My husband came home with a pack of Dr. Pinoca Nutri Rice, it got me curious to try it immediately. So I gave it a try for today’s lunch. Lately we have been trying to eat a bit healthier, so this was perfect timing. The rice looks different from what we usually eat I read the pack to see a mix of brown, red, and black grains, with some quinoa, chia, and millet in there too. I cooked it like regular rice, and the smell was already nice, kind of nutty. When it’s done, it has that chewy bite that feels really filling. Small grains unlike the usual white long grain rice we use daily. There is not much of a difference in taste just the chewy soft texture.
To go with it, I fried some local fish using coconut oil we are avoiding seed oils. simple lang, just salt and oil — crispy skin outside and soft inside. It would not be complete without a vinegar on the side but that will be on the salad.
Then I made a small pinoy style salad using singkamas or jicama, carrots, red onion, and ampalaya or bitter melon, tossed in the vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt, and a few raisins to balance the flavor. It’s fresh and crunchy, a little bitter but refreshing at the same time. I think the raisins and the vinegar mellowed down the bitterness of the ampalaya so you won't even notice
This is the most mindful cooking I did this year the whole meal came together so well. The rice felt hearty, the fish for that fried comfort we might be craving for, and the salad made everything taste fresh and clean. Nothing fancy, but it made me feel good after eating. I think I’m starting to appreciate that healthy doesn’t have to be boring or expensive sometimes it’s just the same simple food, cooked with a little more care and mindfulness.
Keep learning and exploring! Always be curious and never stop learning new things.
