If you love rice and want to provide your family with better-for-you meals they will love, brown rice is a great option to incorporate into your family meals. According to the U.S. Rice Federation, brown rice is full of nutrients that boost energy, improve mood, aid in weight management and help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Ordering out or heating a frozen dinner can be tempting, especially when you are rushed to cook for your family. But those are not always the most nutritious options. Every family member needs a balanced diet. Fortunately, there are many ways to provide your family with nutritious foods.
With Minute brown rice, you can make hundreds of delicious, quick, and easy recipes.
Benefits of Brown Rice
The Whole Grains Council reports that brown rice has significant advantages including many of the daily recommended amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients a person needs, including 100% of the following:
- Thiamin
- Magnesium
- Niacin
- Vitamin B6
- Folate
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Riboflavin
- Iron
- Protein
Brown rice also has versatility as part of delicious side dishes and meals. It is complimentary to all cultures, and because it absorbs seasonings and sauces, you can get the full flavor of traditional and nontraditional cuisines. But you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to cook up something delicious and full of flavor!
Our Minute Rice Cups and Minute Instant Rice can help you whip up a meal your whole family will love in just – yes you guessed it – minutes!
Family Friendly Brown Rice Recipes
If you can imagine it, you can make it with brown rice! If you’re in need of some meal ideas the whole family will love, look no further. Check out some of our favorite quick and easy recipes below.
Whole Grain Sesame Chicken Stir Fry
Stir fry recipes are one of the easiest meals to make when you are limited on time but want something that tastes like a chef prepared it. This whole grain sesame chicken stir fry recipe uses a store-bought rotisserie chicken and takes just 15 minutes from start to finish. Other ingredients include one bag of Minute Instant Rice & Quinoa, broth, oil, eggs, Asian-style mixed vegetables, and soy sauce. If you prefer, use tofu or a meat substitute for the chicken. If you have leftovers, put the stir-fry mixture in a wrap or pita pocket and have a delicious, grab-and-go lunch the following day.
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Chicken lettuce wraps are always a big hit. You can purchase already-cooked chicken from your grocery’s deli section for ease and speed. Or you can use chicken breasts cut into your desired portions. Marinate the chicken in the sauces you will use with the rest of the ingredients. You’ll need Asian vegetables, like water chestnuts, slaw, onions, and carrots as well as Minute Instant Brown Rice. Mix them with soy and hoisin sauce, broth, and vinegar. Then assemble, using a large lettuce leaf as the base. Add the ingredients, wrap it like a burrito, and enjoy. Each family member will have fun assembling their lettuce wrap.
Fiesta Mexican Soft Tacos
Many Mexican dishes are complemented with a side dish of rice. So why not incorporate the rice into the main meal? With Minute Instant Brown Rice, you can make fiesta Mexican soft tacos the whole family will devour and request again and again. The ingredients are simple and include canned black beans, premade salsa, bell pepper, cheese, and flour tortillas. Next, turn this meal into a buffet and allow each family member to build their own taco creation. Other ingredients you can add to the buffet include meats or meat substitutes, melted cheese, extra vegetables, avocado slices, and various sauces.
BLT Rice Bowl
If you are craving a traditional bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich but are looking for a twist, check out this BLT rice bowl. Pop one Minute Brown Rice Cup in the microwave for just 60 seconds and mix it up with pre-cooked bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes. Then, drizzle your favorite sauce over the ingredients or if you like things spicy, use a sriracha sauce, like in this Spicy BLT recipe. You don’t have to stop with three toppings, either. Try adding avocado for a creamy twist.
Brown Rice and Egg Breakfast Bowl with Spinach
Breakfast is an essential meal that provides the nutrients you need to prepare you for a long day. With this Brown Rice and Egg Breakfast Bowl with Spinach recipe, you get plenty of protein to satisfy you throughout your morning routine. The best part? You can make it in minutes! Just cook a Minute Brown Rice Cup in the microwave for 60 seconds, top it with scrambled eggs and spinach and you’ve got an on-the-go breakfast bowl to kick off your day.
California Grain Bowl with Turkey
When feeding multiple people, all-in-one bowls are great for on-the-go meals or side dishes. Let your friends or family assemble their own bowl by placing the ingredients in a buffet style and see what they mix up! Or if you are in a rush, try this California grain bowl with turkey that can be made with Minute Brown Rice & Quinoa Cups. All you have to do is combine the rice with mixed lettuce greens, chickpeas, avocado, goat cheese, and ranch dressing. Yum!
Banana Peanut Butter Bites
In need of a quick, flavorful and better-for-you snack? Try our favorite Banana peanut butter bites! You only need four ingredients: a Minute Brown Rice Cup, crunchy peanut butter, dark chocolate chips, and a banana. Mix the rice and peanut butter and get ready to assemble the treats. Using a simple layering technique, utilize a banana slice as the base for each bite. Top it with the rice and peanut butter mixture, then drizzle the melted dark chocolate. Just like with most Minute Rice recipes, you can substitute ingredients. For example, use a different nut butter or candy chips or add a different topping.
Tips for Encouraging Good Eating in the Family
Wholesome eating is necessary for staying mentally and physically fit. It means providing the right food for the different needs of each family member. It also involves variety. Encouraging better-for-you eating is not difficult, and with the following tips, you can start today.
- Allow your kids to be a part of meal planning and preparation
- Wow your kids with visually appealing ingredients
- Balance treats with nutritional options
- Make eating fun by trying new and exciting foods
- Incorporate whole grains in nontraditional ways
- Allow kids to help you pick out foods at the grocery store
- Read and research nutrition labels together
- Think outside the box, and don’t hesitate to get creative
Brown Rice: Nutritious and Delicious
According to the Whole Grains Council and U.S. Rice Federation, brown rice has numerous benefits, including higher fiber content to keep you satisfied longer. Brown rice is also high in E vitamins, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, selenium, iron, zinc, and antioxidants, so it can help you meet many recommended daily amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Use the brown rice recipes provided to start your family on a journey to better-for-you decisions using tasty and fun ingredients. But don’t stop with these recipes. Use your imagination, with the help of your family, to create your recipes. You can also vamp up traditional recipes with brown rice variations.
