Thai Black Rice

My sister in law made dinner for me the other day, and I loved it! This is a really yummy and super healthy dish! I had never tried black rice before so wasn't sure what to expect but loved the texture and it has a hint of nuttiness to it too. Black rice is packed with protein, fiber and lots of antioxidants so it's full of yummy goodness! The fresh bell pepper gives it a nice crunch and the lime is so refreshing! If you don't like cashews switch them out for peanuts or whatever you like. Black rice is not as starchy as regular white rice so a couple of washes will do the trick! Enjoy this with some tofu or grilled vegetables!

Thanks Priya :)

Ingredients
- 1 cup black rice
- 1 TBSP olive oil
- Juice of one lime + zest of one lime
- 1 TSP honey
- 1 TBSP sambal chili paste
- 3/4 cup toasted cashews/peanuts
- 2/3 cup diced bell pepper
- 2 TSP freshly grated ginger
- 1 TBSP toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 TBSP fresh cilantro

Directions
- In a bowl combine lime juice, ginger, honey, chili paste, olive oil, diced peppers and cashews. Let marinate while you cook the rice.
- Add two cups of water to a medium pot and then add one cup of black rice. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Cook until all of the water has been absorbed about 25-30 minutes.
- Fluff the rice to separate and set aside to cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Add marinated pepper mixture to the rice and mix until well combined. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

Cilantro Wild Rice

Happy Mother's Day to not only my mom but to all of my awesome friends who are moms! I am truly amazed by how much you do on a daily basis. =)

This week's recipe is going to be a two part recipe but cilantro wild rice is a key ingredient so I wanted to post this recipe first.  Cilantro rice is one of my personal favorites and it's great with just about any meal.  It can be used as a side dish,  a main dish, with Mexican, or burgers...the possibilities are endless with this tasty concoction! Try it at home and let us know your favorite way to pair it.

Ingredients:
1 & 1/2 cup wild rice (you can use any kind of rice you would like)
3 cups (24 oz) warm water
3 TBSP cilantro diced and blended
1 TBSP EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.  Chop and blend 3 TBSP cilantro.
2.  Place cilantro in a small bowl, add EVOO, and mix.  Let the mixture sit overnight.
3.  Wash and soak wild rice for at least 30 minutes (the longer you let the rice soak, the quicker it will cook).
4.  Place rice and water in a rice cooker (or pot), add cilantro mixture, salt, & lime juice.
5.  Cook until rice is tender and all of the water has evaporated.  If you used a rice cooker, just mix the ingredients and let the cooker do the rest.
6.  Enjoy!

Serves 4-5