Every once in a while, restaurant patrons are offered a simple menu choice: “Would you like that with white or brown rice?” And all too often, the brown rice that appears on the plate, while healthful, is far from a culinary treat. But brown rice can be as tempting as it is beneficial. To prove the point, best-selling cookbook author Wendy Esko has put together a spectacular collection of her finest rice recipes in The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook. Wendy first shows you the many ways in which you can correctly cook brown rice—methods that bring out this food’s mild nutty flavor and enticingly robust texture. She then provides over one hundred easy-to-follow kitchen-tested recipes. As Wendy demonstrates, this wonderful food doesn’t have to be relegated to the side of the dish, but can be a culinary star. That’s why her collection includes dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And from porridges and waffles to paella and vegetable sushi, all are winners.

If you ever thought that brown rice was dull, you’re in for a treat. Let The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook help you make this wholesome grain a welcome addition to your meals.

Wendy Esko has studied and taught macrobiotic cooking for over thirty years. She is the author and coauthor of several best-selling cookbooks, including Macrobiotic Cookbook and The Changing Seasons Macrobiotic Cookbook, and has also taught and lectured at the Kushi Institute in Massachusetts. Currently, Wendy serves as the Vice President of Amberwaves, a grassroots network devoted to preserving rice, wheat, and other essential foods from the threat of biotechnology.  

Acknowledgments,

Introduction,

1. Brown Rice Basics,

2. Breakfast Dishes,

3. Salads, Soups & Stews,

4. Condiments, Toppings & Accompaniments

5. Appetizers,

6. Simple Sides,

7. Specialty Sides,

8. The Main Event,

9. Desserts and Treats,

Metric Conversion Charts,

Resources,

About the Author,

Index,

"Esko broadens the possibilities of cooking with this dietary staple." 

Would you like that with white rice or brown?” When restaurant patrons are offered this simple menu choice all too often the brown rice that appears, while nutritionally superior to white, is bland and boring—far from a culinary treat. But brown rice can be as taste tempting and delectable as it is healthful. Through my macrobiotic background and decades of experience as a vegan/vegetarian/natural foods cook and cooking instructor, I know this to be true. And with The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook, you are about to discover it, too. In it, I have gathered together my favorite brown rice recipes—ones that have satisfied and delighted my family and friends over the years—and am truly happy to share this collection with you.

The book starts off with an informative chapter on brown rice basics. It contains a brief overview of this fascinating grain, including its history, nutritional profile, and significant role as a staple food throughout the world. Consider the remainder of this chapter a primer—a place to turn to when you have a question about the ingredients used in the recipes, or for guidance when shopping for and/or storing rice and other grains. An extensive glossary covers dozens of different rice varieties, the products made from this valuable grain, and much more. Clear cooking instructions will guide you in preparing rice perfectly, whether in a pot on the stove, in a pressure cooker, or with a rice cooker. What follows next is a culinary brown rice adventure—one in which you will find dozens of fantastic kitchen-tested recipes that spotlight this nutritional powerhouse. Of the many hundreds of recipes I have accumulated over the years, I have chosen the best of the batch—from easy-to-make simple side dishes to sensational specialty fare. This book has it all. Brown rice is incredibly versatile. For breakfast, you will find a variety of wonderful dishes to start your day. There are pancakes and waffles, creamy hot cereals, and crunchy breakfast bars to name just a few. And that’s just the beginning. You will discover how brown rice can play the leading role in appetizers, like savory stuffed mushrooms and crunchy croquettes. Nothing is more comforting and satisfying than a bowl of homemade soup or a hearty stew, and the recipes I have chosen are those most requested by family and friends. Chapters devoted to salads, side dishes, and entrées offer both humble unadorned choices as well as show-stopping specialties. Included among them is a parade of regional classics and international delights—crisp samosas, savory falafel, stuffed grape leaves, and flavorful sushi, as well as stir-fries, paellas, risottos, curries, and so much more. And then there’s dessert! This chapter offers delectable puddings, heavenly muffins, and even arecipe that shows you how to transform brown rice cakes into everyone’s campfire favorite—s’mores.

To help ensure successful results, each recipe has easy-to-follow step-by-step reader friendly directions, with instructional drawings for the more complex dishes. Helpful guidelines, tips, and suggestions are included as well. Finally, for your entertainment pleasure, you will find interesting bits of rice trivia and fascinating facts throughout.

If you’ve always thought that brown rice was dull, you’re in for a real treat. It is my sincerest hope that The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook will show you how to create dishes that are not only delightfully delicious, but hearty and healthful as well. Get ready to discover all that this big beautiful grain has to