Brown Rice Pilaf

AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES

Brown Rice Pilaf works well as a side dish, however it can also be a meal all by itself. It's healthy, it's delicious and it is so inexpensive!

I've taken a simple box of store bought rice and elevated it into a wonderful side dish. Brown Rice Pilaf has carrots and peas and instead of the sodium laden flavor packet I've used chicken broth and my own dry spices. If you want a vegetarian side dish or meal, simply substitute vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.

A while back I wasn't feeling well and a good friend brought me a goodie basket and the Near East rice was included among the other sweet things she had in the basket. I've been wanting to try the rice but I didn't want all the sodium. The packet is loaded with sodium - so my advice is get rid of that packet and make this simple recipe!

I found a nifty and handy product while shopping at my super Walmart grocery store. Delmonte has fully cooked brunoise carrots that come in four 4 ounce plastic containers so that is what I used for this side dish along with frozen baby peas. I highly recommend using a timer for this dish. We have had a digital timer with a probe for checking the temperature of meat forever it seems and use it almost every day when we are cooking or baking. It's a good investment for a kitchen tool and you can find a digital thermometer very similar to mine here in this link.

• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 - 6.17oz. box Near East Brown Rice Pilaf
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/2 cup baby peas
• 1/4 cup finely diced onion
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
• salt and black pepper to taste

1. Over medium low heat melt the butter and olive oil. To that add the onion and garlic. Sauté the onion and garlic about 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.
2. Next add in the contents of the box - MINUS the packet of seasoning. Stir to coat all the rice.
3. Add the chicken stock, the parsley, granulated garlic, salt and black pepper. Stir.
4. Bring the heat up to high and when it reaches a boil, cover, turn the heat down to low.
5. Set your timer for 30 minutes and add in the peas and stir. Put the lid back on.
6. When the liquid is absorbed at about 34 minutes add the carrots and stir.
7. Turn the heat off and allow the carrots to get warm and you are ready to serve!

I love that this recipe for Brown Rice Pilaf cost just $3.66 to make and feeds 4 as a side dish for 91¢ or a dinner for 3 at $1.22 each.