How to cook brown rice and vegetable medley recipe

Hello! Today we will be talking about how to cook brown rice perfectly, so you don't end with some thing rather mushy and sticky.

Yep, it's time to carb up again. This time with brown rice, some lovely peppers, courgettes and tomatoes. A beautiful, simple and tasty dish to fill up your belly and top up your energy levels. I usually have this dish on my gym days or during the weekend when I do my long runs. Do take the time and grill the peppers before stewing them. You will get this natural sweetness and sort of smoky flavour which immediately will intensify your dish.

What is brown rice? Brown rice is basically whole grain rice which has its outer husk of grain removed, so the bran and germ are intact which leaves us clean eaters with more nutrients, vitamins, fibre and health benefits. It is more chewy than the usual white rice, has a mild nutty flavour and takes longer to cook. People often struggle with how to cook it , so before we get to the vegetable medley recipe let me share with you how I like to cook my brown rice.

How to cook brown rice perfectly

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water or for even better result 1 cup of water plus 1 cup of vegetable stock
Salt
Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water for 30 seconds. In a heavy based pan bring the water and salt to a boil and when the water is boiling add the rice. Stir, cover and cook on medium-low heat for 30 - 35 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. No peeking and lid lifting until completely done allowed. Once cooked remove from the heat, wrap up in a towel and leave to stand for 15 min. After 15 min uncover and fluff with a fork. You should be left with perfectly chewy, not mushy rice.

Vegetable medley:
3-4 peppers (green, red, yellow and /or orange)
1 - 2 courgettes cut into rounds
1 onion, diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper
Coconut oil
Method:
Wash and slice the peppers into strips, remove the pips and place under a hot grill until the peppers soften and skins start to brown lightly. Remove from the oven, place in a paper bag and set aside (you can remove the skin if you like). Next heat the oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add courgettes and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the tin tomatoes and cook gently for 5 minutes. Take the peppers out of the paper bag, add them to the pan and mix everything together gently. Season with salt and pepper and serve on a bed of brown rice. If you want the medley to be a bit thicker add a bit of almond or coconut flour. Enjoy!