Coconut Black Rice Porridge

A while back, I decided to make a risotto recipe that called for black rice. In my infinite wisdom, I bought six pounds of  Lotus Foods Forbidden Black Rice online in order to avoid paying shipping costs. You should have seen my boyfriend's face. He claimed our apartment looked like we were hoarding food aid for USAID. Since this misguided attempt at buying in bulk, I have been looking for recipes that use black rice. For those that have tried it, it is a yummy, whole grain alternative to white rice that turns dishes a beautiful purple color. This morning I decided to make Coconut Black Rice porridge for breakfast.

This recipe is a kind of an East meets West version of rice porridge. The coconut milk and black rice are similar to an Thai rice pudding while the rose water and citrus give it a Turkish flair similar to Sütlac. The dates help to add some natural sweetness but if you like a sweeter breakfast feel free to add a bit of sugar as well.

Coconut Black Rice Porridge* - Serves 2

For black rice:

1 1/4 cups of water

1/2 cup of black rice

For rice porridge:

6 finely chopped dates (and a few for garnish)

2 teaspoons of rose water (optional)

1/2 cup of full fat coconut milk from a can

3/4 cup of milk or milk substitute (I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk but you could also use regular milk). For a more decadent treat, use all full fat coconut milk

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 piece of a  cinnamon stick

1-2 tablespoons of coconut sugar or brown sugar (optional)  

Instructions

1. Bring the water and rice to a boil in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Reduce temperature to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender yet still slightly chewy, about 30 minutes. Some water will remain (do not drain).

2. While the rice is cooking, place the chopped dates in a small bowl and drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the rose water.

3. To finish, add coconut milk, milk, 1/2 teaspoon of the orange zest, cinnamon stick, vanilla, 1/2 the dates and sugar (optional) to the rice. Return to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring several times. Decrease the heat to maintain a gentle bubble and cook, uncovered, for 15 more minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. The consistency should be creamy yet soupy.  Remove the saucepan from the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the remaining chopped dates and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon orange zest.

4. Divide the rice pudding among small individual bowls. Garnish with a few more sliced dates or orange slices and serve warm

*Adapted from Ancient Grains for Modern Meals: Mediterranean Whole Grain Recipes for Barley, Farro, Kamut, Polenta, Wheat Berries & More by Maria Speck.

The Coffee Protein Smoothie

I seem to mostly blog about smoothie or smoothie-items. I will try to branch out in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, here is my new favorite breakfast smoothie. I invented it in order to incorporate some coffee into my morning smoothie. Lets be honest, we all need a bit of a pick me up some mornings. However, I was finding it hard to drink a latte (my coffee of choice) after a big smoothie. Thus, this eye opener was born. It includes my required serving of veggies and half a serving of fruit plus healthy fat and lots of protein to get you to lunch.

 Ingredients

• 1-2 scoops of protein powder - I use Mt. Capra Double Bonded Protein. Try to find one without any artificial additives or added sugar. 
• 1 cup of strong coffee (I usually use espresso made with a 3 cup moka pot) 
• 1/2 cup low fat kefir or 1/2 cup of milk (almond, coconut, etc) of your choice (I have been using coconut milk kefir recently)
• 1/2 a frozen banana (If you do not like banana, you are substitute it with a natural sweeter such as stevia, coconut sugar, agave, xylitol or honey)
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 1-2 Tablespoons of nut butter (I usually use peanut butter without salt)
• 3 ice cubes

Additions (optional)

• 1-2 tablespoon unsweetened coco power

Instructions

Put all the ingredients  in a blender and blend.

The peanut butter, banana and coffee are an excellent pairing. The only minus of this smoothie is that it is a bit of an odd color: kind of an olive green hue. The coco powder tens to conceal this a bit. Since it tastes excellent, I am willing to overlook the color in order to get in some greens with my breakfast. If the color really bothers you, omit the spinach.

Dreamy (Healthy) Smoothie Recipes

I have been perfecting a number of smoothie recipes for the last several weeks. The reason that I started drinking smoothies was two fold:

• I struggle to find the time to eat breakfast before running out the door in the morning. Smoothies are a quick way to get a filling and nutritious meals that I can drink while getting ready.
• I recently revamped my diet and I have been trying to get 5 servings of veggies and 2-4 servings of fruit. It is a challenge if I do not get at least one of each in before lunch. 

My philosophy for smoothies is generally that it should contain at least one serving of vegetables and one of fruit. I also avoid using fruit juice since it packs a lot of sugar and calories without much in return. Finally, it needs to actually taste good. 

1. The Kitchen Sink

The Kitchen Sink is my general go to breakfast smoothie. It is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. The major pluses are that it is high in protein and includes a serving of fruit and vegetables.

• 2 scoops of protein powder - I use Mt. Capra Double Bonded Protein. Try to find one without any artificial additives or sugar.
• 1 cup low fat kefir or 1 cup of milk (almond, coconut, etc) of your choice and 2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup frozen fruit - I like 1/2 a cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of strawberries
• 1 cup fresh spinach

Additions (optional)

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened coco power
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal
• 1 packet of stevia or 1 tablespoon of honey (I only add when using unflavored protein powder)

For those nervous about adding spinach to a smoothie, the rest of the ingredients conceal the taste. A tablespoon of coco powder also helps and you get all the benefits of dark chocolate without the guilt. Feel free to experiment with other ingredients: Matcha powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds, other fruits, this weeks super food, etc.

2. The Hulk

This smoothie is a bit more challenging for beginners. It is green... Yes!  Green! It is also not for those afraid of veggies in their smoothies or fearful of fat. That being said, avocado have nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid and the big dose of healthy fats keep you full for hours. The sweetness of the banana helps to balance out the tart taste of the kale. I do not think it needs additional sweeteners but you can add a bit of honey or some stevia depending on your taste.  Once you get past the color, it has a dreamy rich texture.

• Half an avocado
• 1 cup low fat kefir or 1 cup of milk (almond, coconut, etc) of your choice and 2 tablespoons of plain greek yogurt
• 1 and a 1/2 cups of fresh kale
• 1 frozen banana  
• 1 tablespoons of honey or a packet of stevia (optional)

3. The Green Machine

This is another green smoothie that might be a bit easier for the faint of heart. It is a good introduction to green smoothies. Since it does not have much protein, I usually pair it with some greek yogurt, a piece toast with goat cheese or a small bowl of oatmeal. It also makes a good afternoon snack with a small handful of nuts.

• 2 cups of fresh spinach
• 1-2 cups of cold water
• 1/2 an apple
• 1/2 a frozen banana 
• a few ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed meal (optional)