1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli 2 medium carrots, julienned 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves ½ teaspoon salt Ό teaspoon ground black pepper 3 cups cooked brown rice ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted**
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add broccoli, carrots and onion. Cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes or until broccoli and carrots are tender and onion is beginning to brown. Add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, basil, salt and pepper. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add rice and pecans; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until well blended and thoroughly heated.
Rice recipes reprinted with permission from the USA Rice Federation www.usarice.com
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend grains as the foundation of a healthy diet. In fact, the new Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid recommend at least three servings of whole grains daily, or making half your grain servings whole, with the other half coming from enriched or whole grains. Yet currently, only one in 10 Americans eat three servings daily and one in four don’t consume any.
Brown Rice is a 100% whole grain food that consumers are familiar with that can help fulfill these recommendations. Each half-cup serving of cooked brown rice equals one whole grain serving. This healthy grain contains the nutrient-dense bran and inner germ layer where the majority of the bioactive compounds are found as well as the starchy endosperm. It’s the fiberful bran coating that gives brown rice its light tan color, nutlike flavor, and chewy texture. Whole grains are believed to help reduce heart disease and may reduce the risk of certain cancers, and may aid in weight maintenance.
In addition to the fiber, whole grains like brown rice are good sources of many vitamins and minerals as well as fermentable carbohydrates, lignans, phytoestrogens and phenolic compounds. The bioactive components of whole grains appear to work synergistically, which explains why whole-grain consumption provides health benefits beyond what would be predicted if the individual compounds were simply additive.
Like white rice, brown rice is also gluten-free and contains no trans fat or cholesterol and only a trace amount of fat and sodium.
Red, black and whole grain rice varieties are increasingly popular in the US, and all offer the whole grain goodness of brown.
For more information about the goodness of rice visit the USA Rice Federation: www.usarice.com
Long Grain Rice: has a long, slender kernel three to four times longer than its width. Cooked grains are more separate, light and fluffy.
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Medium Grain Rice: has a shorter, wider kernel two to three times longer than its width. Cooked grains are moist and tender and have a greater tendency to cling together.
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Short Grain Rice: has a short, plump, almost round kernel. Cooked grains are tender, cling together, and are slightly chewy.
