Say hello to spring in your mouth.
This year it seems to have gotten that whole lion and lamb saying mixed up, having graced us with sunny skies, warm temps and green buds in the beginning of last month and now deciding to go backwards. Those green buds have turned brown from frost and I’m back to wearing fleeces on our daily walks.
When we lived in Florida and I wanted to move back to NY, the first thing I would say when people asked me why would be, “I miss the change of seasons.”
I wish someone would’ve slapped then me and reminded me that the “change of seasons” is bullshit. It’s cold then hot, it gets your hopes up, then it crushes them. It’s pretty much like an abusive relationship where every time (or year) you think it might just get a little better, but it never does. Every year I think maybe the leaves might actually be out for my birthday and every year I get daffodils and flowering fruit trees at best. People say you just need to get out of relationships like that.
I agree.
Until then, I’ll be shoving this lemony, basil rice and pea side dish down my throat to at least summon spring in my food.
Mother Nature can kiss it because I’ve got her beat. At least in the kitchen.
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup frozen peas
- ¼ cup basil, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ lemon zested
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt & pepper, to taste
- Combine rice, peas, basil, spices and zest in a large bowl.
- Combine olive oil, lemon juice and salt & pepper in a small bowl and whisk together.
- Pour dressing over rice and peas and mix together.
- Flavors will deepen the longer this sits so it’s a great make ahead side dish.
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
Brown rice is really delicious and I think this is a good one and perfect for my family…Thanks for the recipe and idea…
Looks like a great recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
I love Fall too much to move where it’s sunny all year round but after the mild, wimpy winter weather this past year, we were not happy skiers!
You take such nice pictures! This looks so yummy!
Looks great!
Girl, do I totes feel your pain. Here in Michigan we’re experiencing the same damn thing: one day it’s 80, the next it’s raining, the next it’s flurries…MAKE UP YOUR MIND, MOTHER NATURE! I’ll delightfully eat this though in the hope that mother nature wakes the hell up and decides she DOES want the warm weather to begin. Some of us enjoy vegetables in the warm weather. I’m just sayin’
Great recipe, Gina! Thanks for sharing.
Your brown rice looks SO fluffy! I’m not a huge pea fan but there have been a bunch of recipes popping up all over the blog world that are making me crave them!
Peas used to be the one vegetable I didn’t like but I got over it recently. Although, mushy cooked peas are still nasty. Fresh or frozen ones that still “pop” I can handle…
Yup it’s definitely the texture for me. I should try fresh…I bet that would make a world of difference!
I often wonder if I would miss the change of seasons. I really LOVE fall and the changing leaves and the cool crisp air, so I think florida would leave me a little nostalgic and homesick. But I could seriously do without the whole winter thing…
I love fall too. I cried about missing fall and leaves in FL but now I realize I could’ve just flown up here for a week and gotten my fix without moving! haha
oh, lovely! how healthy and beautiful at the same time. I love the colors of spring in this and the FLAVORS!! I love the seasons here but at the same time, I feel like it’s always bi-polar haha
Lol, I moved from New York to California and I hate to say it I don’t miss the changing of the seasons. However this weather CA is having this year it’s more like just plain ugly winter. I’ve been chanting rain, rain go away….
Your rice dish looks aweome! I love that you added basil to it, thats perfecto!!
I think mushrooms would be amazing in this too – a savory component.
This looks so spring like and I love the peas for the added texture in the rice.
It’s so beautiful and sunny out right now, I feel like it should be warm, but no, it’s freaking COLD! Mother Nature is the worst.
I know! I just let Ginger out and was blasted with arctic air…not cool.
brown rice and peas together are one of my faves.
You have to share cooking the brown rice successes/timing/etc because I’ve made it a handful of times so far and it almost always doesn’t work out right. I think the packaging lies.
I love all the spices and flavors in this recipe. Looks delicious and filling
This looks so good! GET IN MY MOUTH!
Perfect for my new rice cooker and herbs that have started growing!
this dish sounds perfect for spring! love it!
My kind of meal, Gina! I love basil, it’s so fresh and spring-y! Yum!
At least with food you can trick yourself into thinking it is a different season:)
I love your bowls! Are they C&B? I’m still hungry after my lunch and looking at this doesn’t help. I need to read your blog at a different time of the day I think.
The bowls aren’t, the little spoons are though
I think the bowls are from Homegoods so who knows where they’re “really” from…
Brown rice is always awesome and I always have it in a restaurant where I bring my family there…
Your posts always make me drool. Always.
This looks delish. I’ve been on a MAJOR brown rice kick lately. In fact, I almost bought the 50 lb. Costco bag last week. Will give this a try for sure.
I’m seriously laughing about how you compared the change of seasons to an abusive relationship. SO hilarious! And true! Especially since we had a super hot summery(not even spring – it was summery!) beautiful day yesterday and then woke up to a rainy gross grey day today
This rice sounds so yummy – I’ve been on a huge rice kick lately and actually just cooked up a big pot of it this morning. Perfect timing!
We always have brown rice, but I just steam it and that’s it for us. Now, I can do something amazing with it. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hey I was wondering how much olive oil to use? Is it 1/4 cup?
yes, 1/4 cup. sorry about that, going to edit the post now!