LAFFlines #9: Oven Rice—Nutrition Powerhouse Meal Prep
Note and “Recipe” from Abby
The oven rice is a perfect base for meal prepping four lunches…like my current nutrient-dense fav topped with LAFF, steamed broccoli, salsa, and avocado.
Every pot in the house breathed a sigh of relief when I started cooking rice in the oven. No more scorched bottoms. No more screeching smoke detectors. Much more delicious, fluffy rice. (Happier husband and dog, too.)
Here’s exactly how I do it:
Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure there’s an oven rack in the center of the oven.
Boil 1¾ cups water in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. (Time to boil will depend on starting temperature of the water and microwave power. I start with 3:00).
While the water is in the microwave, add 1 cup Jasmine rice to a 2.5 quart baking dish. (I use a glass Pyrex dish.) Get out either a sheet of aluminum foil OR a baking pan/dish that completely covers the 2.5 quart baking dish (see photo). Set the foil or extra baking pan aside.
Pour the boiling water over the rice. Immediately cover AND seal with the foil or extra baking pan. Put the covered dish in the oven pronto.
Bake for 25-27 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 1 teaspoon of white miso paste.
Use the rice to meal prep four lunches (store in the same 2.5 quart baking dish or divide into four smaller containers.)
Rice in the oven topped with another baking pan.
Meal Prep 4 Lunches: Baked rice + 2 cups LAFF + 3 cups veg + Sauce + Flavor bomb
8. In the 2.5 quart baking dish, add 2 cups of LAFF protein crumbles to the cooked rice. (Add the LAFF straight from the bag…no need to cook.)
9. Add 3 cups of steamed broccoli to the rice-LAFF mixture. Stir it together.
10. Cool on the counter for approximately an hour. Cover and store in the fridge.
Not a scorched bottom in sight.
11. When you’re ready for lunch, spoon ¼ of the dish contents into a bowl. Add a sauce (such as salsa, Teriyaki, sweet chili, marinara, hummus, etc.) and a flavor bomb (such as avocado, oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped cashews, or sesame seeds).
My current favorite sauce-flavor bomb combo is salsa and avocado. The salsa+avocado adds a fresh, zingy creaminess and turns this lunch into a nutrient powerhouse. You get protein from the LAFF, carbs from the rice, fat (unsaturated) from the avocado, and fiber from the broccoli, avocado, and salsa. Plus, broccoli and avocado are great sources of various vitamins and minerals.
Tips:
Here’s the rice-LAFF-broccoli meal prep. Cover and refrigerate. When it’s time to eat, spoon out a quarter of the container, add a sauce (like salsa) and a flavor bomb (like avocado), and then…FUEL yourself.
Use a long-grained white rice. Jasmine rice and basmati rice are the best. Sushi rice does not work; brown rice will take longer in the oven. My favorite brands are Lundberg Family Farms (cheers for regenerative farming) and 4Sisters (which really is owned by four Louisiana-born sisters).
Add ¼-½ teaspoon of salt to the rice before pouring in the boiled water if you don’t want to add the miso paste at the end. (The miso adds umami but isn’t necessary.) I buy my miso paste from Oasis World Market in Blacksburg.
Substitute the boiled water with broth if you wish. You can even use coconut milk for a more rich dish. The important thing is that whatever liquid you add is boiling.
There’s a greater risk of burning yourself if you top the 2.5 quart dish with another pan instead of using aluminum foil. To minimize the risk, use a pan that is only slightly larger than the 2.5 quart dish. It’s also best if the topping pan has an edge that prevents it from slipping off the top of the 2.5 quart dish.
I’m just going to repeat the broccoli link from above in case you’re doubting its big, cosmic (wink, wink) powers: Broccoli: A Multi-Faceted Vegetable for Health: An In-Depth Review of Its Nutritional Attributes, Antimicrobial Abilities, and Anti-inflammatory Properties.
Upcoming Promotions
Haute dog.
For a chance to win free LAFF, keep your eye out for In Balance Yoga’s January newsletter (which you’ll be able to find soon by scrolling down here) AND follow In Balance Yoga on Instagram @inbalanceyogablacksburg.
Next week’s LAFFlines newsletter will include more details about how you can win free LAFF.
Where to Find LAFF
You can buy LAFF (and everything else for the oven rice meal prep) at Eats in Blacksburg. LAFF protein crumbles are in the freezer section.
You can order LAFF online…and have it delivered for free. You do not have to be present for the delivery. You can simply leave a cooler by the door.
Wishing you a laugh-filled, love-saturated, delicious end of 2024!
Cheers + thank you for supporting Local, Animal-Friendly Food,
Abby
hello@laffkitchen.com