Green Rice

With the week that is in it, I thought I would post something green. Tomorrow is Saint Patricks Day and I think a lot of people are feeling a little lost as to how to keep the festivities alive especially when it comes to our tiny humans. I am lucky, Alexander still doesn’t really know what St Patricks day is and isn’t used to parades and green milk shakes, but for anyone out there working from home and keeping tiny humans amused, this rice dish should definitely be made. It is nutritious and fun at the same time and is made with basic kitchen ingredients.

As it turns out I actually still have quite a good bit of my ‘Brexit’ stock in the cupboards so I felt no need to go out and panic buy. I have a spare of the majority of things needed around the house and never run too low on staples like tinned beans, rice and pasta. My anxiety has grown over the last few years and I am similar to others when it comes to fears over the Virus. I did however stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables this week and now that we are both home all the time for the foreseeable future, there is actually time to think and plan the weekly foods. I know the shops are still open and no matter what happens, we will be able to get fresh food. Despite knowing this, I am still acting cautiously. There is no need to waste and I am definitely trying to instil a balance in our house. It isn’t easy when your four year old, who rarely eats anything you give him, suddenly decides he will eat all the cheese (for example) in the fridge in one day. My heart says ‘at least he is eating something, I’ll let him eat it all’ but then I also think ‘okay, if he is eating this, then I don’t want to run out’. So I am eking things out and trying to serve balanced healthy meals that can be made with little time and fewer ingredients, some fresh and some from the cupboard.

I made my green rice in the past a couple of times, with no success with the toddler. Now that we are home all the time, this could be the perfect time to add some discipline and appreciation when it comes to food with kids. It has been a four year battle to get Alexander to eat what he is given. It is not that he doesn’t like the flavours, he just won’t eat it, as he says “I do like it, I just don’t want to eat it today, I want pasta again pleeeasseee”. Stubborn like his mum! Well kid, there is little to no pasta over the next month. Today’s opinion: just eat the damn rice !!!

My green rice dish is really good for you, delicious and really easy. It takes 30 minutes from start to finish, including the washing up! A great way to get iron and protein into us and easy for little ones to help prepare. The recipe is designed for two people (or one very hungry grown up and one mini me). If you are like me and watching our fresh produce, then this dish is perfect.

GREEN RICE

WITH

TOASTED ALMONDS AND FRIED EGG

125 g uncooked rice , or 1 x sachet of boil in the bag rice
80 g fresh spinach
1/2 an onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove or 2 small cloves, crushed
1/2 pint of stock
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 eggs
10 g sliced almonds
parmesan
salt and pepper

THE HOW

Pop the spinach, stock and yogurt into a high speed blender.

In a medium heavy based saucepan, heat 1 table spoon of the oil, add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes to soften.

Add the remaining table spoon of oil, the garlic and the rice, stir well and cook for 2-3minutes. Add in the spinach sauce, salt and pepper and stir. Pop the lid on and allow to cook for 8 or so minutes. Take the lid off, if you need a little more liquid, top with a tablespoon or two of boiling water.

Add the dried dill and stir. Cook without the lid, stirring every minute or so for a further 5 minutes roughly, until the rice is just al dente. Turn off the heat and place the lid back on and leave for 10 minutes to soak up the remaining liquid.

Meanwhile you can clean the blender and wash the chopping board etc.

Heat a drop of oil in a frying pan and fry the two eggs. A sprinkle of salt and pepper on top and fry for 3-4 minutes. I like the edges to be crispy and the yolk soft so when you dig your fork in the yolk oozes onto the rice.

Once the eggs are cooked and you have done your mid way clean up, take the lid off the rice and fluff up with a fork. Spoon onto a plate, top with parmesan, the egg and some toasted almonds for texture.