KERNZA® POMEGRANATE RICE
Kernza ® is a type of wheatgrass that is fairly new, at least to the consumer market.* It has 3 major benefits over regular wheat:
it is nutrient dense - it has 18g of fiber and 19.2 g of protein per 100g, compared to regular wheat which has 10.8g fiber and 9.2 g of protein per 100g;
it contains less gluten; and
it is good for the environment because: it is a perennial that can be harvested for multiple years (so no need to replant every year); it has deep roots that draw carbon from the air into the soil, which is good for the soil but also improves wildlife habitat and protects water reserves; and it prevents soil erosion.
It has a sweet, nutty flavor. It tastes delicious in many rice dishes. Or, use it in its flour form to add increased flavor and texture to breads, muffins, or pancakes.
* Purchase on line at Amazon, Perennial Pantry, and Columbia County Bread.
KERNZA® POMOGRANATE RICE
Ingredients:
1 cup of Kernza® rice
3 cups of water
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
¼ chopped walnuts
2 scallions, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
½ cup of pomegranate seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Steps:
1) Rinse rice and set aside.
2) Bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
3) Add rice, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes.
4) While rice cooks, heat the olive oil in a pan over low-medium heat, add the garlic, cook for about 1 minute stirring often, remove from heat and set aside.
5) While rice cooks, toast walnuts in a frying pan over low-medium heat for about 3 minutes. Stir regularly and watch carefully because walnuts can burn quickly. When lightly browned, remove from heat and set aside.
6) When rice is finished cooking, remove from heat, put it into a bowl and let it cool for a few minutes, but do not cool completely.
7) Add all of the remaining ingredients to the rice, salt and pepper to taste, mix well, and serve while warm.