Vegan Cheesy Broccoli and Brown Rice Pilaf
recipe Image
 
By nature, rice is a grass but nevertheless, it is one of the most consumed foods in the world. The cultivation of rice began at least 12,000 years ago in China along with the creation of self-sufficient agriculture societies. Pilaf, or Pilau, is a dish traditionally made of rice briefly browned in fat and seasoned with meat broth and vegetables. The history of pilaf supposedly started in Asia even earlier than the written history. The first documented records of this dish are dated roughly around 7,000 B.C. Somewhere between 1,000 to 500 B.C. it came to India and Ancient Persia, where it got the name Pilav meaning the dish made of grains boiled in broth. We cheerfully present to you this Vegan Cheesy Broccoli and Brown Rice Pilaf which contains three of the healthiest ingredients within, namely broccoli, brown rice and almond milk. Starting with the delightful broccoli which has a combination of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and pro-detoxification components which make it a unique food in terms of cancer prevention. The unpolished long-grain brown rice is much healthier than the polished version, because it keeps most of the beneficial compounds like B-vitamins, magnesium, dietary fibre and essential fatty acids. It has been identified that the brown unpolished rice could decrease cardiovascular risk factors in obese people. The almond milk in the cheese sauce has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It is an ideal replacement for common milk for people who have an allergy to cow’s milk protein. This recipe offers an appropriate and tasteful solution for people having a strong ethical conviction about animal killing. Furthermore it is gluten-free and could become a staple choice if you are gluten intolerant. Even if you’re not a vegan or if you don’t suffer from any of the aforementioned conditions, this is a wonderful recipe to enrich your diet with these delightful tastes and health benefits.
Preparation Time : 10 mins

Cooking Time : 30-45 mins

Serves : 3-4
Ingredients:
  • 30ml/1fl oz olive oil
  • 50g/1.66oz shallots, minced
  • 300g/10.5oz brown rice
  • 1 litre/1 quart vegetable stock
  • 250g/8.75oz broccoli florets

For the Cheese Sauce

  • 30ml/1fl oz olive oil
  • 20g/0.75oz gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • 250ml/8.5fl oz almond milk
  • 15g/0.5oz whole-grain mustard
  • 20g/0.75oz nutritional yeast
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper powder
  • ¼ tsp. salt
Method:
  1. Heat olive oil in a pot.
  2. Sauté shallots until translucent.
  3. Add brown rice and stir until evenly heated and coated in oil.
  4. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
  5. Cover, set heat to lowest setting, and leave to steam for 20 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a sauce pan.
  7. Add flour and roast until slightly brown.
  8. Whisk in cold almond milk. Simmer until thick.
  9. Add mustard, nutritional yeast, cayenne, and salt. Set aside.
  10. Take the pot of rice of the heat and quickly add the broccoli inside the pot.
  11. Leave covered for another 10-15 minutes.
  12. Fluff the rice and broccoli with a fork.
  13. Fold in the cheese sauce while still warm.