Brown rice salad/Benefits of Brown Rice

SPRING RAINBOW BROWN RICE SALAD

Spring Rainbow Brown Rice Salad

And the debate continues...White rice or brown rice? Which is better? Are they the same? Is one healthier than the other? Some people would say, "it's just rice"  it's all the same...but one does cross the finish line before the other....and the winner is: Brown Rice!

First off, what is the primary difference between White rice and Brown rice?

Seems like a simple enough question but can also be confusing.

Answer: Brown is considered a whole grain, with the first outer layer (husk or hull) removed through milling. It retains it's fiber and germ which contains vital nutrients. White rice is Brown rice that has been milled to remove the bran and much of the germ, reducing fiber and nutrient content drastically. Then it's furthered polished to take away the remaining layer of germ. 

Why then is Brown rice the healthier one? 

Answer: Brown rice has:

1) Twice the manganese and phosphories as white rice.

2) 2 1/2 times the iron and 3 times more vitamin B3

3) 4 times the vitamin B1

4) 10 times more the vitamin B6

5) 1 cup of brown rice has 3 1/2 grams of fiber while the same amount of white rice has less than 1 gram of fiber.

6) Chewing brown rice thoroughly while eating mixes with your saliva in the process producing healthful enzymes beneficial during the digestive process.

Medical fact:

Medical experts advocate replacing white rice with brown rice if you have diabetes. Diabetics are often warned off about the link between eating white rice and bringing on rapid peaks in blood sugar levels.

So with that said, I came up a spin off on kinda of rice pilaf/salad that can be a way to enjoy brown rice. Has good flavor and color; can be be enjoyed both hot or cold. I over cooked the rice slightly to get more of a mashy sustainable binding quality to grab hold to the other ingredients.



Spring Rainbow Brown Rice Salad

(makes 4 to 5 cups)

3 cups of short grain Brown rice

1/2 cup shitake mushrooms or portabella, sliced thin

2 julienned carrots

2 yellow onions, chopped finely

2 stalks of celery

I cup of crushed pecans

3 gloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 corn (optional)

1/4 cup dried currants or cranberries

Healthy handful of fresh chopped scallions

Cooking method:

In a small sautee pan with a little olive oil, sautee the garlic and onions until brown. Add in the carrots, mushrooms, celery and corn. Lightly flash cook these leaving them slightly crunchy. Add this mixture to your cooked brown rice, let cool. Add in crushed pecans, currants and fresh scallions.

Lemon Tamara Ginger Dressing

1 cup of olive oil

1 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup honey, agave nectar or maple syrup

1/2 cup Tamara (aged soy sauce)

Large piece of fresh ginger (roughly chopped)

Method:

In a vitamix or blender blend all ingredients until smooth. Apply dressing to your salad.

Add fresh lemon zest at the end for garnish.

ENJOY!!!

PEACE. LOVE. LIGHT