Brown Rice: One small Change Makes a BIG Difference

Trying to take on HUGE New Years resolutions can be overwhelming if you feel so far away from you goal. The best and most practical thing to do is to start small. Small changes are more likely to last, because you begin to change your habits and behavior for the better in ways that are manageable. If you want feel good, be more energetic and have better concentration, try making brown rice once a week. Brown rice can last for about 5 or so days in your refrigerator if cooked without vegetables, so make one big pot and eat it throughout the week. Eat rice instead of whole grain breads or pastas. 

Sit down. Chew well. See how you feel. 

After a week of incorporating whole grains like brown rice into your diet more regularly, you will feel more peaceful, energetic, and happier. Brown rice is high in fiber, reduces the risk of heart disease, sustains your blood sugar level for a long period of time, reduces constipation and contains B vitamins, manganese, selenium and iron. It is also great for beauty.

Perfect Brown Rice

2 cups of organic short grain brown rice
4 cups of filtered water
dash of brown rice vinegar
pinch of sea salt

1. Sort through the rice to take out any pebbles. Then put the rice in a large stainless steel pot and rinse it with cool water and drain it 2-3 times to get rid of any dust or dirt.
2. Put 4 cups of filtered water in the pot with 2 cups of rinsed brown rice. Add a dash of brown rice vinegar to the water. Cover with a sushi mat or pot lid and set aside on the counter overnight or for 5-8 hours to let it soak.
3. Uncover the rice and drain the soaking water into a measuring cup to measure how much water is left, then dump the soaking water. Rinse the rice well one more time. Add fresh water back into the rice (the same amount that you poured out) and put the pot on the stove. Turn on the flame to high.
4. If you have a flame tamer, put it on a different burner and turn the flame to low. Let the fame tamer heat up. 
5. Bring the rice to a boil, then turn it to low so it can simmer (if you don't have a flame tamer), or transfer it to the flame tamer and let it simmer. Add a pinch of sea salt, cover the pot with the lid and simmer the rice for 1 hour. Do not disturb the rice, lift the top or mix the rice. Just let it cook peacefully. Set your timer for 1 hour from the time of boiling, so you don't have to keep track of the cooking time.
6. After 1 hour, turn off the stove and let the rice sit for a few minutes. Then lift the lid and gently fluff the rice by mixing it with a wooden rice paddle.
7. Serve the rice with any seasoning you like. You can try crushed toasted sesame seeds, toasted sunflower seeds, sauerkraut, nori strips, etc.
8. Sit down and eat the rice. Chew it mindfully. Enjoy the taste and texture. Let the healing begin!