Nutty Rice

I was recently asked for a way to get folks and children to eat brown rice. “Disguise it with yummy additions,” I said. Or use the recipe below:

So far it hasn’t met with rejection.

[Just don’t tell anyone this is actually Brown Rice for then staunch haters of brown rice will gobble this up!!]

Brown rice is a great source of magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, thiamine, manganese and B group vitamins as well as fibre s it is quite disappointing to see folks/children reject it based on its taste. This recipe complements its nutty flavour.

Nutty Brown Rice

saute onion and celery

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 50 g pine nuts
• 1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or water
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Season to taste

1. Heat oil in heavy saucepan and saute onion and celery fro about 3 minutes till onion becomes transparent.
2. Add pine nuts and cook over low heat for 2 minutes or until they are lightly browned.
3. Add the rice, stirring well until the grains are well coated with oil.
4. Add the Stock, Thyme and Bay leaf and bring to the boil .
5. Cover saucepan and simmer until rice is tender and all the vegetable stock is absorbed. This will take about 45 minutes.
6. Season if desired.

Variations: –

• Add 1.4 tsp cumin or Turmeric towards end of cooking.

• Leave to cool, then add beansprouts and serve as a cold rice salad.

Something light for Tea

You may have heard me espousing the benefits of almonds and walnuts in recipes such as salads, or the Almond and Walnut Muffin recipe, I have previously posted, but what about  the benefits of incorporating cinnamon in our diet?

I have to confess to being quite a fan of the cinnamon, especially in the crumble toppings you might find on a apple rhubarb dessert or a gourmet muffin. Combining cinnamon with almonds and walnuts, which are a fantastic source of Vitamin E and Magnesium, was a way of creating a light, and more importantly, HEALTHY cake recipe that if cut into bite-sized servings, is only a teeny bit decadent. Altogether a Perfect combination for a healthy morning or afternoon tea. Find the Recipe below.

Cinnamon Nut Streusel Cake

What are the Health Benefits of Cinnamon?

Cinnamon is astonishingly good for you. Would you believe that a mere teaspoon of cinnamon contains 28 mg of calcium, almost one mg of iron, over a gram of fiber, and quite a lot of vitamins C, K, and manganese?

[Source:cinnamonnutrition.com/index

In traditional medicine, cinnamon has been used for its mild anti-inflammatory effects, and to treat digestive ailments such as indigestion, gas and bloating, and diarrhea. As little as half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and blood glucose control.  Improving insulin tolerance can help in weight control as well as decreasing the risk for heart disease.  Read More here.

Cinnamon Nut Streusel Cake

Ingredients

Base:

• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup (55grams) soft Butter
• 1/2 Cups Milk
• 1egg
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Top Layer:

• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoon Flour
• 2 Teaspoons (or more), of Cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons soft Butter
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts – I used a combination of walnuts and flaked almonds

Method

Base:

1. Preheat Oven 175 ° C and Grease or line a 9″ x 12″  or 20 x 30 cm slice tray
2. Cream butter and sugar in mixer
3. Add remaining base ingredients and mix well
4. Spread out evenly in the tray.

Streusel Topping:

1. Mix Streusel topping ingredients together
2. Spread about 1/4 of the Streusel topping onto the base layer and lightly swirl through with a skewer or knife.
3. Spread the rest of the Streusel topping thinly over the top of the base.
4. Bake for 20 – 35 minutes or till cooked through, when pierced with a skewer
5. Allow Cake to cool and cut into small squares to serve.

Something healthy and delicious to savour about

Mineral-rich Chicken Salad

A nice recipe below. They substituted ham, but I like the idea of shredded chicken. One could replace the pistachios with almonds ( in their kernel) or walnuts, or even brazil nuts, and increase the magnesium content of this dish.

Pistachio and ham salad.

This is based on a traditional Armenian recipe of pistachios, soured cream and shredded chicken breasts. You can also use chopped ham with salted pistachios for different results.

Serves 6

175g halloumi, washed and cut into 1cm cubes
4 small eating apples, cored and cut into 1cm cubes
500g cooked ham, cut into 1cm pieces (or cooked chicken breast, shredded)
250g celery, cut into ½ cm slices
2 spring onions, including green heads, cut into ½ cm pieces
175g shelled pistachios or other nuts
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp turmeric

For the dressing
300ml yoghurt
300ml mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp parsley, chopped
4 tbsp chives, chopped
4 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped

1 In a large bowl, toss together the halloumi, apples, ham, celery, spring onions and pistachios.

2 To make the dressing, whisk the yoghurt and mayonnaise until well blended. Add the mustard, lemon juice and herbs, then mix well.

3 Pour the yoghurt mayonnaise over the salad, together with the lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper. Mix well then place in the refrigerator and allow to chill for around an hour.

4 Garnish with the turmeric  and serve.