Mexican Brown Rice Bake
Unassuming and quiet, maybe a touch uncoordinated and uncool, and perhaps a bit nerdy, but possessing an underlying strength and passion making them a force to be reckoned with…no, I am not talking about the kid always picked last in dodgeball. And no, I am not talking about the little brother you used to boss around and make “play school” and “dress up” while his friends were outside riding bikes. Or the little brother who got the blame and punishment for all the things you did. Or the little brother who that one time was… Sorry, having a flashback, where was I?
No, I am talking about Brown Rice. You see this little grain is just like that little geeky kid (little brother) on the sidelines. In the vegan diet, brown rice is often relegated to a “side-dish” only status, always picked last to go on the dinner plate. However, brown rice is a nutritional powerhouse. Its underlying strength lies in the abundance of selenium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, and niacin found in each tiny grain. Plus, this modest grain is an excellent source of fiber, iron, and essential fatty acids.
Therefore, today I am using my first pick to choose brown rice as my star player in my latest delicious vegan recipe: MEXICAN BROWN RICE BAKE. Inspired by a recipe in the America’s Test Kitchen’s cookbook, The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook, this recipe is a one-pot dish beginning on the stove and finished in the oven. It is as simple as it is hearty. So, get cooking and celebrate the quiet, unassuming brown rice. It will surprise you how amazing it can be, just like your now grown-up little brother.
Gluten Free, Oil Free, Nut Free Ingredients Instructions Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While the oven heats, add the onions, peppers, and garlic to a Dutch oven with about ½ cup of the vegetable broth. Simmer the vegetables until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Now add in the rest of the liquid and bring it to a boil. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and stir in your rice, beans, corn, and spices. Reserve the salt and pepper and cilantro to finish the dish. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and place the whole thing in the oven.
Bake the rice mixture for 60-65 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, fluff the rice with a fork, add in the cilantro, and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Replace the lid for about 5 minutes and let the flavors of the cilantro combine with the rice. Remove the lid, fluff the rice again and serve in a bowl with sliced avocados or my soon-to-be patented avocado cream sauce (1 avocado, 1 Tbs Cilantro, Juice of ½ a lime, ¼ Tsp Onion & Garlic Powder, ¼ - ½ cup of water, all pureed in a blender).
Everything into the pot
Everything into the oven
Dinner is ready, and the whole family can take a break from Taco Tuesdays without sacrificing any of the Mexican goodness. Who knew something so meek and unpretentious as brown rice could become the star player in your weekly dinner routine? And remember, never judge a book by its cover, the book just wants to go outside and ride his bike with his friends. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
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