"Forbidden Rice" Food of the Emperors

Most people don't realize that complex carbohydrates found in whole grains are one of the most important foods we can eat. This is where we get our energy and life force, and also our fiber, and B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and phosphorus, a key mineral and brain food. This combination keeps our blood sugar stable. In whole grains, the bran, germ and endosperm are not removed. Whole grains are made up of complex carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals -- in perfect proportions for the human body.

On a recent trip to Switzerland, my friend Laetitia Cerou taught me how to make this easy-to- prepare and surprisingly delicious Forbidden Rice salad. From her repertoire of raw vegan dishes, I chose this recipe because rice is my comfort food, though I'd never tasted this specialty black rice, nor had I eaten rice raw (soaked). Forbidden rice is a type of smaller grained black rice, high in anthocyanins, which was once eaten exclusively by the Chinese royalty.

Forbidden Rice

Soak the rice overnight covered with water. In the morning (or evening) it will be softened and opened, exposing some of the inside, which is now fluffy and white. Use this raw soaked rice as a base for salad.

Ingredients:

1 cup of Forbidden rice

Fresh cilantro, 1 cup

Sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup of olives

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 shallot

Liquid aminos, to taste

Optional: Olive oil, to taste

Chopped up cilantro, sun dried tomatoes, olives and shallot. Mix in with the soaked, drained black rice and then add the pine nuts.

Add liquid aminos & olive oil (I omitted the olive oil from my portion.)

This keeps refrigeratred for three days.

Enjoy!

Please visit my website to learn more and to sign up for my free newsletter!