Rice is a staple food in many countries around the world. And although white rice is readily available, it's not exactly the healthiest choice.
Instead, opt for brown rice, which has more fiber and nutrients than white.
If you're like most people, you grew up eating white rice that takes just a minute to cook. It's what many people picture when they think of rice. These same people (I was one of them!) likely have no idea just how full of empty calories white rice is, not to mention it's a simple carbohydrate (just like sugar!) -- the worst kind of carb you can eat!
The first time I tried brown rice, I thought it tasted too healthy, preferring instead the sweetness of white rice. But after a while, I began to develop a taste for brown rice and haven't looked back.
How To Select Brown Rice
Brown rice recipes are simple and fun to create. So let's discover how to select the best rice for the job so you begin on the right foot.
Always choose organic brown rice. The health benefits or rice are staggering (you can learn more about this below). And organics tend to contain more nutrients and less pesticides (and other poisons like arsenic!), and will help your brown rice recipes just taste better!
Brown rice can be found in most grocery stores -- it's a VERY available grain. Most natural foods stores (and even some mainstream grocers nowadays) carry bulk brown rice, meaning in their bulk department. (This is where I buy all of my grains, including rice.) Buy a little more than you need, storing the rest in the fridge or freezer. This way it will stay as fresh as possible and you'll have some on hand for any brown rice recipes emergency! Plus, there's no packaging to toss into a landfill so you're helping to save the planet. Yay for you! ;O)
There are some different varieties available for your brown rice recipes, including short grain, medium grain, and long grain. So which rice do you use? Well, it depends on your vision for the recipe you'd like to create...
Short grain brown rice tends to be more starchy (since it's smaller, which is the general rule). So cooking it will produce a stickier rice. Perfect when making soups or other dishes in which the starch would act as a thickener.
Medium and long grains cook up less sticky due to their lower starch content. Perfect for rice dishes such as stir fries where you don't want your rice sticking together.
Brown Basmati Rice comes in both brown and white, just as other rices. And just as with other rices, the white is nearly devoid of any nutrients. So you're on the right track if you're looking for brown basmati rice.
Brown basmati is a longer grain than even long-grain brown rice, and is the preferred rice used in Indian dishes. It has a very low starch content, and therefore cooks up beautifully, with grains which remain nicely separated. You may have to search in Indian and Middle Eastern markets if you're unable to find it in your favorite natural foods store.
Nutrition-wise, the brown rices are very similar.
How To Clean and Prep Your Brown Rice
There are 3 main layers to rice: the husk, the bran and the very center which is known as the starch. Many times the husk and bran have been removed so all you're left with is the starch -- think "white rice". This is why white rice is NOT known for it's nutritional content -- it's all starch!
Brown rice has the husk removed, but not the bran layer. This bran layer is what gives the rice it's FIBER and adds to its fantastic nutritious profile. However...that intact fibrous layer requires a longer cooking time in order to become tender.
So before making your brown rice recipes, you're going to want to SOAK your rice first. It's an extra step, yes, but it's worth it when you scarf down your tender and delicious cooked masterpiece. Soaking brown rices before cooking makes the rice more digestible and also releases important enzymes that allow the rice to be more nutritionally available.
By the way, the following soaking and cooking techniques can be used for most hearty grains.
Step 1: Measure out 2 cups brown rice.
Step 2: Pour rice into a jar or other container, preferably with a lid.
Step 3: Add double the amount of water.
Step 4: Let rice soak for 8 hours, or overnight (brown basmati for 30 minutes to 2 hours). Rice will soak up much of the water. You do not have to refrigerate your rice as it soaks.
Step 5: Drain the rice in a collander.
Step 6: Rinse under running water. Drain.
Your rice is now ready to be cooked as desired. Please refer to cooking suggestions below.
If for some reason you can't cook it after it's done soaking (maybe you were called to a last-minute dinner out), then drain and rinse your soaked rice and put it in the fridge, covered, until the next day.
(By the way, rice can be rinsed before use -- or not! It's a matter of debate amongst rice connoisseurs. Personal preference rules here. It certainly couldn't hurt since one never knows the exact conditions -- dirty, clean, pests!? -- rice has hailed from.)
Here's a helpful instructional video created by my husband Jeff, for those of you who learn best by example. Jeff teaches you everything you want to know about buying, storing, soaking and cooking your rice.
Here he uses our preferred method of cooking, which is steaming. Enjoy!
Create your very own brown rice recipes with some of your favorite ingredients from this list of foods that match perfectly with brown rice.
Agave nectar, or brown rice syrup Apples Bean sprouts Beans, especially black Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or tamari soy sauce Breadcrumbs Brown rice syrup Cabbage Capers Celery Chestnuts Cinnamon Coconut milk Cranberries Curry Extra-virgin olive oil Garlic Green onions Lentils Maple syrup, pure and organic Marinara sauce Milk, non-dairy (I like plain oat milk) Mushrooms Nutmeg Nutritional yeast Nuts, especially cashews, peanuts, and pecans Onion Oregano Pepper, black Peppers, especially hot Pineapple Raisins Sea salt Sea vegetables Seeds, especially sesame Soy Tomatoes Vegetables, any and all Veggie broth Wild rice
Brown Rice Helpful Hints
If you've ever stored your brown rice in the cupboard for any length of time, you understand the importance of refrigerating them (can you say BUGS?!?! EWWWW!!!!). Store your brown rice in the freezer or fridge to keep it fresh until you need it, and to preserve its oil-rich germ. (Not as important if you plan on using them right away.)
Antoine From Quebec Says...
"Sweet glutinous rice is amazing...I bought it by mistake once thinking I was buying regular short grain brown rice, and was so happy. It really is sweet and it really sticks like candy...it's great to make rice desserts and for rice breakfast.
"It is better to steam it, and it becomes one big gelatinous mass. Then if you mix it with fruit and other sweet things the possibilities are endless!"
Share YOUR favorite cooking tips on the Contact page.
Rice is a staple food in many countries around the world. And although white rice is readily available, it's not exactly the healthiest choice. 
Step 1: Measure out 2 cups brown rice.
Step 2: Pour rice into a jar or other container, preferably with a lid.
Step 3: Add double the amount of water.
Step 4: Let rice soak for 8 hours, or overnight (brown basmati for 30 minutes to 2 hours). Rice will soak up much of the water. You do not have to refrigerate your rice as it soaks.
Step 5: Drain the rice in a collander.
Step 6: Rinse under running water. Drain.
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