Perfectly Imperfect Brown Rice with Carrots and Parsley

I love this dish for its imperfections, and I see it as an invitation for one to experiment. I am still working out my ideal ratio of butter to oil in this dish, and I realized rather than sweat over it before publishing, I should encourage readers to join the experiment and develop their own brown rice blend based on their preferences. Vegan? Omit the butter and use olive oil. Don’t like a lot of fat in your food? Use a little less than I prescribe. Serve this happy rice with your favorite, savory protein. I think salmon or paprika chicken thighs would be a great choice. Thanks to the carrots, this side dish naturally sweet, and could use some piquant flavors in its pairing to achieve a balanced meal. 

• Cooked brown rice

• Carrots

• White or yellow onion

• Parsley

• Garlic

• Salt and pepper

• Butter

• Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel and dice carrots into small, bite-sized circles or half circles. Toss with 1 tablespoon melted butter, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Distribute evenly over the sheet pan and roast for 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, finely dice 1 small white or yellow onion. Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, then add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes more, until garlic is aromatic. Stir in two cups cooked brown rice and season with salt and pepper. When carrots are done, add to rice mixture along with 1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley. Serve and top with additional fresh minced parsley as desired.