Meatless Monday Roundup: 4 Brown Rice Recipes
We all know that brown rice is a healthier option than classic white, but did you know how versatile this ingredient is? With its nutty flavor and chewy, toothsome texture, brown rice is not only an alternative to white rice, but an ingredient in its own right, adding new flavor and texture to classic white rice dishes… and inspiring some creations of its own! This Meatless Monday, take a look at some of these delicious meatless brown rice recipes. You’ll love adding them to this week’s menu!
Image courtesy of Uncle Ben’s
Start things off with these Mediterranean stuffed portabello mushrooms. The giant mushroom caps are filled with a salad of brown rice, peppers, onions, tomatoes and feta cheese. Chicken broth adds flavor to the original recipe, but vegetable broth would be just as delicious. The size of these stuffed mushroom caps is great for a lunch, but you can also serve two per person for a hearty vegetarian dinner.
Brown rice gets a Greek twist in this brown rice Greek salad and a protein kick with chickpeas, and the colorful additions of tomatoes, olives, corn, scallions and cucumber, bring a nice summery twist to this dish. Creamy feta cheese is the perfect way to finish off this salad, which also gets added punch from oregano and mint. If you can find them, feel free to sub fresh for dried!
Image: Kimberley Stakal
If you’ve been hit with the early fall that some east coasters are experiencing, we’ve got just the recipe for you. A brown rice and beet risotto is just the thing for cooler evenings; this recipe has the added benefit of not only being meatless but completely vegan, thanks to the coconut milk used as an exotic thickener. The bright fuschia hue of this dish is perfect on a white plate and is sure to wow your guests.
As for dessert, brown rice can be great there too! Consider this brown rice pudding, perfect topped with sweet local strawberries or with some raisins stirred in, should you decide to make this in wintertime. The brown rice adds a nuttier flavor to the classic dessert, and the honey adds a hint of floral sweetness that is surely welcome.
