Boredom is in the eye of the beholder

Veggies and brown rice, brown rice and veggies. We hear it and we roll our eyes and dream about a time when we could eat richer foods with more flavor--but now we are on some sort of health kick. So--veggies and brown rice--brown rice and veggies. Then we get bored.
I mean who wants to eat like this EVERYDAY? Well, I do. However, I think that spices are the variety of life! The basic recipe for brown rice is simple: 2 parts water to 1 part rice. From there we can move on. Rice is like an artists canvas waiting to be created. You can add chopped garlic,onions and green peppers for a traditional rice dish. You can add different seasonings like cumin and paprika or even spicy treats like dried hot peppers with some diced tomatoes. Really, any flavor you can think of can be put into a rice dish with no added calories. Next time you are at the market take a slower walk through the spice isle and try out some new flavors. You may discover something you had no idea you would love!

As for veggies--yes, they can get boring as well. We can get stuck in the steamed veggie train and not see a way off. However, I LOVE roasted vegetables. They are rich in texture and taste. You can use any vegetable you want, toss it with some olive oil and seasonings of your choice and bake them at 350 degrees until cooked. When are they done cooking you ask? When you want to eat them. I prefer my vegetables with more of a crunch but you may like yours cooked a little bit longer.

Last night I took a full head of cabbage and chopped it into big chucks and then tossed it with olive oil, Mexican chili powder and garlic powder and baked it for about 30 minutes. YUM! SO next time you want to create a new flavor try roasting the vegetables and enjoy the new adventure in the produce isle as well!