Cooking With What You Have On Hand - Cooking Rice So It’s Delicious!
Hey there, I’m Corinna!
I help severe food allergy moms keep their kids safe while living a normal life at home, school, at social events, and while traveling. I believe that food allergy families and kids deserve delicious meals and safe & fulfilling life experiences!
If you believe this too, make sure to sign up for my free top allergy-friendly recipe ebook. You’ll get 5 days of top 8 allergen-free recipes that kids love (including breakfast, lunch and dinner) PLUS I’ll keep you in the loop about everything that’s going on in my community and ways to connect with hundreds of other food allergy mamas like you! Hope to see you there!
Now let’s get to cooking with what you have on hand for food allergies…
As I write this we are beginning a worldwide pandemic. Even the most prepared food allergy mama is feeling worried right now. Maybe you’re wondering whether you’ll be able to find your family’s safe foods OR maybe you’re trying to cook with what you have on hand. Well, I’m here for you!!
One unsung, allergy-friendly, and shelf-stable side dish that can also be the star of the show is rice and quinoa. You can make rice and quinoa separately OR you can do what I do and mix them half and half because my kids like the taste of white rice better, and I like the fiber and protein of quinoa better. Win, win!
Before you tune me out, I want you to know how delicious rice can be; if you make it right.
It took me a while to figure it out, but it’s amazing. I can’t forget when I served my special rice and quinoa last New Year’s Eve, one guest specifically asked me “Why does this rice taste so good?”. So don’t discount its value right now, especially because it’s totally allergy-friendly and has super pantry-staying power.
I’m sharing everything I know about making the best rice WITH YOU, so read on!
The Upsides of Uncertain Times for Food Allergy Moms and Food Allergy Families
(Because I intentionally choose to look for positives during this time)
First of all, did you know that all this pantry cooking during the pandemic is going to help you so much when life becomes more “normal” again? I firmly believe that we WILL get through this pandemic and we will be STRONGER than we were before.
Here’s why:
You won’t need to depend on boxed products as much.
Worry about food shortages and temporary empty shelves are causing you to learn to be more nimble and cook with what you have on hand. By skipping the boxed products you’re going to save a LOAD of money. I mean, even discovering how to make a delicious side dish like rice or quinoa from scratch eliminates the need to buy pre-made, flavored rice packets that are expensive and less nutritious.
If you want step-by-step instructions about how to stop depending on boxed products, check out the Quick & Easy Food Allergy Cooking Course.. It’s affordable and you’ll learn how to slash your grocery bill and up-level your flavor & variety by cooking simple, delicious meals.
2. You can practice.
Usually, you’re just trying to survive and you just don’t have the time for everything. Cooking often comes up as one of the last things on the “to do” list. Now, you’re stuck at home AND you HAVE to feed your family with what you have. There is no better time to practice and hone this skill than NOW. If you want guidance and a head-start, check out the 90-Minute Variety Booster.
3. You’ll learn how to make meals more delicious using simple ingredients.
If you do this right, you’ll become better at cooking flavorful and delicious foods. There are small things you can do to cook better quality foods and it doesn’t have to be hard! You just have to have an open mind and let yourself experiment and try new things. You can totally do this.
So yes, YOU CAN make lemonade when it comes to food allergy cooking and this pandemic.
Now let’s get to that low-cost, shelf-stable rice & quinoa.
WATCH THE VIDEO WHERE I GO INTO MORE DETAIL HERE:
How to cook allergy-friendly, flavorful rice that you and your kids will love.
Never use water.
I cringe when I read directions that tell you to add water. I mean, water is great, but there is no flavor! What do you use instead? The good news is that you can use your imagination because almost any liquid will work. Try chicken, beef or vegetable stock. OR, I like to mix water with a bouillon powder because bullion is shelf-stable and costs less than buying pre-made stock (and there are less heavy things to lug home from the grocery store). Other liquid ideas are fruit juice, coconut milk, and even diluted wine (pick whatever works for your family’s allergies). I mean how good would rice flavored with orange juice taste with orange chicken?
2. Always add a fat.
Fats balance flavours on the tongue. You need them in every dish and rice is no exception. If butter works for your allergies, you can use it, but I like to use avocado or olive oils, which are allergy-friendly, easy to find, shelf-stable and delicious.
3. Add herbs or spices that match what you’re making.
It’s a great idea to complement your main dish as much as possible. There’s no better way than to add herbs to your rice. Making Mexican chicken? Add some of the same Mexican flavors to the rice (just use the same ones from the chicken recipe). Or maybe you’re serving broiled Italian sausage? Add Italian seasoning to the rice. This small thing will add so much flavor!
4. Don’t forget salt and pepper.
This is especially important if you’re using low-sodium stock or juice for your liquid. Salt and pepper are an essential base flavor in EVERY dish and rice is definitely no exception. Start with 1/2 tsp per 1 cup of rice/quinoa and adjust up or down based on your tastes.
5. Add a squirt of lemon (or another acid).
Sometimes, even after you’ve done everything above, you still might find the rice to be a bit bland. That is until you add a little lemon juice (especially if you’re using a liquid like broth or coconut milk). Acid adds brightness and that special something that you didn’t even realize you were missing. You might even find that if you add a squirt of acid like lemon or lime, you’ll need less salt too.
Conclusion
You can’t stop feeding your family now, or ever, whether there’s a pandemic or not. But the bright side is that now you have time to learn and practice cooking ideas so that when things get back to normal you can confidently feed your family more delicious and affordable foods.
**WAIT, before you go, let me know in the comments how this post has helped you, or if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
PLEASE read and SHARE with other food allergy moms and food allergy groups. Sharing IS a great way to help other food allergy moms and support me too. Thank you so much!
