Brown rice fix-ups

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  • For me, eating brown rice is one of the harder parts of the EFS diet because its so BLAND by itself and I've never liked any rice much at all. I'd love to know what your favorite fix-ups are. I tried eating kasha and quinoa instead, but found that I did not lose weight as quickly and was hungrier when I ate those instead of the brown rice.

    Here are some of my favorite fix-ups:

    Fix-up #1: Saute some onion and garlic in a non-stick pan with 1 tsp olive oil. Stir in 1 1/2 cup brown rice and 1/2 cup wild rice and saute. Add 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth and cook as per usual. Sometimes I also add a pinch of cinnamon with the chicken broth.

    Fix-up #2: Stir some salsa verde and chopped celery into nearly cooked rice and continue cooking until the liquid is absorbed and the celery is cooked. Sometimes also add some chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed).

    Fix-up #3: Cold rice salad. Mix rice with balsamic vinaigrette and all my favorite cold veggies and sometimes some garbanzo beans.
  • hey those sound pretty good i'll give them a try....gl
  • So far I've avoided eating the rice. I don't care for rice either. But, your ideas sound good - I'll have to try them.

    I found a recipe on another site that used the rice to make a rice "dressing" - I've not made it yet but it sounds good and I plan to try it. It is sort of a cornbread dressing with the cornbread replaced with rice.

    Thanks for your ideas.
    Janzie
  • Hey let me know if the rice dressing is any good.
  • Quote: Hey let me know if the rice dressing is any good.
    I will. I hope to have time to make it today.
    Janzie
  • I am oariginally from Jamaica, so a big part of our diet was rice, I love Red Beans and rice, so here is my brown rice version.
    1 cup rice
    1 can red kidney beans drained
    1 clove garlic
    1 onion
    1 low sodium chicken broth

    I mince my garlic, and chop onions, sautee with non-stick cooking spray. Add rice and chicken broth, bring to a rolling boil, once boiling, turn to low and let water dissolve.
    This is great with Curried Tofu. Hope you enjoy.
  • Quote: I am oariginally from Jamaica, so a big part of our diet was rice, I love Red Beans and rice, so here is my brown rice version.
    1 cup rice
    1 can red kidney beans drained
    1 clove garlic
    1 onion
    1 low sodium chicken broth

    I mince my garlic, and chop onions, sautee with non-stick cooking spray. Add rice and chicken broth, bring to a rolling boil, once boiling, turn to low and let water dissolve.
    This is great with Curried Tofu. Hope you enjoy.
    That sounds great. I'm going to try it this weekend. Now you will most likely laugh at this question but I know very little about cooking with rice. When you add the rice to your mixture, is the rice already cooked or do you add it uncooked ... I'm guessing uncooked but I want to make sure.
    Thanks
    Janzie
  • not a stupid question at all.

    You add the rice uncooked.

    Recipe sounds good to me too. .
  • Sorry guys, yes you add the rice uncooked. Also it depends on how soft you like your rice, you can add more water or chicken broth if you want. Another variation just to spice it up so you are not eating the same ol' bland brown rice is to get garlic and cilantro and add while cooking, this will make a wonderful garlic, cilantro rice, sprinkle some butter buds for wonderful flavor. Enjoy guys.
    I have many more recipes, just ask if you need some.
    I am a cookaholic (that's what my husband calls me) LOL
  • Quote: Hey let me know if the rice dressing is any good.
    I cooked the Brown Rice Dressing for dinner and it was AWESOME! I'm so surprised because I'm not a rice lover. My husband loved it too - he said it was a Cajun recipe - forgot what he called it ... but, it was great. I highly recommend it.

    It is called "Brown Rice Dressing" and I found it at the following site:
    http://www.fatsmashforum.com/fat-sma...ipes/index.php
    Janzie
  • Sounds great! Think I'll cook some turkey to go with it...
  • Quote: Sounds great! Think I'll cook some turkey to go with it...
    It would be great with turkey or chicken.
    Janzie
  • Hi everyone... I am new to smashing and will be starting Monday. I saw this recipe today. I know of course there are things you would not be able to use, but you think it would be okay to make? I know I'd use brown rice, not all the olive oil ...what about the olives??


    Lentil and Rice Salad Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
    See this recipe on air Friday Jul. 20 at 1:30 PM ET/PT.


    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
    1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
    1 small onion, finely chopped
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 1/4 cups dried green lentils
    2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus 2 cups
    1 bay leaf
    1 cup long-grain white rice
    1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
    1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
    2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper


    Thanks for your input! Good luck to EVERYONE!!
  • Tried this one the other night and it was really good! Found it on the back of a Bush's beans can
    1 can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans)
    1 can of diced Italian seasoned tomatoes
    about 2/3 cup of brown rice
    I added a little more spice like oregano, black pepper, red pepper, whatever you like!
    Just put it all in a pot, don't add water, the rice will cook in the juice from the tomatoes. Cook until rice is tender.
  • Quote: Hi everyone... I am new to smashing and will be starting Monday. I saw this recipe today. I know of course there are things you would not be able to use, but you think it would be okay to make? I know I'd use brown rice, not all the olive oil ...what about the olives??


    Lentil and Rice Salad Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
    See this recipe on air Friday Jul. 20 at 1:30 PM ET/PT.


    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
    1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
    1 small onion, finely chopped
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 1/4 cups dried green lentils
    2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus 2 cups
    1 bay leaf
    1 cup long-grain white rice
    1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
    1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
    2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper


    Thanks for your input! Good luck to EVERYONE!!

    Hey Mom ya can use all that stuff..but swap brown rice for the white rice and use fat free or 99 % fat free chicken broth with reduced salt and reduce the olive oil to only 2 teaspoons (max) also make sure you rinse off the olives to reduce the amount of sodium salt...your only allowed 2000 per day on salt.

    Sounds yummy! enjoy!!!
    Liz