brown rice

It's been about six years now that I haven't been able to eat gluten. Through trial and error, after finally cutting out bread, pastas, cakes, pizza, beer, and more, the tumultuous stomach tailspins stopped. Brown rice became my savior, since I was easily able to add it to many dishes and I was able to make the switch to brown rice pasta, brown rice bread, brown rice crackers, and more (and no, contrary to belief, it doesn't taste like cardboard!).

I like to have a glass half full outlook on life, so when I learned that my croissant-obsessed days were over, I got creative in the kitchen, real creative. And not only that, but what I learned is that staying away from white rice and its cohorts is actually much better for me healthwise! Compared to white rice, brown rice is light years ahead in terms of nutritional value. Did you know that if you eat just two servings of brown rice a week, you can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, while eating white rice on a regular basis increases the chances of type 2 diabetes by 20 percent? Here's a little tip for all you sushi lovers: If a restaurant doesn't offer brown rice sushi, ask them if they can make your sushi without the rice. Tell them you're not a stickler if it falls apart and they'll usually oblige.

White rice is what's inside brown rice after the brown rice is polished down, removing the bran and the beneficial nutrients. Keep reading to see a white rice vs. brown rice comparison chart.

For an exceptionally easy meal, I love to roast a whole chicken and bake brown rice. Everything is cooked in the oven and in no time, you have a simple dinner. But, reheating the leftovers for the next couple days isn't appealing, so I livened up leftovers by making a scrumptious stuffed poblano.

While the peppers roast, the filling can be quickly prepared by caramelizing onions and garlic. Cook down the fresh tomatoes and season, then toss in your rice and chicken to warm. Assembling the peppers requires little time in the oven — just enough to melt the cheese. Voilà: spicy and scrumptious leftovers! Get the recipe now.

When it comes to rice, color matters. While I like the taste of white rice, when possible, I try to make or order brown rice instead. The darker option offers more protein and fiber and is even credited with better heart health. Plus, I'm actually starting to prefer the texture of it. When I add tasty veggies and crumbled Feta cheese to a bowl of brown rice, it gets even better and makes the perfect lunch. A simple and delish dish to make, I'm starting to crave this heart-healthy recipe that serves up an entire meal in one bowl.

Want to see what's in it and how to make it?

We know that brown rice has got the whole-grain goods that make it healthier than white rice. Earlier in the Summer I shared how I've been incorporating more brown rice into my meals instead of just white. A reader shared that she was having a problem making the perfect pot.

"I've tried mixing the two, but it seems like brown rice needs longer to cook and is always crunchier than the white rice when my rice cooker says it's "finished" cooking. Any suggestions for that?" – Anonymous

I've definitely been in the same boat. There's nothing worse than a mouthful of too-crunchy grains to go with your delicious stir fry. Whether you are mixing or going all the way, here are some methods I've been using over the Summer to make my brown rice more moist.

• Soak your brown rice for a few minutes (15-30 minutes) before you rinse and incorporate the white grains. This softens the husk and cuts down on cooking time.
• Add more water than you would when cooking only white rice. But remember that if you add too much water you'll end up with mushy/crunchy rice! I don't go over the 2:1 ratio.
• Add a teaspoon of salt to the water. This raises the boiling point temperature so the water doesn't evaporate too quickly.
• Use this recipe's steaming method by draining your cooked brown rice and returning it to a covered pot.
• Try baking it, like YumSugar did, with a little butter and salt.

How do you make your brown rice the best? Share in the comments below.

Source: Flickr User erin.kkr

Sushi has to be my favorite late-night post-workout meal — I love the taste of fresh tuna with a nice kick of heat from wasabi. But since I don't like how nori tastes, I've been limited to nigiri sushi, which is a thin slice of raw fish placed on a bit of sushi rice. My cravings for a hand roll led me to making my own sushi at home. Not only is it cheaper, it's much healthier too. Following this Epicurious recipe on how to make sushi rice, I swap out standard sushi rice for short-grain brown rice instead. I also use soy wraps, a nori replacement that is made from soy protein. Soy wraps are vegan, nonfat, and gluten free. Though I wish I could get all the amazing health benefits that nori has, I'm excited that I can finally have hand rolls!At home, I get creative and fill my sushi with whatever fresh veggies or fish I have on hand. Last night that meant cucumbers, avocado, yams, and tuna. An added plus to using brown rice is that it keeps me fuller longer, which means I don't need to devour too many pieces at once.

Confession: I am a white rice junkie. And no matter how hard I try, I just can't get into brown rice. But as most of us know, it's way better to eat whole grains over their refined counterparts. If you need further proof, a new study from Harvard says that eating just two servings of brown rice a week can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, and that eating white rice on a regular basis increases the chances of type 2 diabetes by 20 percent.

Whole grains are better for you for the same reason that apple and potato peelings are — the vast majority of the nutrients are contained in the skin. When polishing brown rice down to white, the bran covering is lost, which along with other beneficial nutrients contains a lot of fiber. Now if you're like me and think that your veggie stir-fry just isn't the same with brown rice, or can't imagine tossing fresh broccoli rabe with whole grain pasta, do what I do and mix it up. At home I mix brown and white rice together in equal parts and store that in a jar. I've found that this is the perfect ratio for still enjoying the taste of white rice but getting the nutritional benefits of brown. And depending on the sauce, I'll do the same when cooking pasta. Since whole grain pasta usually needs to be cooked longer I toss it in a few minutes ahead of the regular pasta I use. For those of you who also have a hard time sticking to whole grains, what tricks do you use to get more of them into your diet?

Source: Flickr User Special*Dark

This post comes from OnSugar blog Let's Talk Nutrition, who made one of our healthy recipes!

I found this delightful recipe on FitSugar via Martha Stewart's website. It was very easy to make (I really hate recipes with 25 ingredients!) and it tastes wonderful! I'm also really happy to find another use for edamame. Edamame is a high protein, low-calorie soybean. I used Cascadian Farms Organic.

Get more healthy goodness by following Let's Talk Nutrition. And why not start your own OnSugar blog? Your posts could be featured here on FitSugar.

The other night, I made a ridiculously easy dinner of roasted chicken and wanted a side dish that was healthy, light, and springy. With frozen edamame in my freezer and Texmati brown rice in my pantry, I cooked up this little dish.

Since baby soybeans are loaded with protein and fiber and are a good source of iron and folate, this side dish would also make a very nutritious vegetarian meal, especially if you stir in some other veggies like I did. The green onions, toasted sesame oil, and lime juice keep this basic recipe from being bland. Get it when you read more

A recent study has linked brown rice to better heart health. Researchers found that two kinds of rice, brown rice and half-milled rice, may reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. An ingredient in these types of rice interferes with angiotensin II, a protein linked to both high blood pressure and clogged arteries.

This special ingredient is found in the brown layer of the rice grain — the layer that is scraped away during the production of white rice. Since they're less refined, both brown and half-milled rice are able to preserve this layer. These results are just another reason to eat more whole grains; besides being linked to lowered risk of certain kinds of cancer, brown rice also contains more protein and fiber than processed white, so you'll feel fuller longer. Plus, whole grains are delicious and surprisingly easy to incorporate into your diet.