Many people who try brown rice for the first time don't really cook it properly. For regular brown rice (not the converted rice-like Uncle Ben's, or instant) it's 1 part brown rice to at least 2 parts water or liquid of some sorts, cook for at least 45 minutes in a tightly sealed pot on the stove top on a slow simmer. Unless you like the harder, slightly more chewy rice then a little less then 2 parts water. The best thing to do is just cook a little bit the first time and see how you like the texture, if it's a little too sticky cut back on the water the next time if it's a little too chewy add a little bit more water.
I tend to cook a huge pot, 3 cups rice, 6 cups water on the weekend then let it cook and freeze it in single serving sizes. I take a baking sheet and measure out 1/2 cup cooked rice and plop onto the baking sheet. Stick it in the freezer, the next day all my little rice balls go into a giant zip lock bag and can pull out as much as I want for a meal. Just microwave wth a little moisture-water, smart balance, salsa- so it doesn't dry out.
Coconut rice is very tasty and you can find reduced fat coconut milk now so it's not as bad. Unsweetened coconut flakes added to the co**** rice at the end gives it an even better coconut taste.
I can pretty much give up anything on the food chart EXCEPT rice. However, I've heard that brown rice is better for you ... so I will try atleast switching to that. But in all honesty, I can just sit and eat a plain bowl of rice with butter. With that being said, I know butter isn't going to be on my menu anymore in that respect haha ... so does anyone have any ideas what to " spice " up plain rice with? I don't like anything IN my rice like veggies ... just always ate rice w/ butter except when I was a kid it was rice and ketchup ( gross I know .. ). So are there any seasonings anyones tried or maybe a " fake " butter that I can purchase??
I also wonder ... if I'm only eating the rice once a week or so ... would it hurt any to add a tab of butter into my rice? Not much but just enough to get the flavor of it ... if I have room in my calories?
I cannot stand brown rice and was unwilling to give up my favourite brand of basmati rice. I flavour my rice with broth. I use the broth in place of the water to cook it in. It comes out great and I do have a teaspoon or two (measured ) of REAL butter on my portion of rice.
I won't give up my butter either.
On another thread about low-calorie frozen food, someone mentioned Stouffers stuffed peppers - not a diet food but only 150 calories per pepper (two peppers per package) so it really is a good low-calorie food. And the peppers are stuffed with a mixture of tomato sauce, ground beef, and rice.
I am really looking forward to lunch today because this is what I'm having.
There is nothing wrong with having a little butter on your rice. Margarine and butter both have about the same calories and same fat content. The only difference is that butter is natural and margarine isn't. Read the labels and you will not want the margarine again. I switched to a butter and canola oil blend and use much less because it tastes so much better. Also since I switched my cholestrol has dropped to 127 and my triglycerides are cut in half and down to normal. I'll never eat the fake stuff again.
You might want to try mixing your white rice with brown rice at first. Slowly switch over to all brown rice as you run out of your white rice.
I use my rice cooker and add extra water, the brown rice (the good stuff I buy at the Japanese grocery store) cooks up nice and nutty. It only takes a few minutes longer and is so much better for you.
What kind of white rice are you eating? I am not that fond of regular white rice but LOVE Japanese sticky white rice. That stuff is like a drug and I can eat it all by itself. OMG SO GOOOOD. I don't even know why. It's not THAT flavorful... but there's something ungodly good about it.
I'm glad you liked it...it is one of my favorite ways to eat rice
