Asian Black Rice Salad Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup black rice
1 carrot shredded
1/3 green bell pepper
1/2 half pint grape tomatoes
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Sauce
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp light sesame oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
Boil black rice in 2 cups of water until softened, adding additional water as necessary. Remove from heat and let it completely cool off.
Add the sauce and all other ingredients to a bowl and marinate for 15 min or longer. Add cooled rice to mixture, toss and serve.
This recipe from BlackRice.com
Black Rice Nutritional Information
Black rice is considered very high in nutrients, minerals and has many anti-aging effects. Because of its dark colour it is extremely high in antioxidants (a good rule of thumb is the darker and richer in colour a food is, the higher in nutrients, minerals and antioxidants). Black rice is a whole grain rice with its bran layer intact. Black rice is sometimes referred to as Forbidden Rice, or Emperor's Rice since in ancient China it was served only to the Emperor to aid in his longevity and because of its many healing properties.
Black rice is considered yin or cooling. It has the actions of invigorating the liver, benefits the eyes and moves the blood. It treats anemia, dizziness, blurred vision, and signs of aging like greying hair, sore lower back and knees and hearing loss.
Black rice has higher dietary fiber and has a low glycemic index (55 - white rice is 87) and does not cause dramatic fluctuations in blood sugar levels. It is high in potassium, magnesium and helps to control blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, including black rice in your diet is an excellent for prevention, but added to the diet can help to reverse these conditions.
Summer Recipe - Artichoke, Zucchini & Olive Pasta
This light, delicious pasta is perfect for summer. All ingredients are beneficial for us in the summer season.
Ingredients
Artichoke hearts - 1 can (even better if you can get fresh)
Green olives with pimento - 1 cup
Zucchini - 1 medium, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Red wine vinegar - 1/4 cup
Fresh Oregano & Basil - 1 tbsp. each
Pasta - 1lb
Olive oil - 1/4 cup
Garlic - 6 cloves, smashed
Salt & pepper - to taste
Red pepper flakes - 1 tsp
Corn starch - 2 tbsp.
Water - 1 cup
Instructions
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add a tsp oil so pasta doesn’t stick.
2. Wash, cut in half, then slice the zucchini
3. Drain artichokes, and slice. Take olives and slice in half
4. In heavy pot, add olive oil and heat on low. Add smashed garlic and stir so it doesn’t burn. Wash and add oregano and basil. Add red wine vinegar & water.
5. When water boils, add pasta.
6. Add zucchini, olives and artichokes and turn heat up to medium, stir constantly. Add salt.
7. Cover and let zucchini soften, about 10 minutes.
8. Once Zucchini is soft, add pepper, and more oil/red wine vinegar to taste if necessary. Add red pepper flakes.
9. Put corn starch in small glass and add enough water to cover. Stir. Add to sauce and keep stirring to thicken. About 2 minutes. Taste sauce and make sure it is delicious.
10. When pasta is done, drain and add into sauce. Stir well until all pasta is coated.
11. Serve and top with fresh grated parmesan or Romano cheese if you wish. Enjoy!
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If you would like a downloadable information sheet that will tell you all about how to live in harmony with the Summer season in Chinese Medicine, you can find it here - The Summer Season in Chinese Medicine.