Easy Change #6: Switch to Soaked Brown Rice

Welcome back to my Easy Changes You Can Make Today series! It's been awhile, but I'm back with another small change you can make towards healthier eating! (Did you miss the other Easy Changes? Check them out here.)

If the title of this post just read "Switch to Brown Rice," things would be relatively simple. All you'd have to do is stop buying white rice and start buying brown rice. Allow a little more time for it to cook and you're good to go. That is, if you can get used to its delicious nutty flavor and hearty texture. (It makes ridiculously good rice pudding.)

Unfortunately things are more complicated than that. But not so complicated that we should just throw it all out the window and keep eating nutritionally empty white rice (although I don't think there's anything wrong with indulging in white rice once in awhile, in the context of a healthy diet). As you've heard me mention before, whole grains contain phytates, substances that block mineral absorption. Consuming too many unsoaked whole grains can lead to nutrient deficiencies, which can cause to tooth decay, bone loss and all sorts of other health problems (that's right, folks, a nutrient-dense diet contributes to the health of your teeth!). They also contain other hard-to-digest substances, according to Sally Fallon Morell, the author of Nourishing Traditions:

"Other antinutrients in whole grains include enzyme inhibitors which can inhibit digestion and put stress on the pancreas; irritating tannins; complex sugars which the body cannot break down; and gluten and related hard-to-digest proteins which may cause allergies, digestive disorders and even mental illness." (source)

But when properly treated through soaking, sprouting, or souring, they are highly nutritious. Sally Fallon Morell recommends soaking grains, including rice, in warm filtered water to which you've added some whey (the liquid that you can drain off of whole milk yogurt), lemon juice, or raw apple cider vinegar. After 7-24 hours, this acidic environment has supposedly neutralized many of the phytates and enzyme inhibitors present in the grain. But there's another problem...

Apparently this method is not very effective on rice. Rats.

Fortunately, some very smart people who care about this sort of thing have done some research and have come up with a much more effective way to soak brown rice. You don't need any special equipment, and it will only take one minute of your time about 24 hours before you want to eat rice. It's called "accelerated fermentation" which sounds complicated but really isn't. It just means you save some of the soaking water and reuse it every time, which after several times reduces the phytic acid by up to 96%. Sweet! So here's how you do it:

How to Soak and Cook Brown Rice 

1. Combine in a saucepan:
   1 part brown rice (rinsed through a fine mesh strainer)
   2 parts filtered water
2.  Heat gently on low heat to warm the mixture. Turn off when it feels warm to the touch. 
3. About 24 hours later (give or take: it's more effective if you wait a full 24 hours but as few as 7 hours is beneficial), drain the rice in a colander over a liquid measuring cup. Take note of how much water comes out. 
4. Pour about 1/4 c. of the water you drained off into a jar to place in the fridge. Label it so you remember what it is! Discard the rest of the water. 
5. Put the rice back into the saucepan with fresh water in the amount you drained off. You can also cook the rice in chicken stock for added nutritional benefits (plus it tastes delicious!). Add optional salt to taste. (I usually add a few cubes of chicken stock to the water.)
6. Bring to a boil, reduce to the lowest possible heat, cover, and cook until tender. (I find that it is usually tender after 35 minutes or so, instead of the usual 45 that brown rice takes to cook. We don't like mushy rice.) 
7. The next time you want to cook brown rice, add the water you saved to your soaking water, and continue the process. Don't forget to save a little bit each time!

You can use this method with any rice recipe with a little creativity. If your recipe says to sauté veggies first and then add the rice to them, just cook your veggies in the same pan you used to soak the rice (while the soaked rice waits in a colander) and then add the rice back in at the appropriate time. If your recipe calls for other liquid in addition to stock or water, make sure the total amount of liquid equals the amount you drained off of your rice. (I broke that rule last night when making a rice pilaf, and my rice had way too much liquid. The problem was remedied by boiling it with the lid off for a few minutes.)

As with many real food techniques, this one isn't complicated, it just takes planning ahead. One more reason to start meal planning! :)

What do you think? Will you switch to soaked brown rice? If not, what's keeping you from taking the plunge?

This is part of Fight Back Friday.

Green Beans with Goat Cheese and Pine Nuts

Green bean season is in now full swing in West Michigan. If you're sick of steamed beans and you're in the mood for something special, try this. It is hands down my favorite way to eat green beans. Pine nuts and goat cheese are a bit pricey, so it's a special occasion sort of dish.

Alter the quantities to taste. The measurements given are estimates; I don't really measure when I make this dish. Just taste it and add more cheese and nuts if necessary. And don't forget the salt and pepper! :)

Ingredients:

a few tablespoons olive oil and/or butter for sauteing

1 lb. green beans, washed and stem ends snapped off

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1-2 oz. pine nuts (soaked and dehydrated would be ideal...but that didn't happen for us this week.)

2 oz. goat cheese (chevre)

Method:

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium low heat. Drizzle in some olive oil. Add the green beans and cook covered, stirring every couple minutes, until they are almost all tender and some are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook a couple minutes longer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the goat cheese and pine nuts and stir gently to distribute, cooking a couple minutes longer to lightly toast the nuts.

Enjoy!

This is part of Weekend Gourmet, Monday Mania, Hearth and Soul, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and Real Food Wednesday.

The Scoop on Oatmeal

"You make such fancy oatmeal."

That was what my husband said to me the morning I made the oatmeal pictured above. It was loaded with butter, dried cranberries, soaked and dried pecans, shredded coconut, and cinnamon. After the photo shoot I added a moat of raw milk. And some sliced banana. And a dollop of peanut butter. I admit, I went overboard a little bit. But man was it good!

Oats are nutritious, cheap, and can be cooked in minutes, so they make a great breakfast! But they present us with a few problems...

problem #1: They contain phytates, substances that block your body's ability to absorb minerals.

problem #2: By themselves, they don't contain enough protein to make a breakfast that satisfies.

problem #3: The husband doesn't like them.

So what to do, what to do? Here are some solutions. (Unfortunately problem #3 appears to be unsolvable despite my fancy toppings. Oh well.)

solution #1: minimize anti-nutrients

This is a problem with all grains, as well as nuts and legumes. Eating too many unsoaked grains can cause nutrient deficiencies. Traditional cultures used to soak their grains for several hours (or sometimes days!) to get the most out of them. Several people (including Katie from Kitchen Stewardship, where I guest blogged last week) have done a lot of research on the effectiveness of soaking in minimizing anti-nutrients. The results have been less than crystal clear, but I'm choosing to stick with it, mostly because I seem to feel better after eating soaked vs. unsoaked whole grains, and I have read several testimonies from people who cannot easily digest unsoaked grains but do fine with soaked ones.

Here's how you do it.

You will need:

-equal amounts rolled oats (I like thick rolled oats best) and filtered water

-1 T. acidic medium per cup of oats: whey (from draining plain yogurt to make yogurt cheese), plain yogurt, buttermilk, or lemon juice

-1 T. whole wheat flour or buckwheat flour* per cup of oats

Method:

8-24 hours (24 is best) before you are going to eat your oatmeal, place your desired amount of rolled oats in a small saucepan. Add an equal amount of water (I usually do 3/4 c. oats and 3/4 c. water, which is a good amount for my toddler and I). Add your acidic medium and the whole wheat flour. Heat this mixture gently on the stove, because the process works best if everything is warm. Don't overheat, because then you are cooking the oats, instead of soaking them. You might want to set a timer for a minute or so, to make sure you don't forget about them (not that I've ever made that mistake...) Turn off the heat once they are lukewarm, and cover.

The next morning, add more water (the same amount you added the day before, so for me it's another 3/4 cup...or just eyeball it) and a pinch of salt (salt really enhances the flavor!). Bring to a boil in simmer gently for a few minutes until cooked. Soaked oats cook faster than unsoaked, so this is a great way to get breakfast on the table quickly.

Add your desired toppings and serve! Make sure to put some butter in there!

*Why do you have to add whole wheat or buckwheat flour? Oats are very low in phytase, which is necessary for neutralizing the phytates. Wheat & buckwheat are higher phytase, so adding some gives the oats a little boost. Freshly ground flour contains the most phytase. You can grind small amounts in your coffee grinder if you don't grind your own grain.*

(For more information, see Katie's post on this topic.)

solution #2: up the protein

One reason my husband does not like to eat oatmeal (besides an aversion to its consistency) is that it leaves him shaky-hungry in an hour. If I could encourage him to try it again, these tips might help. How can you add more protein to oatmeal?

My favorite way is to throw an egg in there. No, not a scrambled egg fried-rice style. You can't even tell this egg is in there, but it adds about six grams of protein to your breakfast.

Here's how you do it.

After you have cooked your oatmeal to it's desired consistency, turn off the heat. Crack an egg into it and quickly stir stir stir. If you don't get to it fast enough you might end up with chunks of egg. I always stir quickly and vigorously and I've never had that problem. Stir until the egg is no longer visible - it will only make your oatmeal a little creamier, which is not a bad thing! The residual heat should be enough to adequately cook the egg, but if you don't trust that, go ahead and leave the heat on low.

Other ideas for adding protein to oatmeal:

--chopped crispy nuts

--a dollop of nut butter

--raw whole milk

--homemade cream cheese

Or eat it with a side of:

--scrambled or hard-boiled eggs

--bacon or sausage

--cottage cheese

And as for problem #3, you might just have to make your husband some oatmeal cookies instead. Unfortunately, I haven't mastered a soaked/sprouted version of those yet. But they sure are a favorite around here! (I use the recipe from King Arthur Whole Grain Baking - one of my favorite cookbooks.)

So what's your favorite way to eat oatmeal?

This is part of Simple Lives Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, and Pennywise Platter Thursday.

Herbed Potato Salad

The last two weeks we have received the most lovely red-skinned potatoes from our CSA. So I whipped up this favorite of ours. It's a light, refreshing twist on potato salad that I hope you love as much as we do; it's perfect for a summer picnic. And because it doesn't contain mayonnaise, you don't have to worry about it sitting outside in hot weather!

I like to leave the skin on the potatoes, especially when I'm using potatoes that are organic, locally grown, and beautiful! Use whatever herbs you prefer or have on hand; I've sometimes used mint and lemon balm in addition to or instead of the ones listed below.

Herbed Potato Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups potatoes, cut into cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. mini onions (tops and bulbs), minced
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
chopped fresh herbs to taste (a few sprigs of each): rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley
sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place cubed potatoes in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain.

Combine the potatoes with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir thoroughly. Taste for salt and add more if necessary. Chill before serving, if desired.

This is part of the Hearth and Soul Blog Hop, Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, and Recipe Swap Friday.

Tuscan Style Potato Soup

I like soup any time of the year. Especially when I can use locally grown produce from our CSA. This soup is the perfect comfort food, and is full of healthy fats. Our toddler loves it. But he pretty much loves any soup. He must have a thing for bone broth, which is a key ingredient in all the soups I make. (And it's no wonder! Broth is an excellent food for babies and toddlers!)

So on to the recipe. Eat it up and don't feel one bit guilty about the butter and cream and cheese and bacon. Your body needs saturated fat!

Tuscan Style Potato Soup

Ingredients:

4 T. butter

5 mini onions (bulbs and tops) or one large onion

3 cloves garlic

1 t. salt

freshly ground pepper to taste

1 lb. potatoes, cubed (peeled or not, according to preference)

4 c. chicken broth

1/4-1/2 lb. nitrate-free bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 c. whole milk

1/2 c. sour cream (additive-free) or plain yogurt

1 c. grated sharp cheddar

a fistful of fresh parsley, chopped

(optional: a few leaves of kale or swiss chard)

Method:

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, until beginning to soften. Add minced garlic and cook a couple minutes longer. Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Puree all but one cup or so of the mixture in the pot.*

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine over low heat. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

If desired, you can add a few leaves of kale or swiss chard to this soup. Chop and add after pureeing the potato mixture, along with the other ingredients. Cook about 10 minutes or until tender. If you want to retain the probiotic qualities of the sour cream or yogurt, add that at the very end.

*A note on pureeing the soup:

The easiest way to do this is with an immersion blender, apparently. Simply set aside one cup of the potato mixture, puree the rest, and add the cup back in. If you do not have an immersion blender (I'm with you), puree in batches in a regular blender, putting the blended soup into another bowl as you go. Leave a cup of the potato mixture un-pureed in the pot, and then pour the pureed soup back in. And then wash the mound of dishes you just created, and tell your husband you want an immersion blender for your birthday, which is coming up in three days. ;)

This is part of Fight Back Friday, Friday Potluck, Food Trip Friday, I'm Lovin' It Friday, and Weekend Gourmet.

How to use up CSA Greens...

Happy Wednesday! Catch me over at Kitchen Stewardship today, talking about how to use up an abundance of CSA greens. I'm thrilled to be featured over there; Katie is one of my favorite bloggers! Tune in soon for a delicious Tuscan Style Potato Soup, because our CSA has an abundance of potatoes at the moment. :)

Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

I'm loving these whole grain salads lately. Dishes like this one are great to bring to potlucks because they taste best at room temperature. We ate this salad with salmon patties and it was a winning combination. It's a very flexible recipe; add whatever other vegetables you have on hand if you think the flavors would combine well.

Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1.5 c. quinoa, rinsed soaked overnight in warm water + a splash of apple cider vinegar

2 c. homemade chicken stock

1/2 t. sea salt

2 carrots, grated (I leave the peel on; you won't notice it in this instance)

1 bell pepper, chopped

a few green onions (both white and green parts), chopped

1/2 c. frozen peas

a few cloves garlic (to taste - or use garlic scapes!), minced

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1 c. walnuts (preferably soaked and dehydrated) toasted and chopped

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1/4 c. olive oil

lemon juice (about one lemon's worth)

1 T. maple syrup

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Method:

1. Cook the quinoa.

Combine the soaked, drained, and rinsed quinoa (use a fine mesh strainer) with the chicken stock and salt. (You can also cook it in water, but the chicken stock has loads of health benefits and is practically free to make yourself, so why not?) Cook for 20 minutes or so. Toward the end of that time check to make sure there is enough liquid. If not, add a bit more stock.

2. Prep your salad ingredients.

While the quinoa cooks, get everything ready. Remove the peas from the freezer so they can thaw. Chop/grate your veggies. Toast the walnuts in a pan; let cool and chop. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, oil, syrup, lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

3. Assemble the salad.

Dump everything into a salad bowl. It's okay if the quinoa is still hot; when combined with the other ingredients it will be deliciously warm. Drizzle the vinaigrette over all of it and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings.

This is part of Real Food Wednesday.

Easy Change #5: find lunch meat alternatives

Welcome back to my Easy Changes You Can Make Today series! It's been awhile, but I'm back with another small change you can make to help you and your family become healthier people! (Did you miss the other Easy Changes? Check them out here!)

This series is all about taking small steps toward a healthier diet. Depending on your current relationship with pre-sliced deli meats, this step may feel like more of a medium sized step. But be encouraged: I'm not going to suggest you never eat lunch meat again. This blog is not about judgement, it's about the joy of real food.

But before we get to the happy part - the mouthwatering lunch-meatless options that await you - we have to talk about why we might want to stop relying on this very convenient convenience food. So here goes...

Three Reasons to Avoid Conventional Lunch Meat 

 

1. You don't know how the animals were raised.

And if you don’t know, you can assume it’s probably not good. Too many animals in a small space, with no access to the outdoors, fed GMO grain and soy, getting pumped full of hormones and antibiotics…it’s a sad story. And it makes the meat you eat a lot less nutritious. I used to think that meat was meat, but it's just not true. Corn-fed meat, unlike its distant cousin grass-fed meat (or pastured chicken/turkey) has a ratio of omega-6’s to omega 3’s that is extremely out of balance. Chickens were meant to eat bugs! Cows were meant to eat grass! Pigs were meant to roll around in the mud! If animals are living in the great outdoors they are healthier and don’t need a constant stream of antibiotics to keep them “healthy.” Unfortunately most of the lunch meat you see in the store (unless it is grass-fed or from a reputable organic farm) is factory farmed. No, thank you. This reason alone is enough to dissuade me, but here are a couple more good reasons... 

2. It contains nitrates or nitrites.

See Thursday's post on what these are and why we might want to avoid them. The jury is out but I'd rather play it safe whenever I can. 

3. It's wasteful.

You get a small amount of meat in a plastic package that comes from petroleum, often can’t be recycled, and doesn’t biodegrade. Convenient? Yes. But not exactly earth friendly. 

(Side note: I met someone last night who is majoring in Package Engineering. Fascinating! He mentioned that one aspect of his field is trying to get the job done with less packaging. Even in our fallen system of processed and packaged everything, I'm grateful that there are people trying to design packaging that uses less resources!)

So, if you’re not going to eat lunch meat all the time, what do you eat for lunch?? I’ve got all sorts of easy lunch ideas to help you out! They might take a little longer to prepare than slapping some ham between two slices of Wonderbread, but they are ever-so-delicious and WAY more nutritious, too.
 

Ten Alternatives to Conventional Lunch Meat

 

1. Tuna or salmon salad.

Though I'm not thrilled that salmon and tuna come in a can lined with BPA and who knows what else, it's a compromise I choose to make. We eat tuna or salmon salad once a week or so for a quick lunch. Just open the can and mix with a little mayo (homemade is best!) or plain yogurt if you’re in a pinch (or a combination - the yogurt is great for digestion!) Add some chopped celery and something onion-y (chopped onion, scallions, or chives). A bit of mustard, squeeze of lemon juice, and you’re done! Fresh herbs like parsley and thyme take it to the next level. 

2. Chicken salad.

Got leftover meat from roasting a chicken? Shred the meat and use the same technique as above, or try my Shallot Cranberry Chicken Salad. Or skip the “salad” part and just shred some chicken and throw it on a sandwich with some cheese and veggies.

3. Egg Salad.

Hard boil some eggs and plunge into cold water. Peel and chop. Add the same ingredients you would add to tuna salad, plus some paprika and parsley if you have it.

4. Deviled eggs.

These are an Easter tradition in my family, and we devour them! But they work great as a simple lunch, too. Here is a simple recipe. 

5. Hummus or other bean spread.

These are satisfying, inexpensive, and delicious! Try my recipes for Hummus, Roasted Garlic Black Bean Dip, and White Bean Dip with Garlic Scapes (even if you don’t have garlic scapes).
 

6. Quesadillas

Buy some traditionally prepared corn tortillas (we get El Milagro brand from our local Mexican grocery), or make some sprouted, soaked, or sourdough tortillas. Add some muenster cheese, fold in half, and cook in an iron skillet until the cheese melts. Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa. If you had beans for dinner the night before, just reheat them on the stove in a saucepan to round out the meal. I also keep a couple cans of black beans handy for emergency lunches (like when the menu plan says "leftovers" but somehow there aren't any).
 

7. Grilled cheese and veggies sandwiches.

You know how to make grilled cheese, right? (Make sure you butter the bread!) If you want to take it to the next level, sauté some mushrooms, onions, and/or bell peppers and throw those into your sandwich, too! We also make a big batch of pesto every summer and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pesto grilled cheese is a definite favorite around here! Or skip the grilling and just eat a cheese sandwich. In that case, add some tomato, lettuce, and avocado. Yum!

8. Nut Butter Sandwiches.

Simple enough. Just be sure to buy all-natural peanut or almond butter with no added partially hydrogenated oils or sugar. (We LOVE Trader Joe’s Almond Butter.) Even better, make your own with soaked and dried nuts. I’ll do that some day, when I have a powerful food processor. Add some local raw honey or homemade jam and you've got a filling lunch and a slightly sweet treat all in one!

9. Leftovers.

This is our favorite thing to eat for lunch. Reheat some of last night’s dinner (preferably on the stove or in the oven/toaster oven). Or eat it cold! 

10. Nitrate/nitrite free, sustainably raised lunch meat

If you absolutely HAVE to have lunch meat, you can find healthy versions. Applegate Farms makes organic, nitrate free deli meats (and other cured meats like hot dogs and bacon!). They are more expensive, but if you only buy them occasionally and you save money by buying less processed food in general, perhaps you can fit it into your budget. There are certainly times in life where lunch meat can be a life saver!

11. Make your own lunch meat! The Nourishing Gourmet has a recipe for homemade chicken lunch meat that looks delicious! 

 

What’s your favorite simple and lunch meat-free lunch?

This is part of Fight Back Friday and Monday Mania.