Spice Up Your Rice in 5 Ways!

USA Rice teamed up with the McCormick Science Institute to create an instructional MyPlate video that shows how to make five variations of culturally-inspired brown rice bowls and we want to share it with you!

Rice bowls are a great way to meet MyPlate recommendations and nutrition goals while allowing for complete customization to an eater’s liking. Below you will find instructions on how to flavor rice five different ways and on how to build a healthy rice bowl personalized to your preferences using U.S.-grown brown rice as the base.  

Flavoring Your Rice for the Perfect Base

• Cook U.S.-grown brown rice using your favorite cooking method (stovetop, oven, rice cooker) to make 3 cups of cooked rice.
• While your rice is cooking, prepare your preferred spice blend(s) to flavor rice to your liking (see blends in video below).
• Fold seasoning blend into the cooked rice. It is best to do this when rice is still hot as heat helps to activate the aroma molecules.
• Start with 1 tablespoon of spice blends for 3 cups of cooked rice but play around with the spice amount to customize to your preference.
• You now have seasoned rice!
  

Building Out Your Rice Bowl

We have built out a few rice bowls in the video for some inspiration but use your imagination!

• After flavoring your base of rice to your liking, it’s time to add your favorite toppings.
• Add a preferred protein and top with your choice of vegetables.
• Feel free to use the herbs and spices in your pantry or utilize what's in your fridge and freezer

At the end of the day, U.S.-grown brown rice bowls are the ultimate family-friendly option as they are completely customizable with all ingredients interchangeable, while being affordable, nutritious, and easy-to-make.

MyPlate is a great foundation for creating a balanced plate by adding proteins and veggies to your whole grains. Remember to Start Simple with MyPlate and for more information visit MyPlate.gov.