Tag Archives: rice

Spanish Rice

Spice it up with some homemade Spanish rice. This recipe is easy to do and gives you a great side dish ! You could easily substitute the type of tomatoes and peppers to make this exactly how you like it.

Spanish Rice
Spanish Rice

6 servings
144 calories per serving

½ c finely chopped shallots
½ c chopped bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T oil
1 t chili powder
28 oz. can diced tomatoes and their juice
¾ c long grain rice
4 oz. can diced green chilies
Hot pepper sauce to taste
1 c water
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil and cook shallots, pepper and garlic until tender. Add chili powder and cook 1 minute then add tomatoes, rice, chilies, hot pepper sauce, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil them reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Ham, Broccoli and Rice

This couldn’t be easier and it turns out a great healthy meal that the whole family will enjoy. I love one dish meals ! If you don’t have leftover ham on hand, try using Canadian bacon.

Ham, Broccoli and Rice
Ham, Broccoli and Rice

4 servings
290 calories per serving

2 t margarine
½ c chopped onion
4.3 oz. package of long grain and wild rice mix
1 2/3 c water
2 c frozen broccoli florets
1 ½ c diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Melt margarine in a skillet on medium heat and cook onion and rice from the mix for 2-3 minutes them pour in water and seasoning packet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes then lay broccoli and ham over the rice and bring back to a boil before lowering heat to medium low. Then cover and cook another 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover and add cheese to top – let simmer 5 minutes to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

Asian Turkey Soup (Crock Pot)

Meals that you start in the morning and then come home to much later are so convenient ! This soup has that great all day simmer flavor. And like many soups, it is so versatile – – have some extra peas this week, throw them in. Have vegetable broth, but not chicken broth, switch it out. Have chicken instead of turkey…no problem ! Make this one your own !

Asian Turkey Soup
Asian Turkey Soup

6 servings
166 calories per serving

28 oz. chicken broth
1 ½ c water
1 lb. turkey breast or boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 medium carrots cut into short thin strips
½ c chopped onion
2 T soy sauce
2 T grated fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ c sliced bok choy
1 c instant brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T Asian hot garlic chili sauce (optional – stir it in at the beginning stages if you like a spicy soup)

In a 4 qt. crock pot mix turkey, broth, mushrooms, water, carrots, onions, soy, ginger and garlic (and optional chili sauce). Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4 hours. If cooking on low, turn to high heat after 7-8 hours and stir in bok choy and raw rice. Cover and cook 15 minutes more.

Shrimp and Rice Soup

This is an excellent soup ! Be sure to remember the lime splash just before serving – it makes a big difference in the flavor.

Shrimp and Rice Soup
Shrimp and Rice Soup

4 servings
320 calories per serving

4 c chicken broth
2 c water
1 c Minute Rice
1 T oil
1 t minced garlic
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
4 lime wedges
1 c bean sprouts (fresh or canned)
3 T sliced scallions
3 T chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix broth and water in a soup pot and bring to a boil then stir in rice and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in bean sprouts and let stand 5 minutes. Heat oil and sauté garlic, onions, shrimp and pepper flakes 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Stir shrimp into soup, add salt and pepper, and garnish with cilantro. Sprinkle with lime just before serving.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Talk about a satisfying soup ! This one has meat, spice, veggies, cheese and 3 DIFFERENT CARBS! Lentils, rice and tortellini. Oh how good 🙂

Sausage and Lentil Soup
Sausage and Lentil Soup

13 servings
275 calories per serving

20 oz. turkey Italian sausage with casings removed
13 c water
1 c chopped carrots
2 c chopped celery
½ c diced green bell pepper
2 t onion powder
¾ t oregano flakes
1 t garlic powder
1 t basil flakes
2 t chicken boullion
½ t seasoned salt
¼ t pepper
2 c dried lentils, rinsed
½ c dry rice
22 oz. canned crushed tomatoes
2 ½ c cheese tortellini (refrigerated)
Salt and pepper to taste

Crumble the sausage and cook in a skillet until done (keep crumbling as you cook it). In a large soup pan mix water, vegetables and spices then add lentils and rice and bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in tomato sauce, bring to a boil again and add the tortellini and sausage and cook 4 minutes or until tortellini are done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Zucchini Risotto

This is just one of those special recipes – this makes a beautiful risotto-like dish that bakes up with no effort. It is creamy and delicious.

Baked Zucchini Risotto
Baked Zucchini Risotto


12 servings
204 calories per serving

1 1/2 c brown rice
3 c chicken broth
4 c diced zucchini
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, diced finely
3/4 t salt
Pepper to taste
1 1/2 c skim milk
3 T flour
2 c shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 c frozen corn, thawed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Pour rice into a 9×13 baking dish. Simmer broth until hot and then stir into the rice. Add zucchini, peppers, onion, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes then remove foil and cook another 35 minutes or so, until liquid is all absorbed.

Whisk milk and flour in a saucepan and cook until bubbly and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add 1 ½ c of the cheese and corn and cook until cheese is all melted. When rice is done, stir in cheese sauce and sprinkle with the last ½ c cheese and bake another 10 minutes to melt cheese. Let rest before serving.

Kung Pao Pork

Another recipe from the really, really easy stable. I don’t often use store bought sauces as many are filled with sugar – but this one is worth it for a treat !

Kung Pao Pork
Kung Pao Pork

4 servings
381 calories per serving

1 1b. pork loin, sliced thin
16 oz. bag frozen stir fry veggies, defrosted
4 T Kung Pao sauce (available in the Asian section of your market)
Pam
2 c cooked brown minute rice

Spray skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Stir fry pork 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add vegetables and continue cooking 7 minutes or until all heated through. Add sauce and cook another 2 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

Jeweled Rice

This is a great recipe to use up leftover rice from the Chinese food take out order. Just place it in a colander and place the colander over a pot of steaming water for 5-6 minutes. That brings it back to life nicely 🙂 The veggies look like little jewels in a sea of rice. It’s a very pretty side dish !

Jeweled Rice
Jeweled Rice

6 servings
183 calories

1 c basmati rice (stickier than regular long grain rice)
2 c water
1/4 c roasted peanuts
1 shallot, sliced
2 T water
1 t minced fresh ginger root
3/4 c grated carrots
½ c corn
Salt to taste
¼ t cayenne pepper (double this if you like it spicy !)
3 T chopped cilantro

Add rice to water and bring to a boil on high heat then lower to a simmer, cover and cook 20 minutes or until water is absorbed (or use steamed leftover rice as mentioned above). Mash peanuts finely or puree in a blender. Heat a skillet and sauté shallots in a couple of tablespoons of hot water. Saute 5 minutes. Add more water if needed to keep them moist. Then add ginger, carrots, corn and salt. Turn to low and cook 5 minutes then stir in rice, pepper, cilantro and peanuts.

Creamy Chicken Rice Soup

The broth for this soup is just perfect – it is satisfyingly creamy without being too much. The veggies are just enough. And the rice makes it really stick with you. It is a great lunch soup and reheats well. Be sure to not skip the wine and lemon juice – just the little bits make a big difference in the taste of the broth !

Creamy Chicken Rice Soup
Creamy Chicken Rice Soup

6 servings
218 calories per serving

½ c chopped carrot
1/3 c finely chopped onion
1/3 c chopped celery
2 T butter
¼ c flour
6 c chicken broth
2 c cooked rice
1 c cubed cooked chicken
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
1/8 t garlic powder
1 c 2 % milk
2 T lemon juice
1 T white wine

Saute the carrot, onion and celery in the butter until tender then mix in flour and gradually stir in the broth. Mix in rice, chicken, salt, pepper and garlic powder and bring to a boil the reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the milk, lemon juice and wine and cook 5 minutes or until heated through.

Ginger Beef

Ginger and garlic just go together so well. And making a paste of them along with cilantro and sesame oil just adds so much flavor to the already flavorful beef. This is a great quick dish that you will make again and again.

Ginger Beef
Ginger Beef

4 servings
298 calories per serving

1/4 c cilantro leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
4 quarter size slices peeled fresh ginger
2 T water
2 T dark sesame oil
1 lb. boneless sirloin cut into long slices
16 cherry tomatoes
2 small zucchini each in 8 pieces
2 c cooked brown rice

Preheat broiler. Spray baking sheet with Pam. Mix cilantro, garlic, ginger, water and oil in a food processor until a paste forms. Place the steak in a bowl and add cilantro paste and mix well. Turn out the meat mix onto the baking sheet and add the tomatoes and zucchini. Broil 3 minutes. Stir well. Broil another 3-4 minutes. Serve with warm brown rice.

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