Suggestions on how to jazz up brown rice?

13

Replies

  • taliacristianna7
    taliacristianna7 Posts: 1
    Parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts or almonds, S&P and dried cranberries. My favorite and a great side for pretty much anything! After the rice is cooked I will add the ingredients above along with a little bit of oil or butter and cook it a bit longer so that the flavors meld.
  • kloco
    kloco Posts: 85 Member
    Maybe try making a jambalaya with brown rice? I'm trying it this weekend with kielbasa and shrimp
  • zumbalinda22
    zumbalinda22 Posts: 182 Member
    This might sound strange, but I like it with salad. Make a green salad of your choosing (I like tomatoes, dill, scallions, and some roasted slivered almonds). Put the HOT rice on top of your salad and add the dressing. The mixture of warm and cold, and the combination of textures is really good!
  • TedStout
    TedStout Posts: 241
    You can add a ton of spices into it, depending on what your tastes are. To just add some zip, I put some Srirachi hot sauce in it. Or you can use Cayenne if you just want some heat without changing the taste. Pretty simple.
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
    Play the sax?

    Try some powerful spices... if somethings bland I typically add either crushed red pepper or cumin (depending on the meal)... sometimes both.
  • jam5724
    jam5724 Posts: 3 Member
    I often add a can of diced tomatoes and some seasonings.(onion, garlic, cumin,cayenne, chili powder)Makes a quick mexican type rice. Sometimes I add beans in for the last five minutes.
  • lizzardsm
    lizzardsm Posts: 271 Member
    garlic and low fat chicken broth! so delicious!
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
    Saute with mushrooms, spinach, garlic, and some feta. Can't get enough of it like that!
  • Schmoopy221
    Schmoopy221 Posts: 19 Member
    I eat my brown rice for breakfast. I add coconut flakes, a bit of cinnamon and stevia. Yummo!
  • bonitacash08
    bonitacash08 Posts: 378 Member
    I never use water to make rice. Try using fat free, low sodium chicken broth instead. It adds lots of flavor and you don't have to feel guilty about extra calories, fat or salt!
  • gemini568
    gemini568 Posts: 10 Member
    Plain brown rice has no appeal to me so I add a boulion cube to give it flavor.
  • SassJess81
    SassJess81 Posts: 75 Member
    Plain brown rice has no appeal to me so I add a boulion cube to give it flavor.

    I agree, when I worked in restaurants they always cooked it in chicken broth instead of water, and I love it. Also if you can find the frozen cubes of spices, (they are called Popits or something) one cube of chili pepper is perfect for a batch of rice.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    throw some glitter in it
  • ittybittybadonkadonk
    ittybittybadonkadonk Posts: 11,634 Member
    I like it with feta cheese and spinach :bigsmile:
  • kcritter77
    kcritter77 Posts: 162 Member
    Lime juice and cilantro. We use a rice cooker and I put some of both in with the water, then put another splash of lime juice in when it's done and stir it through.

    Have you ever had the rice at Chipotle? Similar, but much healthier!!
  • meluvmcd
    meluvmcd Posts: 10 Member
    One of my FAVE brown rice recipes its my grandmothers recipe, that i transformed into a healthy one...

    SPANISH RICE- Grandma Duran.
    Ingredients:
    -1 pound lean ground turkey breast.
    -2 large green bell peppers.
    -1 large yellow onion.
    -1 large can of tomato sauce.
    -Half a large box of instant brown rice.
    -2 tablespoons of EVOO.
    -1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes.
    -Salt to taste.

    -Take out the centers and seeds of the bell peppers. put the bell peppers and whole onion in food processor. blend until it all becomes very small pieces.
    -In a large Skillet brown uncooked rice in EVOO until golden color. Then add the ground turkey to rice and brown.
    -Once the turkey is cooked and the bell pepper/onion mixture in with the rice and turkey. stir all together and wait about 3-5 mins stirring the whole time to let onions sweat a little.
    -Then add whole can of tomato sauce and red pepper flakes and salt. Then using the can from the tomato sauce, put one whole can of water. bring to a boil, then turn heat to med. and let simmer until rice is done.

    I serve with parm cheese on top.
    Also my grandmother used to make it with (not lean) ground beef and white rice and a lot more oil.

    HOPE YOU ENJOY!! :)
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    http://recipes.coles.com.au/recipes/2627/brown-rice-grape-feta-salad/

    This is nice!
  • ercarroll311
    ercarroll311 Posts: 295 Member
    I like to throw in beans, bell peppers and onions, and a few spices (your choice--i like Sazon Goya, garlic powder, salt... but it's flexible).
  • imkelc
    imkelc Posts: 11 Member
    This kind of sounds gross, but, I add some brown mustard and minced garlic. It's actually pretty good, or at least I think so.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Saffron. It's not so expensive if you get the saffron threads as opposed to the pure saffron pollen.
  • sherisse69
    sherisse69 Posts: 795 Member
    LOVING THIS!
  • Rosalindgr
    Rosalindgr Posts: 148 Member
    eating it right now; Steam the brown rice enough for a couple days. Saute onions, peppers, garlic, stir in diced tomatoes with a little of the juice, black beans, corn. serve over rice. can substitute black beans with red beans, limas, or lentils.
  • MrsBobaFett
    MrsBobaFett Posts: 802 Member
    Have been trying to switch out the potatoes my husband loves to eat with dinner for brown rice occasionally. I enjoy it with stir frys or meals that include some kind of sauce, but am finding it a bit plain as a side to, say, chicken breast and veggies. Its just a bit dry on its own.

    Does anyone have any ideas on simple, low calorie 'improvements' that would make it a bit more interesting?

    Add some peppers, sweetcorn and onions and some herbs/spices :)
  • Jarredgautreaux
    Jarredgautreaux Posts: 14 Member
    when i eat brown rice as a side dish i usally put a little soy sauce on it.
  • Suzeboo
    Suzeboo Posts: 50
    soy sauce
  • SafiyaBWG
    SafiyaBWG Posts: 119 Member
    A cup of brown rice ( i like it a little overcooked) with a teaspoon of low sodium soy sauce, with roasted salmon and sauteed ginger !
  • Jennessaphilip
    Jennessaphilip Posts: 33
    I like to mix in an ounce or two of chopped Hillshire Farms turkey kielbasa :) So tasty. And very few calories
  • MissyPoo2013
    MissyPoo2013 Posts: 190 Member
    Bump.
  • kelleyannclemons
    kelleyannclemons Posts: 71 Member
    I made some for lunch today that consisted of putting the cooked rice with a couple extra TBSP water in a non stick pan with some onion and sprinkle chili powder, cayenne pepper, and thyme to taste. The spoonful I had of it last night was very good!
  • cutchro
    cutchro Posts: 396 Member
    If you enjoy spices I recently added a Mrs. Dash spicey mix to mine. Was actually quite good.

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