Day 46: Some Thoughts On Rice

Day 46 Vitals:

Weight:  271 lbs.
Mood:  Exhausted
Water Consumed:  2 Nalgenes
Breakfast: Chocolate 2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Lunch: Yogurt, Apple, Tuna on Crackers
Dinner: Potato, Chicken Wing, Jalapeno Cheddar Scones
Hangry Thought of the Day: Raising a Toddler is like a prescription for a daily dose of F#$% You!

First off just a couple of quick notes about the project.  My large quantity grabs from Wal-Mart and COSTCO are starting to dwindle.  Flour is running out, and for the first time since day 1 I am out of eggs.  Also I am down to my last two pack of chicken wings, and last stick of butter.  I should be okay, but man I had it easy for the last couple of weeks.

Today I want to talk about the versatility of rice:

Rice is one of those foods that helped to cultivate human culture as we know it.  When hunters and gatherers started settling down in one area and abandoning their nomadic ways, people needed a crop that could be cultivated, stored wells, and added nutrition to their daily diets.  Rice was one of those early cultivars.  Domestication of rice accord between 8,200 to 13,500 years ago according to Wikipedia.

Part of rice's longevity is it's flexibility.  It's ability to absorb various liquids means you can adapt rice for any meal, even dessert.  It can be used as a base for liquor like sake or even beer.  It is a staple in the cuisine of many cultures including China, India, Japan, and several others.  Imagine a world with no rice and there is no sushi, fried rice, jambalaya, chicken and rice soup, and rice cakes.  That is a pretty bleak world is you ask me. 

Here is a pic of Felix and I making a large batch of Rice Pudding (which we divided into two batches, chocolate and coconut):

This starchy goodness is a staple in many communities across the world.  One key aspect that should also be noted is the cost of rice.  I bought a large bag of rice at Aldi's for $1.79.  And there is a good chance this will last me to pretty darn close to the end of the project.  Here are some possible uses I can make of the rice:

•  Rice Pudding:
• Milk, Sugar, Salt and some additional season can make for a surprisingly tasty desert.
• Fried Rice:
• One can of mixed veggies, an egg, and some soy sauce.  You can't go wrong with this simple side dash.
• Soups:
• Chicken soup with rice in place of noodles might be on a future menu.
• Jambalaya
• Sausage, canned tomatoes, and some other seasonings can come together to make this Cajun inspired dish.

And those are just what comes to the top of my head without any research.  In fact I am more amazed by the fact that I haven't used rice sooner then this!  So the next time you are donating to a food shelf think about donating a bag of rice.  It will last the family a lot longer then a can of salted veggies will, and it's usefulness cannot be understated!

So what do you like to cook with rice?  Leave a comment below, and thanks for reading!

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