Mmmm…Mexican rice. This quick + easy whole grain dish makes the perfect side to any Mexican main, like tacos, taco salad, enchiladas, and my favorite – my Southwest Turkey + Vegetable Skillet.
I have to admit that this dish is near and dear to my heart because of a past food sensitivity I had been dealing with for almost a year now. A few years back my digestion was not ideal and I tried SO MANY different things to get back to feeling normal, from trying a low FODMAP diet, to grain-free, to dairy-free, paleo, etc. And while each dietary strategy may have helped a little bit, I just couldn’t seem to figure out what was causing the constant bloating, stomach aches and fatigue, day in and day out. I’d had enough and finally decided to get a food sensitivity test done. This was a blood test that tested me for 200 different food sensitivities [have questions about the test, email me]!
The results came back and much to my surprise, rice was on the top of my list [in addition to some others]. Armed with this information I cut out all the foods I had a negative reaction to [according to the test] for almost one year, at the same time I was healing my gut using a few different supplements and trying to reduce added stress that could have also been contributing to my poor digestion and “leaky gut”. While things didn’t change drastically at first, over a year later, and with a happy gut, I’m stoked to be able to add rice back into my diet and feel great doing it!
As a result of this past food sensitivity, you may or may not have noticed that there really aren’t any rice dishes on my blog thus far, and that’s because I really only post and write about what I eat. And since I wasn’t eating rice, I wasn’t posting any recipes using the delicious + nutty whole grain. Keep checking back and you should see some more rice dishes popping up. Yay if you’re a fan of rice!
In this recipe I used a sprouted whole grain brown rice [this one to be exact]. I love using sprouted grains whenever possible because of there many health benefits.
SPROUTED GRAINS.
Sprouted grains are among the healthiest whole grains for a few reasons. The process of sprouting grains produces living, nutrient-rich food high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Sprouting also neutralized phytic acid [a substance present naturally in grains], which blocks the absorption of some nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc that are also naturally present in many whole grains. Sprouted grains are also easier on digestion because the sprouting process starts the breakdown of starch before you consume them. They are also thought to contain fewer grams of carbohydrates per serving, be lower-glycemic and contain more protein than even their whole grain counterparts.
Sprouted grains such as sprouted brown rice won’t taste any different than its whole grain cousin, brown rice. Really the only difference is the nutrient content and increased digestibility. So why not give sprouted grains a try?
Another sprouted grain product that I eat regularly is Ezekiel bread. You’ll find this bread most often at health food stores or in the freezer health food section of your local grocery store. While whole grain Ezekiel bread is not gluten-free, because of the sprouting process, some people with gluten sensitivity [not celiac disease] tend to tolerate this whole grain bread well.
While I don’t use canned foods often, when I do I make sure to choose the highest quality brand that I can. I do this for a few reasons. First, I was to make sure that the food I’m eating doesn’t contain any unnecessary chemicals, pesticides, etc. And second, I look for a brand that commits to using BPA-free cans. BPA is a commonly found in the lining of canned goods and in plastic containers. And research suggests that BPA may be endocrine-disrupting and is possibly linked to some negative health conditions.
The Muir Glen® brand it committed to both high quality ingredients and BPA-free cans, which is a win in my book. The fire roasted diced tomatoes in my Simple Mexican Rice adds just enough zing to brighten up the flavors and provide a vibrant red color to your finished dish.
Adding frozen green peas to this rice dish is somewhat nostalgic for me. Growing up, this was something that my mom always did, and it’s something I’m used to, so why not add it to my version of Mexican rice, right? Plus I love the little added pop of color and texture that you get when digging in for your first bite. It’s worth a try – I promise.
You can pair this rice with really any main dish that you want. Pictured below you’ll see my Southwest Turkey + Vegetable Skillet that paired perfectly! And then I topped it off with a little avo + a squeeze of lime juice. Just perfection. Both dishes make 4-6 servings which means one fantastic thing – leftovers! So this week I’ve been making a hearty lunch salad of mixed greens topped with some leftover skillet mixture, Mexican rice, avocado, lime juice and a dollop of fresh salsa! Leftovers really don’t get much better than that.
Check out the recipe + directions below! And for my skillet recipe, check out this link.
Simple Mexican Rice
servings: about 6
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup sprouted brown rice [just regular brown rice is great too]
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Add olive oil to pot on medium heat. Add onions + garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly translucent. Next, add brown rice. Stir to coat rice in oil, onion and garlic mixture. Cook for 3 minutes, constantly stirring. Add canned tomatoes, spices, sea salt + black pepper and vegetable broth. Stir. Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat and cook for 30-35 minutes until rice is cooked through. There will still be some liquid in the pot. Once cooked, add frozen peas and stir in until heated through. Enjoy!
serving suggestion: this Simple Mexican Rice pairs perfectly with my Southwest Turkey + Vegetable Skillet, topped with avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. Yum!
- 1 cup sprouted brown rice [just regular brown rice is great too]
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 cups vegetable stock
- 1 can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- black pepper
- Add olive oil to pot on medium heat.
- Add onions + garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly translucent.
- Next, add brown rice. Stir to coat rice in oil, onion and garlic mixture.
- Cook for 3 minutes, constantly stirring.
- Add canned tomatoes, spices, sea salt + black pepper and vegetable broth. Stir.
- Increase heat and bring mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover, reduce heat and cook for 30-35 minutes until rice is cooked through.
- There will still be some liquid in the pot.
- Once cooked, add frozen peas and stir in until heated through. Enjoy!
- serving suggestion: this Simple Mexican Rice pairs perfectly with my Southwest Turkey + Vegetable Skillet, topped with avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. Yum!
What did you think of this recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
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