A firm fan of this nutty wholegrain, I would argue that brown rice works well with pretty much everything and anything, but even I will admit it can be a bit bland eaten all on its own. This dish does a formidable job of jazzing up this staple so that it can stand on its own two feet. It works just as well cold as it does hot - add a couple of handfuls of rocket for a packed lunch, or serve with a portion of oily fish, beans, or tofu for dinner.
What's the A to V?
Brown rice is a whole grain, so contains the juicy part of the grain that's typically removed during processing which is the key difference between white and brown rice. So it's a good source of vitamins B1, B6 and B9 (folate), as well as being rich in chromium, molybdenum and a moderately good source of non-haem (plant based) iron. The squash is high in beta-carotene which our bodies can cleverly convert to vitamin A, and the pecans add manganese, magnesium and vitamin B5.
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
300g brown rice (75g per person)
1/2 a squash
15 dried cherries
The juice and zest of 1/2 a lime
50g of pomegranate seeds
20g of pecan nuts (swap for pistachios if you'd prefer)
3 tbsp of olive oil
3-4 sprigs of parsley or coriander
Salt and pepper to season
Method
Slice your squash into medium-sized chunks, and dress with 2 tbsps of the olive oil, and season (I use garlic salt here, but over to you). Roast in the oven at 180 degrees for roughly 40 minutes, or until soft and golden brown.
Cook your rice in boiling water with 1/2 a stock cube for 25 minutes, or according to instructions. Drain.
In a largish bowl, mix together your rice with the cooked squash, pecan nuts, dried cherries and lime zest and juice. If you like things really punchy, very finely chop up your lime peel and add that in too.
Finally, dress with the remaining olive oil (you can up this depending on preference), and season with salt and pepper. Be generous with the pepper. Chuck in your herbs and give everything a final stir.