My husband and I have done a lot of conversing in our eight years together.
Our discussions run the gamut from the extremely morbid to the deeply philosophical. One of the many (and admittedly more mundane) topics that has arisen has been some variation of 'what food could you NOT live without' or 'you're stranded on a desert island and can eat one food for the rest of your life...'.
While my husband's answer typically revolves around some sort of protein (usually eggs), I often vacillate between my beloved oats and brown rice.
I looooooove brown rice. If this blog weren't called Oatmeal with a Fork, it might be dubbed something like 'Fire and Rice' or 'Not Without My Rice' or 'Dude, You Gonna Eat That Rice?''. Cauliflower proxies begone!
Having realized how few rice recipes are on this blog, I knew I needed to remedy the situation. This delicious pilaf is the perfect side to any meal. I'm not a fan of broths (buying them or making them), so I've used a combination of olive oil, mushrooms, and a bay leaf to add flavor without the extra work or cash.
Mushroom Brown Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 T . olive oil
- 2 T . shallot or onion , finely chopped
- ½ c . mushrooms (I use cremini), finely chopped
- ¼ t . dried thyme
- 1 c . long-grain brown rice
- 1 ½ c . water
- ¾ t . sea salt
- ¼ t . pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ c . frozen green peas , rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan.
- Add in shallot or onion, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and pepper.
- Saute for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in mushrooms and thyme.
- Saute about five minutes, until the mushrooms have released their juices and softened.
- Add in the rice, and toast for about three minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the water, and bring the mix to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a low and cover the rice.
- Allow it to cook for 25-30 minutes (covered), at which time the liquid should be evaporated, and the rice should be soft and plump.
- Add the peas to the top of the rice and cover it for another five minutes (off the heat).
- Season with the remaining salt, adding more if needed.
- Remove the bay leaf, fluff, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
At my most allergic, brown rice and rice milk were among the foods I tolerated best, and that reigns true to this day. Lucky for me, I happen to love them both!
My hubby and I postulated that if we ever were stuck on a desert island together, at least we could make some semblance of fried rice with my chosen grain and his eggs. I think I could definitely live with that as long as he's there to partake with me. ♥♥
What's one food you can't live without?
Olivia
We had this with some honey glazed salmon from another site and it was the perfect compliment!
samantha
Love the recipes.
Lauren
Thank you Samantha!
Lisa Maria Koßmann
I like nice and simple recipes like this one. As much as I admire (and sometimes try) the artsy creations many vegan bloggers show in their virtual cookbooks, I need meals which can be done in everyday life - this one will be added to my list immediately.
lucie
Oh, yum! Looks so warming and delicious! I deffinaley cannot live without oats, especially in winter! Loving your blog =]
Beth
Looking forward to more recipes!!!
Beth
Lauren, how were you tested for your allergies? Or is it a food intolerance? Curious as I have many GI problems and I'm unable to figure out what I can and cannot tolerate eating. Thanks so much!!
Lauren
Hi Beth!
The most recent (and helpful) tests I did were through the company BioTek. They have a vegetarian panel (blood test) that looks at about 100 foods, and I found it really helpful and reasonably priced. 🙂
Gabby @ the veggie nook
i loooove rice as well- I just made up some fried rice the other day and died and went to heaven. i'm not sure how i would choose between rice and oats though!
delicious dish 🙂 love the rich savouriness rice brings to a dish!