Rice Medley

Finally weather up here in Michigan is beginning to warm up, and the farmers markets/grocery stores are beginning to bring in the oh-so-good fresh local fruits and veggies. I love Michigan winters and the diverse seasons (I know, I'm ones of "those" crazy people who absolutely LOVE snow and cold!), but one of my favorite things about northern Michigan is the produce that comes out in the summer. My family is addicted to fruits and veggies as it is and when they are locally grown and fresh....ahh you just can't stop us!

This light and summery dish therefore speaks right to us and it becomes no surprise that it has long been a family favorite. My mom and dad had something like it when they lived in Iowa and did not stop experimenting until they created their own spectacular version of what we now call "Rice Medley." It is great anytime, but especially spectacular with fresh summer tomatoes!!! MMM! It is naturally gluten free (with the exception of having to use gluten free soy sauce) and is also a great dish for vegetarians.


1 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice (about 4 1/2 cups cooked)
3-4 large carrots, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large green pepper
1 container fresh mushrooms, sliced
3-5 tomatoes, sliced
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Gluten Free Soy Sauce

Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Cook the rice until chewy (we steam it, but any way works). Dump the cooked rice into the pan and add the shredded carrots. Mix these together, sprinkle with soy sauce, and spread out evenly into the pan. Slice the green peppers and lay out on the rice/carrot mixture. Cover this completely with the sliced mushrooms and then cover with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top to completely cover everything (you may need more than 2 cups, we just dump and sprinkle)
Place in the oven at 350 F and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown on the edges.
Enjoy!!



We often just have this dish by itself, but when serving men or if we want to incorporate a bit more protein into the meal, we will often serve it with chicken on the side. We simply cut up chicken breast into strips or stir fry size pieces and saute it in a small amount of soy sauce. Great as well!

Grilled Tofu Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Finally we had a GREAT summery day here in mid-Michigan. Our first preview of the 80's without a cloud in the sky and merely a light warm breeze. I happily spent as much of the day outside as possible, enjoying every moment, even though it was comprised mostly of chores and yard work. Indeed, both my sister and I seemed to resemble lobsters in our cherry sunburns as we began to ponder a summery dish to make for dinner. Last weekend, we happened to pick up a block of tofu, so we decided to do some research and find something creative to do with it.

After much a-due, we came up with this light, crisp dish. We also happened to have a bit of steak that we added to the tofu (which also was good!) but the original way would be great as well. I thought it turned out pretty decent and am definitely going to keep it around for another hot summery evening! Hope you enjoy it as well!


Grilled Tofu:

1/4 c lemon juice
1 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
14 oz extra-firm tofu (preferably water packed)

Preheat grill. Mix and whisk ingredients in bowl. Reserve 2 T for basting.
Drain and rinse tofu-pat to dry. Cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place in a shallow glass dish. Add marinade and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 min-8 hrs.
Make the Mediterranean Chopped Salad (see below).
Lightly oil the grill rack. Drain tofu and discard marinade. Grill over medium-high beat, basting occasionally. Grill for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.

Mediterranean "Salsa":

2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T white-wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients together.



Combine to serve:

Prepare lettuce and spread out on plate or bowl. Top lettuce with grilled tofu and mediterranean "salsa." Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and ENJOY!