Ancient Grains…..

Happy Friday everyone! Wow, this has felt like an incredibly long week! I have no idea why this week has felt extra-long, but I think there were two or three Mondays thrown into it. In my opinion one Monday is more than enough, so having multiple Mondays is unacceptable. Do you ever have weeks that feel so long, where almost every day feels like a Monday? Or maybe kind of like “Groundhog day”?

 

The fact that the week felt long is perfectly ok though. Last night we had one of the most amazing dinners, and it will be a repeat in the future. I baked up some wild salmon fillets, with a large salad, but the star of the show was the Forbidden Black Rice and Cherries. We had never eaten black rice, but after doing some research on rice, and ancient grains, I decided to give it a shot. We were not disappointed. It is a little chewier than white, or brown, rice, and it has somewhat of a nutty flavor. I apologize for the pictures because of the rice being black, and the cherries being dark, you can barely see them, but they are in there and they absolutely make the dish pop!

 

 

 

 

In case you’ve never heard of forbidden black rice, or emperor’s rice, it was served specifically to Chinese royalty. And while white and brown rice both have health benefits black rice has benefits all its own. “Black rice is an heirloom rice that is black when raw but purple when cooked. The color is due to the presence of anthocyanin, the same pigment that is present in dark red, blue and purple fruits such as blackberries, blueberries and cherries. Anthocyanin is a natural anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory that is linked to lowering cholesterol and preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. In addition to being high in fiber, black rice is rich in iron” Comluv.com

If you have never tried black rice, now is the time. It isn’t any more expensive than brown, or white, rice. It isn’t hard to cook, and it is very versatile in taste. I think once you try it you will absolutely put it in your rice rotation. I read that it takes longer to cook than other rice, but mine cooked up in about 30 minutes where other rice can tend to take a little longer, while others take less cooking time. No matter what you serve this rice dish alongside you will be pleasantly surprised at the unique flavor. Plate up something forbidden, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What type of rice do you usually eat?

Have you ever tried black rice?

What is your favorite “ancient grain?”?

Forbidden Black Rice with Cherries

By Angie Gouchenour

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup black rice

1 ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth

¼ cup dried cherries

¼ cup fresh parsley – chopped

Directions

In a medium pan combine the black rice and chicken broth and bring to a boil

Cover the pan and turn down to a simmer for about 30 minutes (Keep an eye on it toward the end so it doesn’t stick. Cooking times may vary)

Remove from the heat and stir in dried cherries and parsley

Serve hot alongside your favorite main course

1 serving (approximately ¾ cup) = 223 calories