Have a problem with boring food, especially when it is food that I have grown in my garden. I don’t enjoy eating regular vegetable sides that get added to family meals.Eat them because they are healthy and nutritious but it seems like such an injustice to the flavour of home grown fresh vegetables and herbs to not allow them to shine. I like a side dish to be more on the fabulous side, rather than boring side. It doesn’t matter if it is a regular weeknight family meal there is no need for it to be bland. Yes, home grown vegetables do taste better no matter how you serve them but why not make them a central element of the meal?

This herbed rice side dish is full of fresh flavors, and is a healthy addition to the evening meal. You can switch the herbs to any that you enjoy or have currently available in the garden. It will take about 15 minutes to cook this recipe in your rice cooker. Allow it to cook while the main component of the meal is cooking (eg: chicken, fish or meat) and then stir through the fresh ingredients at the end.

I would happily eat this for herbed rice as a vegetarian main meal however my meat loving boys would probably ask where the rest of the meal was. This dish makes a wonderful weekend lunch and left overs are perfect to take to work for lunch.

This week I have commenced writing my book manuscript and by dinner time my head is in a blank zombie like state. The best thing about this side dish is that it provides me with the ability to get dinner on the table quickly with no stress. Aside from a little bit of ingredient chopping I press start on the machine, put the chicken or fish in a pan to cook and then stir in some fresh garden goodness at the end. Dinner is ready. Done, satisfying and tasty.

Get your rice cooker out and make this fabulous fresh herbed rice for dinner this weekend.

Put this fresh and healthy side dish together using your rice cooker. Press start on the machine, put the chicken or fish in a pan to cook and then stir in some fresh garden goodness at the end. Dinner is ready.

Ingredients
drizzle olive oil
1 shallot finely chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
3 rice cooker measured cups of basmati rice
water to the 3 cup measure point of the rice bowl
1 lime juice and zest
fresh coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped spring onion
handful fresh mint leaves finely chopped
handful fresh sage leaves torn
1 carrot finely sliced or grated
1 cup fresh spinach or kale leaves finely chopped
To Serve
1/2 lime juice
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
pinch white pepper
Instructions
To the base of the rice cooker (or a pan on the stove top if your machine does not allow for this pre cooking function) add a drizzle of olive oil and the shallot and garlic
Turn the machine on to the cook function and stir the ingredients until fragrant
Add the rice and stir to coat
Add the required water for the machine based on the amount of rice added and then the juice and zest of the lime
Allow to cook as normal
When the rice has finished cooking stir through the herbs and spinach or kale
Combine the extra lime juice, oil and white pepper and drizzle over the rice prior to serving