients:
1 cup dried brown rice, short-grain
2 ½ cups water
*Optional:
1 Tbsp olive oil
To taste salt
To taste pepper
Seared Chicken Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
½ tsp oregano
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Sesame Broccoli Ingredients:
2 cups broccoli florets
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 tsp sesame oil
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp white sesame seeds
Fried Rice Ingredients:
As needed vegetable oil
1 cup mushrooms of choice (we used cremini and enoki), washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp freshly grated ginger
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 small onion or ½ large onion, finely chopped
2 Cups leftover brown rice
½ cup frozen peas
2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp soy sauce, preferably dark
1 ½ tsp mirin
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 large egg
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper
1 green onion (greens only), finely sliced
Optional: spicy chili crisp
Larb Ingredients:
1 cup (or as needed) dry brown rice
1.5 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound ground pork
1 tsp lemongrass, grated
1 tsp Thai chili powder (or to taste)
½ tsp brown sugar, packed
½ Tbsp fish sauce
Juice of 2 limes (or to taste)
1 shallot, finely chopped
3 scallion, finely sliced
About 10 mint leaves, torn
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 cup cooked brown rice
To garnish: 3-6 large lettuce leaves (we used butter lettuce)
Avgolemono Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup leftover chicken, shredded (poached, rotisserie, grilled, etc.)
1 cup leftover brown rice
2 eggs
⅓ cup lemon juice
2 tsp dill, chopped
2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper