It’s no secret that rice and I never got along very well. It’s kind of a love-hate relationship: I love that it is cheap and healthy (at least brown rice is), but I hate that it can be so stinkin’ temperamental when it comes to cooking! It never seemed to want to behave when I cooked it, always turning out either crunchy or mushy.
I do believe I’ve conquered the beastly grain, though. I have learned the secret to rice perfection. Every time.
And no, it isn’t a rice cooker. I wish! I do not have space for a rice cooker in my apartment, nor the funds to purchase one at the moment.
Nope. The secret is this: cook it in large batches.
That’s it! Nothing fancy or earth-shattering, just a simple solution for a common problem. Love it when that happens.
I won’t even pretend to tell you exactly how or why it works better to cook rice in bulk, but it just does. Trust me; I know! For at least a decade now, I have alternately over- or under- cooked rice, and I’ve tried pretty much every trick in the book. It wasn’t until I started cooking it in large batches that I began to consistently churn out perfectly cooked rice – fluffy and just a tad chewy, no mush, no crisp.
I like to buy and cook 2 lbs at a time, but I’ve good success with 1lb bags as well. The left-over rice that you’re not going to use freezes up beautifully and can be used in casseroles, rice pudding, fried rice, soup, or even a quick pilaf.
Perfect Brown Rice
Ingredients
2lbs brown rice
water
Instructions
Pour the bag of rice into a large pot. Set the pot in the sink under the faucet, and push your forefinger down through the rice until it touches the bottom of the pot. The rice should reach to your first knuckle.
Turn the water on and keep your finger firmly in place. Continue adding water until it reaches your second knuckle. Turn off the faucet and place the pot on the stove.
Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low. Cover, and allow to simmer for 40 minutes or so. Remove from heat, and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.
I don’t even bother to set a timer when the rice is cooking. I just watch for the smell – when it’s done it smells like cooked rice. Complicated, right? Just believe your nose.
Cooking 2 pounds of rice at a time is just as QUICK as cooking 1 cup of rice. Somehow it even seems quicker, but I’m not sure if that’s even possible.
It’s much EASY-er to cook a lot of rice than a little, at least in my experience.
Brown rice is a CHEAP and HEALTHY grain that will help you stretch your meals further, and fill those empty tummies.
What’s your tried-and-true method for cooking rice?
Link up to any of our blogs with your favorite healthy post!
This week I got to choose my favorite 3 submissions from last week’s H2W.
I had so much fun reading through these entries, and I found some great new recipes! Here are my top 3:
I am determined to have a successful garden this year, and Forgotten Domestic Arts gave me the kick in the pants I needed with her timely reminder to purchase seeds. If you’re looking for non-GMO seeds, she’s listed several resources for you!
The world of sweeteners can be a confusing place. Small Footprint Family breaks it down for us and helps us make educated choices about all the different kinds of sweetener.
Since you were one of the three “chosen”… you’ve been Pinned, Facebooked and Tweeted by me!
Rules for this Link-Up:
Share an idea, tip, recipe, things to avoid, something new to try, natural remedy, alternative medicine, going “green” tips, etc. that will help us to remain or become more healthy!
If this is your first time participating read more info & get button here.
Comment on another participant’s post.
Add button or link back to that day’s link up.
Spread the word so we can learn more ideas on keep our families healthy; feel free to share on Facebook or Twitter.
Ideas: homebirths, natural remedies, an interesting article, something eco-friendly, a review, natural cleaner, alternative or holistic approaches to health, how to’s, the list goes on & on!
If you are adding a recipe, make sure the ingredients do not include white flour, refined sugar, processed products, packages products (unless it is clearly stated or pictured that it is organic or all natural) and the like. We are looking for whole food recipes that are beneficial to our health!
If you’re not participating today, I hope you’ll come back & join in next week!
Never used coconut flour before? Never heard of it, perhaps? Well, you’re not alone. I had heard of it, but never had used it before, finding it rather pricey for my taste, until Tropical Traditions sent me a bag to try.
Now I’m a big fan, and when that bag of flour is done, I’m going to be very sad! The good thing is, only half the members of this household can eat it, so we should be able to stretch it out pretty far. Maybe.
What’s so good about coconut flour?
For one thing, it’s not a grain, so if you’re grain-free for any reason, it’s a great flour to use.
And along the same lines, it’s also gluten-free (and wheat-free) if you need to avoid gluten or wheat proteins.
It’s delicious!
It’s very high in fiber, but it’s a low-carb food.
I personally tried two different recipes so far: Gluten-Free Baked Donut Holes and Gluten-Free Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Both were very successful! Both of them I adapted by swapping some of the other ingredients for more allergy friendly ones so my Certain Little Someone could enjoy them. I was particularly amazed by the chocolate chip cookies – you would never have known they were allergen-free! And in fact, my Certain Little Someone shared them with his friends, and they all loved them! I plan to make them again very soon.
One thing you should know before you start to play around with coconut flour – it needs a lot of eggs and/or egg replacers. It just doesn’t bind together well on its own, and it’s a very thirsty flour. You will probably notice that a lot of coconut flour-based recipes make smaller portions, which helps with those tendencies.
You can get a chance to try Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour yourself! Tropical Traditions is graciously offering one of my readers a 2.2lb package of their organic coconut flour. Want to win? Here’s what you do:
Leave a comment below telling me what you would like to do with coconut flour.
This month in “Eating Intentionally”, we’re focusing on “honoring our hunger”. We are learning to listen to our body’s cues, and eat at the first sign of hunger.
Since I just finished my monthly grocery shopping trip, there’s no chance of anybody around here going hungry! The fridge, freezer, cupboards and pantry are bursting . . . → Read More: Menu Plan Monday: Definitely Not Going Hungry!
Welcome back to Sizzlin’ Soups! It has been so much fun for me and Day2Day Joys, Christian Mommy Blogger, The Humbled Homemaker, Intentional by Grace, and The Purposed Heart to bring you so many different and delicious soup recipes.
If you have missed any of the soups so far, check them out by clicking below:
Real Food, Allergy Free is one of my favorite blogs and I’ll tell you why: it’s chock full of healthy recipes that are simple to make and inexpensive to boot. Even though they’re made with real food and allergen-free ingredients, they don’t have anything weird or require extra steps to prepare. Her Banana Chocolate Chip . . . → Read More: Introducing a New Guest Contributor: Nancy from Real Food Allergy Free!
One of the trends I’ve noticed – and loved – this year is dining in for Valentine’s Day. Due to budget and time constraints, my husband and I have been ahead of the game for a while now. Dining in is one of our favorite ways to celebrate a special holiday – . . . → Read More: Happy Valentine’s Day: Make Your Reservations at Home!
This month in “Eating Intentionally”, we’re focusing on “honoring our hunger”. We are learning to listen to our body’s cues, and eat at the first sign of hunger.
So right now, seriously, all I can think about is how cold I am. I have a space heater fanning heat right at me, and it’s . . . → Read More: Menu Plan Monday: Frigid Frozen Freezing
Stacy Makes Cents is a blog I discovered last year, and love. Stacy is frugal (like me) and likes to eat healthy food (like me). I like Stacy! Her blog posts always make me smile, and sometimes laugh right out loud.
* QUICK - because who has time for anything more?
* EASY - because I'm no gourmet.
* CHEAP - because who has money for anything more?
* HEALTHY - because you are what you eat.
