I’m really glad I made this Cheesy Sprouted Brown Rice with Baby Spinach and Mushrooms meal twice before I shared it with you.
The reason is because the first time I made it, I used a vegetable broth, which was “ok” and everyone liked it, but the second time I made it, I decided to try the cheesy cauliflower sauce I used with my Vegetable Rigatoni with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce recipe and I sure am glad I did.
It changed it to a completely different dish and in a good way!
I mixed the sprouted brown rice with a creamy, vegan/non-dairy cheesy sauce, sauteed onions, mushroom and spinach, and a little spice from red pepper flakes.
And, you could also add your favorite sausage (vegan or non-vegan) to make it even more filling.
The other special thing about this recipe is that I used sprouted brown rice instead of plain brown rice.
The kind folks over at Planet Rice sent me samples to use to create a new recipe and I was really, really excited at the thought of sprouted rice.
We eat sprouted seeds, sprouted nuts…why not sprouted rice?
While I’m not a really big rice eater, if I am going to eat it, I want to make sure I eat the most nutritious kind there is…and this is it.
Why is sprouted brown rice so much superior in nutrition than regular plain rice?
- contains 10 times more GABA than regular white rice (studies show it may promote calmness, increase restful sleep and lower anxiety)
- contains 7 times more magnesium than regular white rice
- contains 7 times more fiber than regular white rice
- contains 3 times more Oryzanol than regular white rice
What in the world does “sprouted” mean?
In nature, when a seed is planted, the seed’s chemical structure changes in order to support new life. The new seed needs nutrients to grow and the existing kernel needs energy to sustain the new life. The seed turns it’s internal starches into more Vitamins, Amino Acids (GABA), and minerals for the young plant to feed on as it grows.
So, the art of “sprouting” is beginning the germination process, but stopping it before the plant actually grows, thus locking in all the newly added nutrients. (source: product insert)
It comes in two varieties:
Sprouted Brown Medium Grain Rice:
- Sprouting gives an extra boost of vitamins and nutrients to grains like rice
- Enhanced nutritional benefits and bioavailability
- Easier to digest than traditional brown rice
- Gluten-free, GMO-free, Whole Grain
- Longer shelf life
Sprouted California Blond Medium Grain Rice:
- Outer bran layer is partially milled off
- Softer texture and faster cooking time
- Identical nutrition profile to Sprouted Brown Rice
And, you can buy it bulk in a pack of (6) 22 ounce bags that comes to right at $4.00/bag and free shipping with an order over $35.
The other thing I loved about the Planet Rice brand is the rice comes from a 5th Generation family company made in California, right here in the U.S.A. And, it’s whole grain, Non-GMO Verified and naturally gluten-free.
5 Fast Facts About Sprouted Brown Rice (Planet Rice):*
- contains 10 times more GABA (studies show it may promote calmness, increase restful sleep and lower anxiety)
- contains 7 times more magnesium
- contains 7 times more fiber
- contains 3 times more Oryzanol of white rice
- naturally gluten-free
5 Fast Facts About Mushrooms:*
- excellent source of potassium
- rich source of riboflavin, niacin and selenium
- supports a healthy immune system
- provides anti-inflammatory benefits
- natural source of vitamin D
5 Fast Facts About Spinach:*
- contains anti-inflammatory properties
- high in anti-oxidants
- super high in vitamin K (1,110.6% DV) and vitamin A (377.3% DV)
- phytonutrients provide anti-cancer benefits
- can help improve cardiovascular health
5 Fast Facts About Nutritional Yeast:*
- vegan source of vitamin B12
- contains 18 amino acids and is a complete protein
- boosts immune system
- excellent anti-oxidant
- contains 15 minerals
5 Fast Facts About Cauliflower:*
- 1 cup contains 9.1% DV of potassium
- 1 cup contains 85.9% of vitamin C
- 1 cup contains 8.5% DV of fiber
- excellent anti-oxidant
- contains anti-inflammatory benefits
5 Fast Facts About Cashews:*
- packed with dietary fiber
- rich in “heart friendly” mono-saturated fatty acids
- rich source of minerals
- high in magnesium and copper
- excellent source of antioxidants
5 Fast Facts About Zucchini:*
- low calorie food – 94% water
- high in manganese
- helps lower blood pressure
- anti-inflammatory
- helps lower cholesterol
5 Fast Facts About Himalayan Pink Salt:*
- contains 84 minerals
- unrefined, unprocessed, raw
- promotes stable pH balance in cells
- controls water levels in the body
- aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption
*These statements have not been evaluated by Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Tip #1: You can make the sprouted brown rice on the stove or in a rice cooker. I made mine in a rice cooker on the “brown rice” setting using the same measurements as the cook top method. You may have a little more rice than the (2) cups needed for the recipe, so you can either add the extra to the recipe or use the rice for something else.
Tip #2: If you don’t want it too spicy, just use 1/2 teaspoon (or less) of the red pepper flakes.
Tip #3: I’ve also made this with vegan sausage which would make it more of a meal than a side dish and it would add significant protein (26 g in one link), but decided to make it optional for a couple of reasons.
- The vegan sausage I use – Field Roast “Smoked Apple Sage” sausage isn’t gluten-free, so this would no longer be a gluten-free meal. If you needed the meal to be vegan, but not gluten-free, you could add this vegan sausage – I used (2) links.
- If you chose to use a non-vegan, regular meat sausage, I would have no idea of how to tell you to cook/prepare it. But this would be an option if you didn’t need it to be vegan, but needed it gluten-free.
- Or, just leave out the sausage all together if you need it vegan and gluten-free.
But, if you chose either sausage option, you may want to adjust/reduce the salt in the sauce since you will have extra sodium from the sausage (the Field Roast brand has 600 mg in just one link)
Tip #4: I used “baby bella” mushrooms, but you can you whatever type you prefer.
Tip #5: This recipe will make (2) large servings or (4) smaller servings.
Cheesy Sprouted Brown Rice with Baby Spinach and Mushrooms (Vegan, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
Print recipe
| www.thehealthyfamilyandhome.com | The Healthy Family and Home |
Ingredients
- 2 cups sprouted brown rice - cooked (Planet Rice brand)
- 3 cups purified / filtered water (to cook the rice)
- 1 tablespoon organic extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup organic mushrooms (diced)
- 2 cups organic baby spinach (diced)
- 1/2 cup organic onion (diced)
- 2 cloves organic garlic (freshly crushed)
For the sauce
- 1 1/2 cup organic cauliflower
- 1 cup homemade almond milk
- 1/2 cup organic cashews
- 1/2 cup organic zucchini (peeled and cubed)
- 3/4 cups nutritional yeast
- 1 clove organic garlic (freshly crushed)
- 1/8 teaspoon organic tumeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon organic red pepper flakes
Directions
| Prepare the rice | |
| Step 1 | Stovetop - bring (3) cups of water to a rolling boil. Add (2) cups of Planet Rice Sprouted Brown Rice. Stir, cover tightly and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 25 minutes and DO NOT remove the lid. Fluff prior to serving. Rice Cooker - add (3) cups of distilled/purified water and (2) cups of Planet Rice Sprouted Brown Rice and set the cooker on the "brown rice" setting. Fluff prior to serving. |
| Prepare the sauce | |
| Step 2 | Add all ingredients for the sauce in a Vitamix and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside. |
| Prepare and saute the vegetables | |
| Step 3 | Prepare the vegetables: dice the baby spinach, mushrooms, onions and crush the garlic. Add all the diced veggies and (1) tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet and saute on low-med heat for approximately 2 - 3 minutes, or until the onions and spinach become soft. |
| Assemble | |
| Step 4 | In the same skillet, add (2) cups of the cooked rice and the entire sauce mixture (approximately 1 1/2 cups) and stir until well combined. Optional: If you want to add sausage, add 1 - 2 cups of sliced vegan sausage to the skillet and stir until the sausage is warmed up. Optional: Garnish with extra diced baby spinach. Best served when hot. Enjoy! |
Note
This recipe will make approximately (4) small servings or (2) large servings.
The recipe and photographs for "Cheesy Sprouted Brown Rice with Baby Spinach and Mushrooms" by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License and cannot be used without my written permission.
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Miscellaneous Disclosure: I received products from Planet Rice to use in creating a new recipe. I was under no obligation to give a positive review and was not paid for this review or endorsement. All thoughts, opinions and comments are my own.