Breaking News

Deprivation can be a marvelous thing. In fact, it often leads to appreciation. Such is the case regarding my breaking news ... Alert the media! ... Film at 11 ! ... I'm going to eat some brown rice. Can you at all sense the excitement here?

Maybe my news flash doesn't sound like a big deal to you, but I've thought about, planned for and dreamt of this day for nearly a month. Why its been looming like a holiday ... I may even declare it such, chez Diva, and wear an extra sparkly crown. Having gone without most starches for so long, it is possible that I am, perhaps, over estimating the news-worthy-ness of such an event. So sue me, I'm excited! I've missed my carbs and I am prepared to celebrate and appreciate them, in moderation, of course.

In honor of such an august and glorious occasion I will now divulge my most cherished recipe for brown rice, so that you may join in the merriment.

Steamed Brown Rice:

• Locate the nearest Chinese Restaurant
• Place an order for steamed brown rice
• Serve when ready
• Repeat as needed

Oh, were you expecting something more? ~blink~

No, you're right, this magnificent rice holiday demands a bit more enhancement, shall we say. In that case, I suggest you top the miraculous Chinese take-out rice with the following ...

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir-fry:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
  
• 1 1/4 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 cup of thin French green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 cup of sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 2/3 cup sliced Crimini or Shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  
• 2 tbsp. ginger root, peeled and minced or grated
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• hot red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 cup non-fat chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• 4 tbsp. reduced sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp. Asian sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp. corn starch mixed with 2 tsp. chicken broth

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet, add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until pink and just cooked throughout. Remove shrimp from pan and cover to keep warm.

Add the red peppers, green beans, sugar snap peas and mushrooms to the skillet and cook on medium-high heat, stirring often, until vegetables are crisp/tender - @ 4 minutes. You may need to add some broth to the pan if it is too dry. Add the ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes (if desired) and sautée for 1 minute.

Return the shrimp to the pan. Add one cup of the chicken broth and the soy sauce and stir to combine. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it has boiled, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring the skillet to the boil again and add the cornstarch/broth mixture, stir to combine until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the sesame oil and the sesame seeds. Stir to combine.

Serve over the brown rice and enjoy!

As written this recipe will serve four, but the portions are not huge. As is the case with most stir-fry recipes (and all of my recipes) feel free to tinker with it. Add more shrimp, change the veggies, add more soy sauce, whatever, its all good. This is a quick and very satisfying meal, the perfect dish to celebrate my reunion with rice. And, no, I'm not kidding about ordering the take-out rice ... that's my secret recipe and I'm sticking to it.