Showing posts with label healthy options. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy options. Show all posts
Baked rice pilaf is a simple, flavorful side dish made with long‑grain rice, broth, and aromatics that bake together in the oven until light, fluffy, and perfectly seasoned. This method creates rice that cooks to perfection with no fuss or muss, making it an easy and reliable option for weeknight meals or special occasions.
The recipe uses basic pantry ingredients and pairs well with fish, chicken, red meats, or vegetables. If you’re looking for a no‑fuss rice dish that delivers great texture and comforting flavor, this baked rice pilaf makes for a delicious choice. Low fat, high fiber, this recipe makes for a winning side dish all will enjoy!
I love easy dishes to make like this delicious rice pilaf. Not only does it go together quickly and easily, but it is also very low in fat. I think you will find that low in fat doesn't equate to low in flavor as this is an incredibly delicious dish.
Healthy, economical, colorful and flavor-filled this is a dish that everyone will love. With a simple cooking method the end result is a delicious rice pilaf that is perfectly cooked and loaded with flavor, texture, color, fiber and goodness!
You don't have to use carrots if you don't like them. I have grated broccoli stems to use before, or used frozen sliced green beans, frozen peas and corn, whatever you like! I think you will find that it is very adaptable!
On this day we enjoyed it with some fish sticks and a mix of vegetables on the side. Delicious!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
BAKED RICE PILAF
There is nothing complicated about this dish. Simply use the best ingredients you can afford to use and you can't go wrong!
- 1 3/4 cups (420ml) boiling water
- 2 large carrots, peeled and grated (about 1 cup) (I use the large holes of a box grater.)
- 2 stalks celery, washed, trimmed and chopped (about 1 cup) (I like to remove the strings also if I can)
- 3/4 cup (160g) uncooked long grain rice (I use Ben's Converted.)
- 3 TBS minced fresh flat leaf parsley (You can use 1 1/2 TBS freeze dried parsley flakes.)
- 2 TBS finely chopped onion (You don't want huge chunks.)
- 2 TBS butter, melted (I use salted butter.)
- 1 chicken stock pot or 1 TBS instant chicken bouillon granules (I used 1 TBS of Better than Bullion Chicken Stock concentrate.)
HOW TO MAKE BAKED RICE PILAF
The hardest part is the grating of the carrot and chopping of the onion and celery! I kid you not! See my handy tops below for rice perfection. After you have that done, you just stir everything together and pour it into a baking dish. Cover it tightly with foil and bang it into the oven. It basically cooks itself. You do have to give it a stir halfway through the cooking, but that's not a problem!
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Have ready an 8 inch square baking dish. Butter it lightly.
- Combine all of the ingredients and pour into the dish.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and give it a good stir.
- Recover and bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. let stand for a few minutes prior to serving. Serve hot.
A dish that basically cooks itself. You can't get much easier than that!
HOW TO STORE
AND REHEAT BAKED RICE PILAF
Store any leftover baked Rice Pilaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, no longer. Cool the cooked rice quickly and then seal when cold to help prevent excessive moisture from forming. To freeze, cool the rice in the refrigerator. Transfer to a freezer safe-bag or container, date, label and freeze. It will keep for up to two months.
TO REHEAT:
Stovetop - Add a splash of water and reheat in a skillet over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Microwave -Place the rice in a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle a little water over it, and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until hot.
Oven - Place the rice into an oven proof dish, add a little bit of water or broth. Cover tightly with a piece of aluminum foil. Bake at 300*F/150*C for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through.
TIPS FOR PERFECT RICE EVERY TIME
You're not alone if you struggle with making your rice come out perfectly when you cook it. This baked rice pilaf is pretty simple and easy to make, but here are some tips that can help to make your rice fluffy every single time!
- Before cooking, rinse your rice under cold water until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch so that you don’t end up with mushy rice. In all transparency, I don’t do this every time and find it to be less important when baking than when cooking on the stovetop. But it IS good practice, especially if you often find yourself with mushy rice.
- The water-to-rice ratio is crucial. A commonly given ratio is 2 cups of liquid for every 1 cup of rice, but I honestly find this to be too much water, which leads to your rice coming out mushy. I tend to use a little less than that. Also basmati rice in particular usually does well with even less to keep the grains separate and fluffy.
- If you’re cooking your rice in water instead of broth, add some spices and seasonings to the cooking water for extra flavor.
- Try not to stir rice while it’s cooking. Stirring will release more starch and can make the rice gummy. You also want to avoid lifting the lid off while it’s cooking. Lifting the lid will release the steam and cause some of the necessary liquid to evaporate.
- When cooking on top of the stove try to use a heavy-bottomed pan or pot. This helps distribute heat evenly and reduces the risk of burning or sticking.
A FEW OTHER
RICE DISHES TO ENJOY
ON THE SIDE
Rice is a very versatile and wonderful ingredient to have in the store cupboard. Here are a few other side dishes that use rice that I enjoy cooking and eating!!
BAKED MUSHROOM RICE - A mix of rice, stock, thyme and garlic powder is put into the bottom of a casserole dish and covered with a thick layer of garlic mushrooms, and baked to delicious perfection! No need to cover as the layer of mushrooms serves as a sort of a jacket for the rice, covering it . . . the juices running down and mingling with the stock and rice beneath it as it cooks.
EASY SPANISH RICE - A small batch recipe that makes two to three servings. Easy to make. A bit spicy, a lot tasty. Rich and tomatoey. This really is one of my favorite side dishes. It goes very well with just about any kind of grilled, fried or roasted meats, fish or poultry. A simple, family friendly and economical side dish.
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Yield: 4 servings
Baked Rice Pilaf
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 50 Min
A healthy baked rice dish that is simple to make and goes very well with fish, poultry and most meats.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (420ml) boiling water
- 2 large carrots, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery, washed, trimmed and chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3/4 cup (160g) uncooked long grain rice
- 3 TBS minced fresh flat leaf parsley
- 2 TBS finely chopped onion
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- 1 chicken stock pot or 1 TBS instant chicken bouillon granules
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Have ready an 8 inch square baking dish. Butter it lightly.
- Combine all of the ingredients and pour into the dish.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and give it a good stir.
- Recover and bake for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. let stand for a few minutes prior to serving. Serve hot.
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This recipe I am sharing with you today for Mediterranean-Style Marinated Chicken is one that I have recently fallen in love with. I discovered it on Two Kooks in the Kitchen a few weeks back.
I eat a lot of chicken in my house, and I am always looking for new and delicious ways to prepare it. This chicken recipe immediately caught my eye. Not only did it look really delicious and moist, but it sounded as if it was full of flavor as well, and maybe even a bit healthy!
I actually cooked it for guests before Christmas. Some people were coming over for lunch that I had not seen in over 20 years and I wanted to make a special lunch for them. This is the chicken I chose to cook.
None of us were disappointed. It was fabulous. I loved it because it was very easy to prepare, as well as cook. It was quite simply delicious, and got rave reviews from everyone!
I loved it so much that I chose to cook it again for myself during Twixtmas. You know, that week between Christmas and New Years when you can barely remember what day of the week it is.
And you are done with turkey, beef and ham, and roast dinners in general. You just want something quick and easy, and hopefully a bit healthier. This fit the bill on all counts!
WHAT YOU NEED TO COOK MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE MARINATED CHICKEN
This uses very simple ingredients. Marinated chicken, grilled to perfection.
- 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil (I used extra virgin for the flavor)
- the finely grated zest of one lemon (I used a microplane zester)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme, rubbed
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, rubbed
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves, rubbed
- 2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tsp good Dijon mustard (I used smooth)
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used thighs)
You are probably wondering why I specified rubbing the herbs. This is to release any natural oils still present in the dried herbs, to bring out their flavors more.
They will be re-hydrated in the oil, and rubbing them just intensifies their flavor. You could of course use fresh herbs if you have them, doubling the quantities. I live in the boondocks where fresh herbs are not readily available.
My lemon was fairly large so I guess I ended up with about 2 tsp of lemon zest. I was tempted to throw in some of the juice as well. I am sure it would be wonderful.
It would also help to tenderize the chicken even more.
HOW TO MAKE MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE MARINATED CHICKEN
This is incredibly simple to make, which is why I have already cooked it twice in less than a month! It speaks to my lazy streak. If I can cut corners I will cut them. I like cooking that is engineered to get me in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible.
I still like my food to taste really good however, even if it is just me eating it. This is so simple to make.
You begin by whisking together all of the marinade ingredients. You want to do this in a container that is large enough to hold all of your chicken pieces. It doesn't matter if they are in a single layer or not.
You also want to open out your thighs if you are using thighs. (I like thighs because they have more flavor and are juicier.)
Whichever cut of chicken you are using, you want to lightly pound it until it is an even thickness through out and then throw it into the container with the marinade, turning each piece to coat it well.
Cover and set the container aside to marinate. You can marinate the chicken for half an hour at room temperature if you are in a hurry.
You can also marinate it in the refrigerator for longer, even up to overnight if you want. Obviously the longer it marinates the more the flavors of the marinade are going to penetrate the meat and the more tender it will be.
You can cook it in one of two ways. You can either broil it under your oven's broiler/grill. Six to seven minutes per side should cook it to perfection, depending on the thickness of your pieces of chicken.
Breasts will also not take as long to cook as thighs. Your chicken is done when the juices run clear and the inner temperature measures 160*F/71*C.
Alternately you can cook it on a grill, either an outdoor one or an indoor one. I cooked mine in my Cuisinart Griddler machine. Cook on medium high 4 to 7 minutes per side, again depending on the thickness of your pieces of meat.
I served this the other day with some potatoes and a vegetable on the side. It would also be great shredded and popped into a pita bread along with some salad.
Heck it would even be great served cold with salad! I suppose what I am saying is that it's great no matter what! This is a new favorite in my home and I know it will be in yours as well!
I wanted to talk a little bit about transparency here this morning. My sister gave me this Air Fryer Recipe magazine for Christmas, filled with lots of recipes to use with the air fryer.
I was immediately drawn to the photograph on the cover of this one. Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken. My word but it didn't look half delicious. Almost as tasty if not tastier than our regular take-out fried chicken, not naming any names. A rare treat.
This was the first recipe I decided to cook from this magazine/book. That photograph almost made me drool. I prepared it exactly as described in the recipe, using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
This was the end result. I will say up front it was quite delicious, however . . . . it did not look anything at all like the photograph on the front of the cover of the magazine.
At least I don't think that it does. I found that very disappointing.
You would think that the recipe that they would choose to use to represent all of the recipes in their magazine would at least look like the way it actually turns out. I hate being lied to.
I was disappointed. It didn't matter how delicious it was. I was extremely disappointed. Where were all those crispy little bits like you can see in the photograph? Where is the glistening, juicy appearance? Why does mine look dry, flat, and yes . . . even a bit overcooked in some areas?
And in thinking about it, they are showing wings, breasts, thighs, etc. and they all look identical. They all look as if they jumped out of a bucket from our local fried chicken franchise.
In reality they would have all needed to be cooked for different lengths of time. Not mentioned in the recipe, but as a seasoned cook, I know that this is what is required. Breasts cook quicker than other cuts, and bone in pieces take far longer than boneless pieces.
I guess at the end of the day I hate being duped, taken in . . . lied to. Its like the tin of Quality Street every year at Christmas. The manufacturers brag about it not having gone up in price, and indeed it hasn't, but what it has done is gone down in size, and often considerably.
Actually, in reality, it has gone up in price, because we are paying more for the same thing. They are just trying to convince us by sleight of hand that we are not.
One thing I can promise you is this, the food/recipes that you see on here is exactly what you are going to get. I don't edit anything. I click and shoot. End of. Sometimes it looks great, sometimes not so great, but at least it is real.
So what are your thoughts on transparency in the food industry? I really want to know!
New Potato Colcannon. This is a delicious colcannon recipe I wanted to share with you before Saint Patricks' Day on the 17th of March. There is something pretty wonderful that happens when you combine cabbage and potatoes and Ireland.
Its called Colcannon! And its very Irish. This is a slightly healthier version of the original. Created to be low GI and very diabetic friendly.
During the 17th and 18th century in Europe and Ireland, cabbages, potatoes and leeks were considered to be the basic foods of the common serf, man. In other words, most people. Only the very wealthy could afford to eat fancier foods.
Colcannon is the inevitable result of mankind's ability to make lemonade out of lemons. And it is a most delicious way to present these three simple ingredients. This dish however uses milder spring onions rather than the much stronger flavored leek.
A first reference to Colcannon in Irish History was found in the 1735 diary entry of William Bulkely, a traveler from Wales who was introduced to the dish on a Halloween night in Dublin:
“Dined at Cos. Wm. Parry, and also supped there upon a shoulder of mutton roasted and what they call there Coel Callen, which is cabbage boiled, potatoes and parsnips, all this mixed together. They eat well enough, and is a Dish always had in this Kingdom on this night.”
The word colcannon is derived from the Gaelic term “cal ceannann” which means white-headed cabbage. Although generally speaking these days the dish is made from either Kale or the darker green savoy cabbage!
Humble ingredients put together in a most delicious way, this is considered haute cuisine in many multiple Michelin star restaurants. In short this is a beautiful side dish well deserving to be served on any table!
This version I am sharing today boasts the addition of some smoky and salty pancetta. Oh, I just adore bacon and pancetta. Both go so very well with cabbages and potatoes of any kind, hence the addition of pancetta to this dish only makes sense.
New potatoes are considered to be low GI. In order to be considered low GI, a food must have a glucose index score of less than 55. These carbohydrates take longer to break down than their higher GI counterparts, which means that they cause a persons sugar levels to raise much more slowly, which is good news when it comes to controlling your diet as a diabetic.
I love it when the side dish becomes the star of the meal. I am a vegetable lover after all, and could be quite happy if I never ate meat again.
Well, I tell, a bit of a lie there because I would miss a good steak every now and again, and I do kind of like roast chicken and turkey. And a really well done Prime Rib Roast is a magnificent thing to behold and to eat!
Okay . . . I guess it's settled. I just like to eat. But I do have my favorite things and vegetables are one of them!
This Crushed New Potato Colcannon is a delightful side dish! Chock full of lovely savoy cabbage and new potatoes. It is also a perfect side dish to enjoy on Saint Patrick's Day.
I have also used spring onions, which have a nice mild onion flavor, not too harsh. It goes really well with the cabbage.
Savoy cabbage is quite a mild flavored cabbage. If you were to use leeks, or even regular onions, you run the risk of them overpowering the dish.
This is a case where you want to be able to taste the cabbage. Another reason I chose savoy is because it is has such a pretty green color and Saint Patrick's Day is all about the green!
This is a side dish that goes together really quickly once you have the individual elements of it ready to go. I sautéed the prosciutto first in a skillet, reserving the drippings for the finish.
The cabbage itself, was lightly steamed, so as to help preserve that rich green color. The potatoes were boiled in lightly salted water, just until they were fork tender.
You could actually do all of these things earlier in the day or the night before so that when the time came, you could quickly and easily just throw the dish together.
Spring onions/scallions are cooked in the pan drippings, just long enough to wilt them without browning. Once you've done that you quickly add the potatoes to the pan, heating them through and crushing them a bit in the process.
Then you add the cabbage and prosciutto, gently tossing everything together and heating both as well. A knob of butter is optionally thrown in at the end to add a bit of richness, but I can tell you, this beautiful side dish is every bit as delicious without it. ''
This was served simply with some grilled bangers/sausages, steamed carrots and a spoonful of grainy Dijon mustard. It would also go well with grilled pork or lamb chops, or even grilled chicken.
In fact, this is pretty tasty all on its own. Not to confess or anything, but I could be quite happy with just a plate of this and nothing else!!
Crushed New Potato Colcannon
Yield: 4
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
A healthier version of an old Irish favorite. Its delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds (600g) new potatoes, unpeeled, washed well and cut in half
- 3/4 pound (400g) savoy cabbage, washed, trimmed and coarsely shredded
- 2 tsp sunflower oil
- 4 rashers prosciutto, cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced (scallions)
- 2 TBS (25g) butter, cubed (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the prosciutto into a large skillet, along with the oil. Cook, until crisp. Scoop out and drain on paper towels.
- Set the skillet aside for now and reserve the pan drippings.
- Put the potatoes into a saucepan of lightly salted water. Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain well.
- Cook the cabbage in boiling water for about 3 minutes, until just tender. Drain well, run under cold water and drain again.
- Reheat the drippings in the skillet. Add the spring onions to the skillet and soften without coloring.
- Add the cabbage and heat through. Drop in the potatoes and lightly crush.
- Stir through the prosciutto and season to taste. If you are using butter, stir it in now.
- Serve hot.
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