Charred Vegetable Rice

This is a great side dish and a wonderful way to "dress up" your rice.  You saute corn and zucchini with a little olive oil until slightly charred in a cast iron skillet or regular skillet.  Add in sliced green onions and halved grape tomatoes for about a minute and then add the vegetable mixture to some cooked rice.  And that's how you take ordinary rice and make it special.  My daughters love this rice and I feel good that they are getting a boost of vegetables with every bite.  

I saw this recipe in the Jan/Feb 2010 edition of Cooking Light Magazine.  I could not find the link to the recipe on the Cooking Light website so I wrote out the recipe below.

Charred Vegetable Rice

Recipe by Cooking Light

(Click here for printable recipe)

Cook 1 cup long-grain white rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Add 1/2 cup thawed frozen whole kernel corn and 1/2 cup chopped zucchini to pan, saute 3 minutes or until vegetables are charred. (watch out for jumping corn!)

Stir in 1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes and 1/3 cup chopped green onions, saute 1 minute or until tomatoes almost wilt.  

Combine vegetable mixture, rice and salt to taste.        

I served this with Creole Grouper.  I've also paired it with salmon.  Would work well as a side dish with chicken, pork or beef too.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Bump up the nutritional value of this side dish by substituting brown rice for the white rice.