brown rice with onions & garden peppers

I was finally able to cook dinner with the peppers growing in my garden! It had to be something quick and easy because I had kickboxing that night, so this dish was perfect. I basically just threw together some ingredients that I knew would go well with each other, and the result was a really delicious rice dish that I cannot wait to make again! Next time I will probably serve it as a side dish with some sort of protein. I love a good, juicy piece of marinated grilled chicken, especially with rice!

It was really satisfying to walk outside, pick these peppers, bring them into my kitchen, and actually cook something with them. And although the peppers were rather small, the flavor was still bold as ever. One day I hope to have a garden full of all kinds of vegetables, fruits, and herbs.

 

brown rice with onions & garden peppers

yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

•  ~1/2 of a normal-sized green bell pepper, chopped (you can add more or less depending on your preference)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 of a medium-sized onion, sliced thin (I used a white onion)
• ~1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of instant brown rice (+ 1 cup of water)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste (you can add more or less depending on your preference)
• pinch of salt & pepper

Steps:

In a skillet on low-medium heat, add EVOO and sautee onions, bell peppers, and garlic until soft. Approximately 7 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to help the veggies sweat.

Meanwhile, boil 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and add 1 chicken bouillon cube.

Add the dry rice to the skillet with the onions, peppers, and garlic, stir it around, and toast for ~2 minutes. Toasting the rice helps to bring out the flavor.

Add everything from the skillet (peppers, onions, garlic, rice) into the saucepan. Add the tomato paste, and give the rice a good stir. Turn down the heat from a boil to a simmer, add a generous pinch of black pepper, and cook for ~7 minutes (or follow the box directions). All the stock should be absorbed and the rice should be fluffy.

Garnish with some fresh parsley and enjoy! :)