Brown Rice and Quinoa Recipes

If you are looking for some delicious brown rice and quinoa recipes, let me share some of the great ones I have compiled all into one post. I am also sharing ideas for using Seeds of Change quinoa, which is a great pantry staple.

Brown rice and quinoa can both add substance to a healthy, balanced diet and they can be used in a wide variety of ways. Let me share a good variety of recipes that will help give you so many ideas for you to try.

Both brown rice and quinoa are gluten-free, making them great carb options for those with gluten allergies or intolerances.

Seeds of Change quinoa and brown rice

Let me start with this. Seeds of Change is a great, easy-to-use blend of brown rice and quinoa.

This is a healthy side dish, or even use it as a salad. But, one of my favorite ways to use it is as a Buddha bowl or grain bowl.

Top it with your favorite protein- salmon, chicken, beef, pork, etc. I have several grain bowls to share. This recipe for a pork tenderloin would be so good with this mix. If you are looking for seafood, maybe this shrimp buddha bowl would be more the thing. This Greek meatball buddha bowl would also be so good with this brown rice and quinoa mix. All of these will make a quick dinner that is so healthy.

You can also mix it into a spinach salad. Top it with a little red wine vinegar salad dressing and it is ready to serve. You can do the same thing with leafy greens and create your own salad.

If you have never tried this brown rice blend, give it a chance!

What is brown rice?

Let me highlight some of the differences between white rice and brown rice. There is plenty of conflicting information as to which is more healthy. As a rule of thumb, I always prefer whole grains as part of my diet.

Brown rice contains all parts of the grain- bran, germ, and endosperm. What this means is it takes a little longer but is well worth it.

White rice, however, has the bran and germ removed. This is the most nutritious part of the rice, which is why I prefer brown rice. But, this also makes it cook much more quickly.

Brown rice is one of those pantry staples I love to keep on hand.

What is quinoa?

While most people think that quinoa is a whole grain, it is actually a seed. It is nutritionally packed and delicious.

It is a complete protein, unlike other plant proteins. This means it contains all 9 essential amino acids.

Quinoa used to be more difficult to find, but as it has grown in popularity, it has become so much easier to find. Look at this article all about where to find quinoa in the grocery store.

White quinoa, red quinoa, and tricolor quinoa are also very easy to find in most stores. Protein-packed quinoa is a must to keep on hand in our house.

Brown rice recipes

Brown rice has long been a personal favorite of mine and we have eaten it many times in our family. I lived in the middle of Brasil for 18 months and ate beans and rice every single day. When I came home, one of my favorite dishes to make was brown rice and black beans. It is simple, but kind of nostalgic. While they served white rice in Brasil, I found brown rice is a great way to add more nutritional value to one of my favorite dishes. It also makes a great light dinner.

• Brown rice burrito bowls- I wanted to share 2 recipes for this one. America's test kitchen with a vegan brown rice bowl. Or this burrito bowl from Yummy Yummy kitchen that is cooked in the Instant Pot and another tasty vegetarian meal. Both options make a great main course
• Chicken and brown rice soup is another really delicious recipe to try. It is simple in the Instant Pot and comes together quickly. This grain dish is a really tasty soup recipe.

Quinoa recipes

Let me share a couple of ideas for quinoa recipes you are going to enjoy. You can use leftover quinoa or freshly cooked. Either will work in these recipes. Check out these for a little recipe inspiration.

• Quinoa salad- this is a quinoa recipe from Cookie and Kate and it is a good one! This tasty salad is loaded with cucumbers, bell peppers, red onions, olive oil, lemon juice, etc. It is all mixed together in a large bowl and is simple to make.
• BLT quinoa bowls are a fun way to mix up quinoa with a classic flavor we all love.
• These ham and cheese quinoa cups look so good. It is a recipe I have got to try!
• Mason jar quinoa salad with chickpeas.

How to cook quinoa

One of my favorite methods for cooking quinoa comes from Cookie and Kate. This method produces the best texture for cooked quinoa and I love it! Quinoa does not take long to cook and can be ready quickly.

Another great resource for cooking quinoa is from America's Test Kitchen.

How to cook brown rice

Brown rice is really simple to cook as well. If you are used to cooking white rice, know that it will take longer to cook than white. I like to use long-grain rice as opposed to short-grain, simply because I like the way it cooks and the texture better. Love and lemons have a detailed post I really like for cooking it perfectly.

So, whether you are using the Seeds of Change blend or cooking quinoa and brown rice on your own, there are a lot of options. They are healthy, delicious, and perfect for your next meal or side dish!