In the Meantime...

Because I have been to busy lately, I have not been able to complete the yogurt making. So I thought that I would share a great new recipe with you that our family loved. It comes from the "Nourishing Traditions" cookbook and is good as a side dish or light lunch.

Rice and Carrot Casserole

Ingredients:

2 Cups organic brown rice

2 Tbl. butter

2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

4 whole cloves

3 cardamom pods (or a pinch of dried if it's all you've got)

grated rind of 1 lemon

4 cups of chicken stock

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

In a heavy flame proof casserole (I used my cast iron enamel pot), melt butter and olive oil. Open cardamom pods and add seeds to casserole (or a pinch of dried cardamom) along with thyme, cloves, lemon rind, and onion. Saute until onion is soft. Add rice and saute until milky, a couple of minutes. Pour in stock, add salt and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in carrots and raisins. Boil, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes until the water has reduced to the level of the rice. Reduce the flame to lowest heat, cover tightly and cook for at least 2 hours or as long as 3 hours. Do not remove the lis during cooking.

Serve as a side dish to whole roasted chicken (I used it with my beer can chickens) or other mildly seasoned meat. I was thinking this would probably be really yummy with grilled kabobs, too. I ate the leftovers in a fresh corn tortilla and it was a great lunch!

Enjoy!