Brown Rice

I know, I know, the brown/wholemeal/unprocessed version of everything is infinitely better. I know. That doesn't always mean I like it better. My weakness for squishy soft white bread has been documented. And I've never been able to get into wholegrain pasta or wholemeal pancakes. But rice, well, brown rice I love. And I love it not as the healthy alternative to white rice but entirely in its own right. Nutty, chewy, delicious brown rice.

Once upon a time I enjoyed my brown rice plain with steamed broccoli and maybe some sauteed mushrooms - not every night, mind you, but when I was feeling virtuous or in need of something easy and fresh. This past summer I've been enjoying this brown rice salad at least once a week. Warm or at room temperature, it always hits the spot. The cooked rice is tossed in an easy dressing of yoghurt and olive oil, and then shredded baby spinach and mint leaves are stirred through with some finely sliced Spanish onion that's been calming down in a little vinegar. And while you could happily omit it (and I often do), it's delicious with some shredded cooked chicken. The whole thing is served with a big handful of chopped toasted almonds for extra crunch.

You can find the full recipe here.