Main Menu

Super Green Rice with Veggies, Soy Curls and Dr. Mercola’s Organic Greens

Green Rice (6)

A while ago, I received some really cool products from Dr. Mercola to review. You’ve probably heard of Dr. Mercola; he is the health guru and best-selling author of many books on nutrition and health. His web site is packed with articles on health, nutrition and ways we can improve our lives and health. He also sells many products – they are not all vegan but some are.

The generous people at Dr. Mercola sent me some pea protein which I use in my V-Meat recipes so that was really great. They don’t sell it anymore so I won’t go into it here other than to say it’s a great product and I hope they start to sell it again.  I also got their Complete Probiotics which have lots of good bacteria to help with all the junk I eat.

18-672-AlternateProductImage1

I will get into the Organic Greens they sent me.  Dr. Mercola’s Organic Greens is what he calls a “green food solution” to help people increase their daily nutrient intake – in case they don’t eat all the recommended daily servings of veggies. That’s not a problem for me because I LOVE eating veggies, especially greens.

18-1251-Product_Primary_Image

 

The Organic Greens is a high-quality formula that is quick and easy to use, can be mixed into shakes, smoothies and other protein powder drinks and is sweetened naturally with organic stevia extract.

What’s in it, you ask? What’s not in it is more like it.

It has powdered forms of organic veggies such as carrots, broccoli, spinach, parsley, kale and beets.

It also has a bunch of organic cereal grasses including wheat grass, barley grass, oat grass and alfalfa grass.

Note: Dr. Mercola states his Organic Greens has been tested and found to be gluten-free.

On About.com, they state “Pure wheat grass and barley grass (just the grass, with absolutely no seeds) do not contain gluten. However, you need to be certain any supplier is using absolutely pure wheat grass and barley grass to make a product in order for the product to be considered truly gluten-free.” – http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/everydaymedicalissues/f/Are-Wheat-Grass-And-Barley-Grass-Gluten-Free.htm

If you have celiac disease or allergies, I would suggest asking your physician about whether you can eat wheat grass and/or barley grass.  

It has an organic mushroom blend to help support your immune system. It has an antioxidant blend with green tea, matcha tea and apple extract. It has adaptogen ingredients maca root and rhodiola as well as superfoods chlorella and spirulina. And it’s all non-GMO.

It sounds incredible, right?  Yet, the container sat in my kitchen unopened because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it. If you keep up with my blog, you know I’m not a health nut. I have 2 smoothie recipes out of hundreds of recipes and not one juice recipe. Because I would rather eat my greens than drink them. That’s just me.

18-1250-AlternateProductImage1

But when St. Patrick’s Day rolled around, I thought this would be the perfect way to use my Organic Greens.  Honestly, I tried the day before by making chickpea omelets and added the Organic Greens to the batter but the turmeric was too strong and the green color didn’t show up. Oh well.

Green Rice (5)

I thought about what other foods I could turn green and then thought of rice. Now I always cook with brown rice so the results would have been even greener if I had used white rice.

The final decision: I took broccoli, green peas, green bell peppers and cooked them to be mixed into green rice. And then I also made a bag of Butler Foods Soy Curls because I love them and they go with anything. And no, I didn’t turn them green though I did think about it. 🙂

Green Rice (4)

So I open the container of Organic Greens and I’m not gonna lie, it smelled like fish food. After all, it has algae in it. I was scared, Tom was scared. People just mix this into water and drink it? I’m green with envy at that type of discipline.

I mixed a spoon of the greens into the rice but I was worried it wouldn’t look green enough so I put some more. I also didn’t want to put too much and have it taste too green. Yes, there is such a thing.

When the rice was done, it smelled less fish-foody and more grassy. When it was mixed with the veggies, spices, herbs and soy curls, it actually tasted creamy like a cheater risotto. In the end, it was delicious and everyone loved it. There was no “green” aftertaste and the smell was much gentler once it was cooked with all the seasonings. It was a perfect St. Patrick’s Day dinner and also perfect for spring.

Green Rice (2)

I’m pretty sure that Dr. Mercola did not create his Organic Greens with the intention of having them be used with fried soy curls and starchy rice but hey, we all have our own ways of being green. Even more importantly, now that I’ve used the Organic Greens, I’m no longer scared of them. I’m actually thinking of other ways to add them to my recipes. Maybe desserts – but shhh, don’t tell Tom that. 😉

Thank you, Dr. Mercola, for the Organic Greens, pea protein and Complete Probiotics.

Everyone, go check out the web site and see what other vegan products they have to offer like their Vegan Chocolate Bars and Vegan Protein Powders.

Green Rice (1)

If you love green drinks, go for it. Mix these Organic Greens in water or your smoothies but if you’re more like me, make my Super Green Rice with Veggies and Soy Curls and mix healthy with a bit of decadence. Enjoy and Happy Spring!

Super Greens Rice with Veggies and Soy Curls

GF

For the Green Rice

2 cups brown rice

1 heaping tablespoon Dr. Mercola Organic Greens

3 ½ cups water

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

 

For the Soy Curls

1 package Butler Soy Curls

2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. black pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

 

For the dish

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 head broccoli florets

1 tsp. dried thyme

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cups peas, fresh or frozen

Fresh parsley, chopped

 

Add the rice to a medium saucepan and mix in the organic greens. Toast over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Then add the water, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover the pot again and reduce the heat to low. Let cook for 35 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let sit another ten minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt to taste.

Empty the soy curls into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit 10 minutes until softened. Drain and squeeze out any excess liquid. Pat dry and toss with the seasonings. Heat a few spoons of oil in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the soy curls in a single layer and let cook for several minutes until they start to brown. Then flip them and continue cooking, adding additional oil a little bit at a time, if needed. Cook the soy curls until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, add a bit more oil and saute the onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Mix in the broccoli, season with thyme and saute until tender.

When all the veggies are tender, add the cooked green rice to the deep saute pan and mix. Add the peas in and let them warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the soy curls back in and mix them with the rice and veggies. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Green Rice (2)

The “V” Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.

Super Green Rice with Soy Curls
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree
 
Ingredients
  • For the Green Rice
  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 1 heaping tablespoon Dr. Mercola Organic Greens
  • 3 ½ cups water
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  • For the Soy Curls
  • 1 package Butler Soy Curls
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 2 tsp. paprika
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • For the dish
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 head broccoli florets
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ cups peas, fresh or frozen
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
  1. Add the rice to a medium saucepan and mix in the greens. Toast over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Then add the water, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover the pot again and reduce the heat to low. Let cook for 35 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let sit another ten minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt to taste.
  2. Empty the soy curls into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit 10 minutes until softened. Drain and squeeze out any excess liquid. Pat dry and toss with the seasonings. Heat a few spoons of oil in a deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the soy curls in a single layer and let cook for several minutes until they start to brown. Then flip them and continue cooking, adding additional oil a little bit at a time, if needed. Cook the soy curls until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  3. In the same pan, add a bit more oil and saute the onion until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and saute until softened, about 2 minutes. Mix in the broccoli, season with thyme and saute until tender.
  4. When all the veggies are tender, add the cooked green rice to the deep saute pan and mix. Add the peas in and let them warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the soy curls back in and mix them with the rice and veggies. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

 

(Visited 2,359 times, 1 visits today)

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

4 Responses to Super Green Rice with Veggies, Soy Curls and Dr. Mercola’s Organic Greens

  1. Megan March 21, 2016 at 7:26 am #

    Make more recipes using green powders. I think a lot of people would appreciate alternative ways to use them other than smoothies.

    • Rhea April 14, 2016 at 10:53 pm #

      I’ll try!

  2. Jacqui March 20, 2016 at 6:12 pm #

    I’m glad you didn’t mix the greens with the soy curls. That would have looked like bad “meat”. But now I’m thinking I might try the rice with my Amazing Grass greens.

    • Rhea April 14, 2016 at 10:54 pm #

      How was it?


Hit Counter provided by orange county property management