Nutritionally speaking, rice is a good source of complex
carbohydrates; furthermore, it can help achieve a healthy diet because
of what it does not contain: fat, salt or cholesterol. The protein in
rice when combined with beans is considered complete in that it contains
all eight of the essential amino acids. It is also a good source of
thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, iron and potassium.
In the kitchen, rice offers versatility on a grand scale
for meal preparation. Risottos, stir-fries, soups, pilafs, one-pot
meals, salads, stuffings, side dishes and even dessert are delicious and
easily made with rice.
Risotto is made by slowly stirring 4-5 cups of hot liquid, along with
fresh veggies, seafood, lean meat, poultry, fresh herbs or canned beans
into 1 cup of Arborio rice. Arborio rice is imported from Italy and
found in grocery stores and specialty food stores. It costs more than
regular rice but yields double the amount since it takes on more liquid.
You are enabled to make a creamy, delicious dish that can be made in
one pot in about 30 minutes. Risotto can also be a stove-top pudding
dessert by using skim milk and fresh or dried fruits along with a little
sugar.
Stir-fries can be made quickly by microwaving instant rice while you
are cooking the vegetables and sauce for the stir-fry. Even more time
can be saved by buying prepared ingredients for the stir-fry, i.e.:
precut vegetables from the fresh produce section, salad bar or freezer
section of your grocery store and lean meat or poultry already cut in
strips.
Soups can be made more hearty by the addition of rice. Use a quick
cooking rice, such as instant, basmati or long-grain white, for soup
that is already made; use brown rice for a soup you are making from
scratch since takes longer to cook but adds more flavor.
Pilafs and stove-top rice dishes can be made very creative by the
addition of flavored liquids such as: chicken or vegetable broth, tomato
juice, wine and vinegars. Other ingredients to consider are: tomato
paste, fresh herbs, toasted garlic, chopped vegetables, beans, lean meat
or poultry, spices such as chile powder or curry, dried fruits such as
cranberries or raisins, juice concentrates such as pineapple or orange
and even greens such as spinach or bok choy. Additions such as some of
these can turn a simple rice dish into a one-pot meal.
Salads can be made more appealing and hearty with the addition of rice,
either hot or cold.
Stuffings are easily made by mixing cooked rice with cooked veggies,
beans, lean meat or poultry, herbs and sauce such as pasta sauce, nonfat
salad dressing or low-sodium, low-fat cream soup. Use rice stuffing
inside sweet bell peppers, winter squash or tomatoes.
Cooking tips for all your rice dishes:
• Omit oil, butter and margarine; use cooking spray and flavored broths instead.
• Add dried herbs at the beginning of a recipe; add fresh herbs at the end of a recipe to maximize flavor.
• Add veggies and other ingredients to one-pot meals in the order they will cook so everything is ready at the same time.
Quick Rice Dishes:
• For quick meals, cook instant rice with equal parts liquid and add-ins
such as lean meat, poultry, veggies or canned beans. Flavor liquid with
pasta sauce, tomato paste and/or fresh herbs.
• For quick rice side dishes, use instant rice and add fresh chopped
vegetables, broths, tomato paste and/or herbs and spices for variety.
• Salads can be made more appealing with the addition of cooked rice
(warm or cold), canned beans (drain and rinse first) and fresh veggies.
Dress with your favorite nonfat salad dressing and top with fresh
cracked black pepper or grated Parmesan cheese.
Purchase the type of rice most suited to the dish you are
preparing: medium and short-grained rice for creamier dishes such as
risotto and desserts, or dishes where stickier rice is preferred, such
as sushi or molded rice side dishes. Choose long-grained rice for dishes
where you prefer separate, distinct grains, such as pilaf.
For speed we recommend frozen cooked rice or instant brown or white
rice, which is actually precooked, then dried. It cooks in 10 minutes or
less. Follow package directions because water-to-rice ratios and
cooking times can vary between brands.
The most nutritious rice is brown rice; it contains more protein,
calcium, phosphorus, potassium, niacin, fiber and vitamin E than
enriched white rice. You can buy it precooked (instant); otherwise, it
needs slightly more liquid and longer cooking time than that of regular
white rice (follow package directions). Interestingly enough, a superior
quality and higher-cost grain must be used for brown rice, which is
simply white rice with the bran left on. Shelf life is limited with
brown rice as the oil in the rice bran will go rancid after a time (best
bet is to use quickly or store refrigerated). Culinary advantages to
brown rice are an interesting chewy texture and nut-like flavor when
cooked.
A rice cooker makes cooking grains a snap! Simply fill it with your
chosen grain and the right amount of water. It will cook until the water
is absorbed by the grain and there is no worry about burning.
Regular milled white rice is enriched with iron, niacin and thiamin
during processing (to add back some of the nutrients that processing
eliminates). Do not rinse this rice as you will rinse away the
nutrients.
Read package labels on prepared rice mixes as these tend to be very
high in sodium- most range around 700-1000 mg. of sodium as packaged.
Omit oil, only add half of seasonings and add in fresh veggies for a
more nutritious meal.
Adapted from: Rice Spells Success
No comments:
Post a Comment