Recipe : Lebanese inspired rice salad.

I LOVE the fried Lebanese rice that you would get as a side to your meal ... but it really is not that great for you. So I invented a salad that is both healthy, and I feel just as good (if not better)

You will need :

2 cups of uncooked brown rice

3 cups of water

A bit of olive oil, and pinch of salt for the rice

1 can of lentils (rinsed in hot to remove any yucky stuff ! I don't like hand soaked lentils. )

1 small red pepper chopped

4 green onions chopped thinly

1/2 bunch of parsley (about 1 cup)

Dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

2 or 3 cloves of garlic crushed

salt and pepper (to taste)

1 tbs Bragg's (organic apple cider)

I cook my rice in a roasting pan in my oven @ 400 F for about 35 - 40 minutes. 2 cups rice to 3 cups water, 1 tbs olive oil, and a pinch of salt ... it is perfect every time !! I look at the rice after 30 mins and keep checking for full absorption every 10 mins or so.

If you have a rice cooker that you like, and it cooks your brown rice nicely ... by all means use it. Just start with 2 cups uncooked, and try not to add too much water. The idea is that the rice should be firm not mushy !! I find rice directions always call for too much water.

I read a nice tip once that called for browning your rice in a tbs of oil in a frying pan before cooking it, for a nutty flavour. I have done it and like it ... but rarely take the time for this extra step as I seem to be the only brown rice connoisseur in my home.

While your rice is cooking (however you like it done) place all the other stuff (minus the dressing) in a large bowl and set aside.

Prepare the dressing in this manner:

Crush the garlic and put in a bowl or cup (whatever)

add a pinch of salt to the garlic and crush them together to form a paste (this is actually important. Not sure why ... but it is just better.)

Add the oil and lemon and stir it up.

You will probably need more dressing after mixing it all up ... I always do. I just add a bit more olive oil, and perhaps lemon (to taste) after it is done and I am sampling it.

So let you rice cool for about 15 mins and mix it all up.

Try it for personal taste (as I said) and enjoy.

I make this as just a salad to bring to a BBQ or as part of our home Lebanese dinner night. I make a cinnamon chicken that this is great with .... and my hummus is not bad either .... future things to come !!

Let me know if you make this gorgeous, healthy salad ... and what you think of it !

Happy eating ;)

B

Craft Idea : Sunflower Paper Plate.

Easy to do and fun !!

I have several books on Sunflowers, and gardens in general but the one we read before doing this craft is "Sunflower House" written by Eve Bunting and Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt.

We read the book, and moved to the dining / craft area for snack and activity.

We had sunflower bread, with home made sunflower butter, and apple slices ...... then craft time.

What you need :

Small paper plates (not plastic)

Pre cut petals for smaller children and / or orange and yellow construction paper cut into rectangles ( 4 inches by 2 inches)

Glue

Sunflower seeds

So just have your little one cut out petal shapes with the paper ( if able to, or else give them a selection of the ones you cut out for them ) and have them glue them all around the edge of the plate. Next fill the middle with glue, and use a paint brush to spread it around. The layer of glue should be substantial, as the seeds you will be adding are heavy.

Then simply sprinkle the seeds in a thick layer onto the plate. Give them a gentle shake and allow to dry.

The same idea can be used to make "magical flowers" as well ... just have rainbow petals instead of the yellow and orange and fill the centers with sparkles not seeds ! I would start with a book on fairies first ;)

They are quite cute all finished !

Cleaning tip : bathroom wipes

SO, I like to quickly wipe down my bathroom at the end of the night. I also do the one the kids potty with at nap time too .... a great idea to help you do this task quickly is to have home made wipes to do that with.
I know there is an invention called "Clorox wipes", but I don't like to throw stuff in the garbage (as you know !)
So what you do is this ... get a old baby wipe box and about 10 cloths. Fold the cloths in half and place them in the box. Make a solution of your cleaning product of choice, with water (follow directions for dilution) and pour over the cloths. You have a weeks worth of cleaning cloths , already wet and soapy and ready to go.
Now giving your bathroom a moment of your time really only takes a moment of your time.

I use the same principal for my home mead baby wipes as well ... I will share the recipe with you tomorrow !!

Happy cleaning :0)

Blair.