We have had some gorgeous weather lately! Hasn’t been consistently every day, but hey, we will take what we can get! We have enjoyed eating on our patio and being outside as much as we can!
I love a good little, fall entry… so easy with just a couple of rugs, a wreath, some pumpkins and pretty flowers! I love doubling my rugs at my front door! I can’t take credit for the idea, but I think it looks cute!
Also, how cute is this hat! eek! I love him!
But on to the real reason why you are here…. PLANTAIN RICE.
I know. PLANTAIN RICE.
I can’t even deal with this.
I was scrolling through Pintrest one day and was looking for a good fish taco recipe…when I stumbled upon a recipe that used plantain rice with her tacos. And I about fell out of my chair. Why has no one told me about this before!?!?! How can this be that I, lover of plantains, had never heard of this concept before.
What makes it even better, is that it is SO easy, and such a great substitute for standard rice. I’ve been reading about plantains online a bit, because I was curious about their health benefits, and people. Plantains are the super food of all superfoods. Check out this list of benefits…
- Great source of potassium…helps regulate blood pressure because it combats the effects of sodium in the body. Because of the effects potassium has on skeletal and muscular systems, plantains also help regulate digestive functions, heart rhythm and reduce risk of stroke, osteoporosis and kidney disease.
- Because it is high in fiber, it helps regulate your digestive system and stabilize blood sugars.
- Reduces the number of free radicals, which are made when your body breaks down food.
- Good source of vitamin C, which helps repair tissue and aids in forming proteins that are used in making skin, tendons, vessels, ligaments etc.
- Boost your immune system because they are a great source of vitamin A. Vitamin A also aids in skin health and cell growth.
- This one is my favorite. Plantains promote healthy brain function. (WAT?!) They are a great source of vitamin B, which generates neurotransmitters that carry information from one cell to another. It also helps regulate hormones. Specifically the hormones that help us sleep and keep our moods stable.
- Amazing source of magnesium, which helps regulate blood pressure, regulate blood sugars and prevents osteoporosis. Magnesium can help with migraine headaches, insomnia and depression.
So how do we make this plantain rice?
Ingredients:
- GREEN plantains – we usually do one per person, but you could get by using just a really big one for two people. Depends on how much you want to eat! Using yellow or brown plantains will result in mashed plantains rather than rice!
- Coconut oil – a few big scoops… the amount will depend on how much is absorbed by the plantains and
- Sea Salt to taste
What to do:
- I cut the ends off of my plantains first.
- Peel the plantains… I’ve started just slicing the plantain into smaller chunks and cutting an indention to use as a starting point to get the peeling off. There are a lot of ways to do it though!
3. Slice plantains into smaller pieces to put in your processor. I use my Ninja chopper. Pulse a few times until the plantains are in rice sized pieces.
4. Add the coconut oil to the frying pan and allow it to melt. Add the plantain rice to the frying pan, stirring occasionally.
5. Add coconut oil as you go, making sure the rice consistently gets covered in the oil.
6. Keep stirring until the plantains are all cooked through and maybe a tad crispy. I’ve noticed that this rice cooks rather quickly, so keep an eye on it!
7. Sprinkle sea salt to taste.
Hope you enjoyed this! It’s one of my favorite things to make right now, and SO great with chili or a taco bowl! We made Jamaican Jerk salmon with mango salsa to go with it! Recipe coming soon! Happy cooking everyone!