Brown Rice

(image from Wikimedia)

We switched to eating all whole wheat about 6 months ago (previously we used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white flour). The change has been great. Most recipes adapt very well. Ever since then I have been thinking about whether our delicious, wonderfully yummy, and easy to cook white Basmati rice is really the best option for our family. After doing some research, it became evident that we should really make the switch to brown rice (it has more nutrients naturally and like other whole grains it is better for the body). I have to admit that I had a few concerns - would it be crunchy? (all of my other attempts yielded crunchy rice because I couldn't cook it long enough without it drying out); would it take too long to cook?; would it be good alone? (we like what we call breakfast rice - warm rice with butter, sugar, and cinnamon) - but I forged ahead anyway (I could always go back, right?). I found this website that made me confident in my abilities. It was heavenly. I am not kidding. It was not crunchy (although it does have a bit more chew to it than white rice), it only took about 20 minutes more to cook than white rice (from about 25 minutes to 45 minutes), it makes absolutely wonderful breakfast rice (in fact, it is much more filling), and it has a nuttier flavor, which we all really like. So, here is how I make it:

Brown Rice

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup brown rice

Add both ingredients to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a low boil. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes.

1 cup dry = 3 cups cooked

1 cup cooked = 225 calories

To make breakfast rice, place about 1 cup cooked rice in a bowl and add about 1/2 Tbsp butter, 2-3 tsp granulated sugar, and sprinkle on some cinnamon; stir and eat. (1 serving = 350 calories)