When it comes to healthy eating, rice should come to mind. Rice is a light, healthy pasta that goes with most anything. Brown rice is especially beneficial to health, since it has the added fiber and is recommended by many health authorities. Wild rice is another product altogether. This is a "gourmet" product that has become more popular in recent years. This rice is one that always complements chicken or beef. But what if you're looking for a different way to prepare rice as a side dish or even as a vegetarian main course?
Then, let me suggest "Wild Rice and Almond Au Gratin". This is a recipe that is a "toss and go" recipe, in that you "toss" some ingredients together, put it in the oven for an hour and a half so you can "go" do other activities. This is a healthy dish, containing about 185 calories and 2.5 grams per serving (based on six servings.) It smells wonderful as it bakes and has a creamy sauce baked right in.
Let's put a spin on rice and dress it up with this "wild" recipe!
WILD RICE AND ALMOND AU GRATIN
1 C. Raw Wild Rice
2 C. Vegetable Broth (Chicken Broth can be substituted)
2 C. Sliced, Coarsely Chopped Fresh Mushrooms
1/3 C. Slivered or Sliced Almonds
1/2 C. Chopped Celery
1/2 C. Chopped Red or Green Bell Pepper
2 Tbls. Olive Oil
2 Tbls. Apple Juice
1-1/2 Tsp. Minced or Chopped Garlic
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 C. Reduced-Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; add the wild rice, broth, mushrooms, almonds, celery, pepper, olive oil, apple juice, garlic and black pepper to a 2 qt. casserole dish; stir ingredients to combine; cover with lid or foil and bake 1-1/2 hours (90 minutes) or until rice is tender; stir cheese into the rice mixture to combine all the ingredients well. Serves 6.
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