Brunch has got to be one of my favorite meals to prepare. Not quite breakfast, not quite lunch, you're free to just play around and have fun with it. And since Jeff and I are just about to head out of town, I found myself needing to use up some stuff in the fridge. That's how Vegan Sausage and Rice Hash found it's way to our plates.
The recipe itself is really quite easy to pull together, and your brunch will be ready in less than 10 minutes. It's a fun way to get a daily serving or two of whole grains. And the vegetarian sausage, while not one of the most all-around nutritious foods, DOES contain some good amounts of veg protein and, of course, a yummy spicy flavor.
This recipe calls for silken tofu, which is what I had on hand. I don't normally use silken tofu, but it helps to add to the volume of the dish if you're needing it, as I was. Feel free to use regular firm tofu, or simply leave it out altogether, substituting with more whole grains.
What really brings this dish to delicious heights is the dill pickle relish. Don't cheat and use sweet pickle relish -- you'll want the spicy flavors the dill relish brings. Feel free to finely mince dill pickles to get the same effect.
When all was said and done, here's how my recipe came together...
Sausage and Rice Hash
Serves 2
1 cup vegetarian sausage
1/2 cup silken tofu (optional)
1-2 cups pre-cooked brown rice (mix)*
1-2 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar, or pure maple syrup
2-3 Tablespoons dill pickle relish, or finely minced dill pickles
Onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, all to taste
Lightly oil a large frying pan. When the pan is hot, add crumbled vegetarian sausage (if using sausage links, simply chop into small pieces), stirring occasionally. When browned, add remaining ingredients and cook until warmed throughout.
Plate. Dollop with ketchup, if desired. Serve with PB&J-slathered crispy English muffins, and 1/2 chopped avocado for some deliciously healthy fats. Enjoy!
* We rarely use straight brown rice. Instead, we cook up a batch of "brown rice mix". This week our brown rice mix consisted of brown rice, wild rice, and lentils. Experiment to find a brown rice mix you like, such as brown rice/wild rice/barley, brown rice/lentils, etc.
Vegan Sausage and Rice Hash
Happy cooking!
Have you ever seen those adorable white young coconuts in your natural foods store and wondered "What the heck am I supposed to do with THAT?" Here's one idea for you: Drink the very tasty and highly nutritious young coconut water inside! It's DELECTABLE.
Young coconuts are popular among the raw foods crowd who drink the juice and use the flesh inside for all sorts of yummy creations.
But for the unitiated, opening a young coconut to get to the meat inside may seem daunting. And that's because it kind of is. I, personally, prefer not to go through all the work, which requires a large and sharp machete-type knife.
Instead, I simply drink the coconut water inside. It's the perfect snack because it's so nutritious and it stops any cravings you might have for sweets.
Coconut water is the liquid that fills the cavity inside the young coconut. This water is colorless, slightly cloudy, and sweet-tasting. As a coconut ages, the water inside will grow less as the meat grows thicker.
Coconuts and their water, along with coconut products such as coconut milk, are a wonderful source of so many fantastic nutrients your body needs. Coconut has been used as both a food and a medicine for centuries in many cultures throughout the world. It's only recently that it's beginning to be noticed in these parts.
Coconut juice provides a quick and easy source of nutrition without taxing the enzyme systems of the body. It improves the absorption of minerals, B vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins, as well as some amino acids.
But I think what I love best about coconuts is that the fats inherent in them are used by the body to produce energy, not make body fat. Coconuts stimulate metabolism, increase energy, and improve thyroid function, all of which aid in reducing unwanted body fat.
Young coconuts are relatively inexpensive costing around $2 each. But what a bargain for all the wonderful benefits.
Be sure to refrigerate your young coconuts and use them within 2-3 weeks.
Here's a short little tutorial that will teach you how to get at the delicious and nutritious coconut water inside.
Here's what a young coconut looks like. All you need is a hammer and a knife sharpener, although you can also use an icepick or a screwdriver. Personally, I prefer the knife sharpener because it's thicker, rounded body creates the pefect hole for a straw. Be sure to clean the knife sharpener with soap and water before using.
Turn the coconut upside down and you'll be able to feel three soft spots. Search for the softest one, and position the point of the knife sharpener at this spot. Then holding the sharpener tightly, hammer down on the sharpener's handle until the sharpener is imbedded deeply into the inside of the coconut.
Remove the knife sharpener, stick a straw in the hole and go to town! Whoo-hoo!!!!
There's nothing like cold coconut water -- it's SO refreshing.
Happy slurping! :O)
