Magic Rice and Oven Potatoes
When you have a picky eater, the discovery of a healthy food that he not only eats but enjoys is truly magic. Thus, in our house it is no exaggeration to call the dish below “magic rice.” It was one of the first non-cracker foods that Monkey really enjoyed, and we still have it several times a week, as it makes a great main dish or accompaniment to any meal.
This rice is also magic because it contains lentils, but no child would be able to detect them. And since Monkey normally will only eat beans in burritos, we are more than happy to serve him his “magic” rice with lentils. Please note: This recipe will only work with red lentils. Other varieties will not dissolve when cooked.
We often round out the meal with oven potatoes, another easy, healthy dish that we all enjoy. Indeed, the main problem is making sure that Monkey doesn’t eat the whole pan! We started making this when Monkey discovered french fries, since it is a yummy homemade version that you don’t have to feel guilty about giving your kids.
Magic Rice with Lentils
This recipe is adapted from one given to us by Serena of the amazing Pea Pod Play Group.
Rinse brown rice and red lentils and add to your rice cooker. Use approximately 1/4 cup of lentils to 3/4 cup of rice.
Add water, a bit less than what you would normally use to cook your rice.
Add spices to taste. (We typically add salt, garlic powder, and olive oil).
Cook rice as usual, serve warm.
Variation: We sometimes sauté ground beef in the rice cooker with olive oil before cooking the rice. Break the beef into small pieces, and cook until no longer pink. Leave it in the rice cooker and add the remaining ingredients except for oil. Cook as above.
Oven Potatoes
Chop the potatoes into small pieces. (Any type of potato will work, although Russet is the best). I err on the side of smaller pieces so that they cook more quickly, since I am typically pressed for time, but this can be varied according to taste.
In a large bowl, mix potatoes with olive oil and spices to taste. We typically use salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
Cook on a foil-lined sheet at 450 degrees. The amount of time cooking will vary depending on the amount of potatoes, size of the pieces, and your oven. To save energy, I use our toaster oven, which tends to cook more quickly than our regular oven. Two medium potatoes chopped into small pieces typically take 30 minutes cook.
Tip: Try preheating the cooking sheet in the oven. This will give a nice crispy bottom to the potatoes, which is helpful since they break easily if you try to stir them while cooking.
What simple dinners does your family enjoy?
This post is part of the Simple Family Dinner Blog Hop. You can find more recipes by clicking on the button to the left (which will take you to our group Pinterest board) or visiting the participating blogs listed below: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom | Inspired by Family | Sun Scholars | This Reading Mama | Life by Ashley Pichea | In Culture Parent | Raising Life Long Learners | Glittering Muffins | Life at the Zoo | Octavia and Vicky | Kid World Citizen | Kitchen Counter Chronicles | Nomad Parents | Childhood 101 | Triple T Mum | Adventures in Mommydom | The Freckled Homeschooler | Teach Beside Me | The Chirping Moms | Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes | So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler | Pickle Bums | The European Mama | The Golden Gleam | Forever, For Always, No Matter What | Motherhood on a Dime | Harrington Harmonies | Rainy Day Mum | Jenni Fischer | Cakes and Sribbles | Mermaids’ Makings | Mud Hut Mama | Here Come the Girls | All Done Monkey | Small Potatoes | Little Artists
-10 Comments-
I’m going to have to try magic rice! Sounds delicious and I love how you sneak in the lentils!
It reminds me of your remark about your split pea soup recipe. When the lentils disappear, they give the rice a sticky consistency that makes it a lot easier for beginning eaters to actually get some in their mouths!
Girl, I love these two recipes! Especially the magic rice!!! That’s a keeper! What kid wouldn’t want to eat magic rice??? And the tip for crispier potatoes, awesome!
This looks totally do-able! Thank you! We are major rice eaters over here- and my kids love lentils…thank goodness!
[…] 3/14 Here Come the Girls & All Done Monkey: Magic Rice and Oven Potatoes […]
We don’t have a rice cooker so I’m curious how you would adapt this for stovetop?
I haven’t tried it, but the general rule is that you add the lentils and cook as you normally would, except that you use a bit less water. Thanks for stopping by, and let me know how it turns out!
[…] Oven potatoes and “magic” rice (brown rice made with red […]
[…] make a rice snowman, you need to use sticky rice or our magic rice (cooked with red lentils) so the rice will stick together. After cooking the rice, wait for it to […]
[…] 3/14 Here Come the Girls & All Done Monkey: Magic Rice and Oven Potatoes […]