Starring: whole grains

Though similar in shape, orzo is a type of dry pasta made from wheat. It contains gluten and starch, and so it’s as good as rice when you want a creamy consistency, with the benefit of not needing constant stirring to achieve a thick texture. Easier and faster!

In addition, you can cook orzo in multiple ways: just like any other pasta, as if it were rice, you can bake it, you can combine it with a lot of vegetables and even meat.

Orzo is great for this faux risotto, but you can also use it to prepare salads, stews, soups and even filling and abundant casseroles.

To learn more about how to cook it, we have an easy and interesting orzo recipe for you. Keep on reading! 

But what is risotto anyway?

In case all this is new to you, you must know that risotto is prepared with vegetables and broth. It’s quite a versatile dish, since you can include any vegetables of your preference and try out different combinations each time. It’s also very important to add parmesan cheese or other of your choice, because it enriches the overall creamy sensation.

Vegetables are mandatory in all risotto recipes, so if you’re not inspired, remember you can use onions, scallions, zucchini, carrots, spinach or kale as basic flavors. Add white beans or green beans if you want to create a filling risotto without including any meat.

In case you like meat, all types pair perfectly, be it pork, chicken, lamb or beef. Sausages are tasty too, and bacon is always welcome!

Cook now, save for later

You can keep your leftovers in your fridge for up to 3 or 4 days in an airtight container. When you need to reheat a bowl, add some extra broth so that the rice or orzo can absorb it and the flavors are enhanced. Microwave it or take to the stove and you’re good to go.

Unfortunately, freezing and reheating is not recommended if you used heavy cream in your recipe. Heavy cream is optional, so you may use it at your preference.

You will love this risotto with orzo pasta. We’ve chosen a mushroom version that is very creamy without leaving you feeling impossibly full. Sprinkle some herbs and this risotto will become your favorite!

Mushroom and orzo risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 cups of dry orzo pasta.
• 1 onion.
• 1 small zucchini.
• 2 garlic cloves.
• ½ cup of green peas.
• 2 cups of spinach
• 4 cups of sliced mushrooms (any of your preference).
• 2 cups of vegetable broth.
• ½ cup of heavy cream.
• ¼ cup of white wine.
• Olive oil to add flavor
• Unsalted butter to sauté the ingredients.
• Parmesan cheese to taste.
• Parsley to sprinkle on top.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

1. Start by adding some olive oil, butter and minced garlic cloves in a pan or pot at medium heat. Incorporate the mushrooms and let them release their liquid. Stir often until they reduce their size but are still a bit moist. They might get a brownish color.
2. In the same pot, add the chopped onion and zucchini. Wait until the onion is transparent, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the orzo and stir for some 3 minutes to toast it a little.
4. Add the white wine. Although completely optional, it is quite recommendable for adding that particular flavor. Wait until the alcohol has evaporated and then pour in the vegetable broth. At this point, lower your heat to let the orzo cook slowly while it absorbs the liquids. Stir often.
5. When half of the broth is already absorbed, add the heavy cream. You can include some parmesan cheese at this point too, if you like it melted. Avoid the mix from sticking to the bottom of the pot by stirring constantly.
6. Incorporate the green peas and the spinach once you see the orzo is almost ready. Stir and wait until they look cooked.
7. Add salt and pepper if you feel your risotto needs some. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese and the parsley in your pot or after serving your individual bowls. Enjoy while still warm!

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However, many different diets that can be found all over the Internet have restricted its consumption: keto, Paleolithic, whole-30 and other low-carb plans recommend that this grain should be avoided.

So… is rice good for you?

Numerous times, dietitians and many celebrities online have depicted rice negatively.

This grain tends to be considered as one that causes weight gain and as one that may contain chemicals that are hazardous to our health. 

Given the fact that rice may grow in human-manipulated environments, some people believe that it may absorb chemicals more easily than other crops. However, studies from the FDA have shown that if any inorganic arsenic residue remains on any rice grain, it can be successfully eliminated through proper cooking, so there is actually nothing to worry about!

High fiber content and lots of mineral nutrients

Ok, so no risk of arsenic… But what about weight gain? Alright, there’s an answer for that as well.

In the Western part of the world, rice (mostly white rice) is thought of as a “bad” carb because its nutrients are lost when the bran and germ are removed from the grain. Still, rice has high amounts of dietary fiber and nutrients like manganese, selenium, magnesium, among others, that will provide you with tons of energy and considerable benefits for your health.

If you pair this grain with any other veggie or source of protein, you’ll be able to have a fulfilling and healthy dish without spending much time or money!

Remember that rice in itself is not bad; just keep an eye on the serving sizes so as to take good advantage of this fantastic food.

Egg-fried rice recipes can also be healthy!

We would like to encourage you to use more rice in your meals. They’ll be just as delicious as they’ll be nutritious!

People tend to love egg-fried rice, and perhaps you do too. Have you ever wondered whether egg fried rice recipes that are healthy enough for you to eat, at least once a week, even exist?

Well, cheer up, because the answer is of course they do!

The following is a simple recipe for healthy and delicious egg-fried rice. Try it at home!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked white rice (up to ⅔  of brown rice and ⅓ of white would be ok as well)
• Olive oil, to taste
• 1 Medium onion
• 1 Large pepper
• 1 Cup carrots
• 1 Cup green peas
• 2 eggs
• Garlic, finely chopped, to taste
• Ground ginger
• Pepper
• Red pepper flakes.
• 1/2 Cup coconut aminos.
• 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.
• Soy sauce to taste.

Instructions:

1. Cook your rice on the stove or on your instant pot. The best rice to make this recipe is Basmati rice or Jasmine rice, because of their fluffy, light texture and flavor. Remember you should boil your rice and cook it thoroughly before frying it!
2. Season your cooked rice with some soy sauce, ginger, garlic, pepper, coconut aminos and salt to taste.
3. Now it’s time for the veggies; try to chop your carrot, onion and pepper with a knife. You should try to make even strips or small cubes so that all veggies can cook evenly.
4. Add some red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to spice the veggies up.
5. Crack two eggs into a separate bowl. Leave them aside for a little bit.
6. Preheat your pan with olive oil. Once it’s hot enough, add your veggies and cook them until golden and tender (this may take up to ten minutes).
7. Add your cooked, seasoned rice and the green peas. Let them simmer for 4 or 5 more minutes.
8. Grab the bowl in which you’ve cracked both eggs, whisk them and add them to the rice and veggie mixture. 
9. Now you can turn the heat off and leave the pan covered.
10. The eggs will cook with the steam of the rice and veggies, and they won’t be dry once you serve them on your plate! 

Try this with different veggies and you’ll see how versatile this recipe is!

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A dish that tastes better in the correct pan

If you are wondering where the name came from, paella is actually the name of the pan in which paella is made. Confusing, isn’t it? To help you a bit, let’s use another way, also valid, for referring to this utensil: paellera. This is a flat shallow pan which is perfect for cooking rice. You may use a regular pan with some depth but the truth is it won’t be the same. The heat distributes differently in a paellera and the material contributes a lot to this characteristic since they are typically made of carbon steel or stainless steel. Certainly, buying one it’s a good idea!

It is said that there are as many recipes as Spanish citizens, so let your creativity fly away and substitute the ingredients for versions of your preference. This is one of those preparations that truly allow you to experiment. Remember, as long as you respect the triad (rice, beans and meat) you will be making a paella recipe!

Think outside the box!

Ingredients (4 servings):

• 1 lb of rabbit meat, cut into small chunks.
• 2 pounds chicken, cut into pieces.
• 4 garlic cloves.
• 4 cups chicken stock, approximately.
• 1 cup artichoke hearts.
• ½ cup butter beans.
• 1 tomato, peeled.
• 2 cups Arborio rice or any other medium-grain rice, approximately.
• 2 tbsp olive oil.
• 1 pinch saffron.
• 1 pinch dried rosemary.
• 1 tsp paprika.
• Salt and pepper, to taste.

Instructions:

1. Put the paellera over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When ready season chunks of rabbit and chicken Place everything in the paellera and brown the meat on both sides. This step is crucial, since it avoids the meat from being simply boiled and becoming tasteless. Remove from the paellera and reserve.
2. Crush garlic cloves and sauté. Add the artichoke hearts, tomato and butter beans. Season with saffron, dried rosemary and paprika. Stir well for a few minutes.
3. Now add the rabbit and chicken. Mix all the ingredients and pour stock almost to the top, paying attention to how much you’re adding. Season to taste and bring to a boil.
4. The amount of rice you will use depends on how much water you added on the previous step. Remember that rice usually requires twice the quantity of water, so if you notice that your paellera was full with two cups, you will add 1 cup of rice and 2 cups of stock. As paelleras come in different sizes, this is a very individual matter. Bring to a boil again, stirring now and then. Rice will be ready in 20 minutes but check it once in a while and add stock if, at some point, evaporates completely.
5. Try rice, if al dente, remove the paellera from heat and reserve for 15 minutes, covered. This step will seal all the flavors within. Now comes the best part, serve!

Extra Tips:

Be patient, do not over stir. This recipe benefits a lot from gentle movements since they allow ingredients to absorb the liquid and condense all the flavors. What is more, it will help in the making of socarrat , that delicious crispy layer at the bottom of the paellera. Another trick to make this crust develop is to turn the heat up for 1 or 2 minutes at the end of cooking.

If you prepared too much paella, it is advisable to let it cool down and put it in an airtight container. Stored in this condition, it will last from 3 to 4 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer. If you choose the last option, when you decide to eat it, transfer the container to the fridge for an entire night. Next day add some stock to the pan and heat it on the stove until boiling.

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