Day 5 Vegetarian Challenge

Well today was one of those days...going on day 2 of flu symptoms in the house and Miss Willow is so like her father and a big baby when she's sick.  Needless to say there was no rest for the wickid...aka ME!!!!

I sat out prepare tonight's dinner complete with baby on my back and doggy at my foot.  Literally. lol

Cooking with a baby on my back and a mutt at my feet.

On the menu tonight, Brown Rice, Vegetable & Herb Gratin (Now I did some variations so I'll post the recipe as it is and then I'll write what I did differently after.)

Recipe:
1/3 cup brown rice
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 zucchini, sliced
1 can baby corn cobs halved lengthwise
2tbsp sunflower seeds
3 tbsp chopped mixed herbs
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs
salt and pepper

1 Cook the rice in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 20 minutes. Drain well.
2 Lightly grease a oven proof dish
3 Heat the butter in a frying pan.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until softened.
4 Add the garlic, carrot, zucchini and corn cobs and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring.
5 Mix the rice wit the sunflower seeds and mixed herbs and stir into the pan.
6 Stir in half of the Mozzarella cheese and pepper to taste.
7 Spoon the mixture into the greased dish and top with the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese.

Cook in a preheated oven, 350 F for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese begins to turn golden.  Serve.

Variations: I used 1 cup Basmati rice cuz I wanted there to be left overs.  I cooked the basmati rice with salt water and added 2 bay leaves for some flaour.  I doubled the amount of carrots, zucchini, and sunflower seeds.  I seasoned the cooked rice with the following
2 tsps curry
2 tsps cumin
2 tsp tumeric
2 tsp Club House Italian seasoning
2 tsp Club House roasted red pepper and garlic seasoning

 This was another stellar dish!!!! In fact it was soo good that I forgot to take a picture of my plate for the blog!!! lol  So you'll have to settle for  a pic of the Gratin going into the oven and one of my half empty plate.

Gratin going into the oven it seems the prep time put Willow to sleep



My half empty plate.