by Dana | Jan 4, 2025 | Grains, Recipes, Sides, Vegetarian
Sticky Rice in the Microwave
How to achieve sticky rice for Onigiri, Sushi, or other Japanese Meals
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 Onigiri
Calories 160 kcal
- 1 Cup Nishiki Premium Sushi Rice You can choose any brand, but this has worked for me and is available on Amazon
- 1 TBSP Rice Vinegar (Optional) If you are making Sushi or Onigiri, Rice Vinegar is needed. If you are making plain rice, you do not need this.
Preparation
Wash the rice with water. I use a strainer, but you can also fill the cooking bowl with the rice, then water, swish it around, then drain. Repeat process about three times.
Cooking
If using 1 cup rice, add 2 cups of fresh, cool water to the bowl where you have the rice prepped. Put the lid on the bowl. Place it in the microwave.
In the microwave, I set it for 10minutes on 0 heat so it can soak and I do not have to do anything for it to go to the next step. Some microwaves may not have an ability to set multiple times and temperatures, then just do this manually.
So set the microwave as below:-10 minutes on Power 0-5 minutes on High Power-10 minutes on 50% or Medium Power
While rinsing the rice and soaking the rice seem like wasted time, they are not.
Rinsing the rice helps remove the starch so your rice sticks together.
Soaking the rice helps it to absorb the water prior to cooking so that it can cook through the whole grain without getting super mushy. 
by basicmatrix | Aug 19, 2024 | Autumn, Drinks, Recipes, Tea, Winter
Orange Peel Tea
A Caffeine-free tea that has a ton of benefits.
Prep Time 2 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 minutes mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American, Indian
Servings 4 Cups
Calories 70 kcal
- 1 Orange Orange Peel I use my leftover orange peels for this. You can dry them on the counter over night if you have too many.
- 1 Stick Cinnamon
- 1 Star Anise
- 3 Cloves
- 4 Green Cardamom
- 1 Small piece of Ginger
- 1 tbsp Honey Or sweetener to taste
Add water and orange peels to the pot. Bring water to a boil.
Add spices and ginger to the boiling water. Boil for 3 minutes or so.
Strain the tea into a container and add the honey. Do not let the peels sit in the tea as it will make the tea bitter.
Health Benefits:
Orange peels are rich in antioxidants and Vitamins A & C. They help to prevent cancer and heart diseases. They can maintain blood pressure and cholesterol. They have many anti-inflammatory properties and can help against heartburn, diarrhea, and to lose weight. Check out more HERE.
Cardamom lowers blood pressure and regulates blood sugar levels. It also supports weight loss and detoxifies the body. Like Orange peels, Cardamom is also good against Colds, Asthma, and Cancer.
Cloves have vitamin E and vitamin K which help in fighting infections, decreasing pain & speeding-up wound healing. They also may play a hand in preventing cancer, promoting optimal digestion, and boosting libido.
Star anise contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties and can treat microbial infections, regulate blood sugar, fight cancer, and improve heart health.
Cinnamon, like each of the spices above, has antioxidants and polyphenols. It can protect against heart disease and improve sensitivity to insulin for better digestion, lower blood sugar levels, and better blood sugar control. Cinnamon may help to protect against cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. 
by basicmatrix | May 2, 2023 | Grains, Recipes, Sides, Vegetarian
Easy Risotto
This version of risotto is easy and simple to make. I often do not add cheese since the starch of the rice provides the creaminess of the dish and is indulgent without the added calories. Try it both ways and tell me your thoughts.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 17 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, French, Italian
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth do not substitute with water
- 3/4 cups white wine
Optional Mix-Ins
- 1 cup sauteed mushrooms
- 1/2 cup cooked shallots
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
In the dish, microwave the broth to boiling (2-3 minutes on high).
Pour in rice. Cover and cook for 6 minutes on medium (50%).
Stir in the wine and optional mix-ins if you want their flavors to infuse with the rice. Cook for another 10 minutes on medium (50%). When this completes, add salt to taste and stir. You may want to add butter or olive oil or more cheese.
by basicmatrix | May 2, 2023 | Autumn, Recipes, Vegetarian, Winter
Spoonbread
Spoonbread is a colonial cornbread recipe that goes well with Roasts and other traditional American foods.
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
- 1 cup Cornmeal You will want a medium or fine ground; do not use coarse ground or the spoonbread will be gritty
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 cups Boiling Water
- 1 cup Milk
- 4 Large Eggs
by basicmatrix | May 1, 2023 | Autumn, Recipes, Spring, Vegetarian, Winter
White Bean Soup
This soup is great with crunchy bread on a rainy day.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 3 15oz cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary You can also use dried if you prefer
- 1 Tbsp Cumin
- 3 TBSP Coriander
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 Bay Leaf take out before blending!
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh spinach coarsely chopped
- 1/2 whole lemon
Optional Add-Ins
- 1 1/2 cup Shredded Chicken
- 1/2 cup bacon or ham
- 1 1/2 cup mushrooms chopped
Crush the garlic and sauté in butter or olive oil. Preheat your oven for the bread.
If you are adding the ham, bacon, or mushrooms, you would add it to this step and cook through. Remove the additional ingredients and set aside.
Add the three cans of beans to the pot along with broth, herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes.
Smash the beans or use the immersion blender to thicken the soup. Do not completely crush all of the beans or it will lose its chunky texture.
Add the bread to the oven to heat.
Add optional previously cooked chicken, ham, or mushrooms. Cook for another 10 minutes.
Add spinach, stir, and let it cook for a few more minutes. You want to make sure the spinach is just cooked.
Squirt a bit of lemon in at the end, to taste. Serve with crusty hot bread.
You can add extra protein if you are feeding more people. In the past, I have added shredded cooked chicken at the end to warm it through. Or to keep it vegetarian, chopped mushrooms sautéed with the garlic.
If you want something heavier, try using bacon or fried ham, which you would sauté with the garlic at the beginning of the recipe. 
by basicmatrix | May 1, 2023 | Recipes, Vegetarian
Hungarian Nokedli Noodles
These noodles go well with Chicken Paprika, Goulash, or really anything with a rich sauce.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 45 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Hungarian
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Mix the egg and 1/2 cup of water with the salt. Slowly add the flour to make a soft, sticky dough. Try not to make the dough dry and stop adding flour when you get an elastic moist dough.
Place the cheese grater (spaetzle maker) over the pot of boiling water. Lay a portion of the batter on the grater and move it back and forth over the grater using a spatula or wooden spoon to push through small egg noodle bits that drop into the boiling water.You can also scoop little bits on a spoon and boil them. This does make bigger noodles (which is nice). When the noodles float to the top, slowly boil for about 1 minute and drain them. I add butter to the drained noodles.
Make sure that you make it over medium heat, otherwise the water runs out. Serve immediately as they cool quickly.
