Welcome to Hungry Hungry Longhorns, a cooking podcast from The Daily Texan Audio department. In this episode, audio reporter Aislyn Gaddis talks about all things rice with dietician Jennifer Barnoud from University Health Services. Rice recipes and corresponding shopping lists can be found below:

Mediterranean-style Bowl

This recipe is super simple and super customizable! It’s easy to make last minute and get rid of things you might have left over in your fridge and freezer.

Ingredients

• Rice
• Broth (optional)
• Butter
• Chicken (optional) (or other protein)
• Vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, corn, broccoli, etc.)
• Dressing (optional)
• Feta (optional)
• Any other ingredients you’d get at CAVA!

Steps

1. Begin cooking your rice in a large pot. I suggest substituting chicken or vegetable stock for water to give your rice more flavor.
2. While your rice is cooking, begin preparing your chicken (or other protein) and vegetables.
   1. Season your chicken normally. I like to use Bolner’s chicken seasoning.
   2. For this recipe, I recommend just steaming frozen vegetables in your microwave. Or if you’re using fresh vegetables, you can slice them and add them cold.
3. Combine rice, chicken, and hot vegetables in the pot.
4. Add butter and seasoning. I’d suggest using some of the same seasonings you used on your chicken, garlic powder and onion powder.
5. Serve in a bowl.
6. Top with dressing, feta and any cold vegetables, like cucumbers or lettuce.

Fried Rice

This is one of my favorites! It has a very high taste-to-expense ratio! I want to highlight that this not traditional or authentic fried rice, but a budget-friendly college version.

Ingredients

• Rice
• Broth (optional)
• Frozen Vegetables (I’d recommend broccoli, peas, and/or carrots)
• Fresh Vegetables (I’d recommend onions (yellow or green) and/or carrots)
• Chicken (optional)
• Soy Sauce
• Eggs
• Oil
• Oyster Sauce (optional)

Note: you can use frozen or fresh vegetables

Steps

1. Cook your rice, ideally a day before you plan to make your fried rice to achieve the best texture. I’d recommend substituting chicken or vegetable stock for water for more flavor.
2. Begin cooking your chicken if you plan to include it. Season your chicken normally. I like to use insert brand chicken seasoning. I’d suggest using one breast for every dry cup of rice you make
3. Chop any fresh vegetables.
4. Once the rice, chicken and fresh vegetables are prepped, heat a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat, just make sure it’s large enough to hold all of the rice.
5. Add a tablespoon or so of oil to the pot and add in all vegetables, frozen and steamed.
6. Let cook for two to three minutes.
7. Create holes in the vegetables and crack your eggs into them. I’d suggest using three eggs for every dry cup of rice you make.
8. Let eggs cook for around two minutes and stir.
9. Once the vegetables and eggs are cooked, turn the pan down to medium heat and add in the chicken and rice. Stir slowly in folding motions until combined.
10. Add in chicken seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, soy sauce and oyster sauce to taste. When adding sauce, remember you can always add more but can’t take it out. 
11. Serve.

Red Rice

This recipe is for when you’re craving some Tex-Mex! It’s super simple and can be combined with beans for a complete protein.

Ingredients

• Rice
• Chicken Broth*
• Tomato Sauce/Puree
• Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Chili Powder (optional)
• Oil

*Chicken broth is important to get the right flavor, but it can still be substituted with water for any dietary restrictions (or just to save money!)

Steps

1. Put about a tablespoon or two of oil (just enough to cover the bottom of your pot) in a large pot (large enough to fit all of the ingredients) and heat on medium-high heat.
2. Add in your dry rice and and brown for around three minutes, until most of the rice is brown in color.
3. If you want to add any chopped onion or minced garlic, add them in now and cook for an additional three minutes. 
4. Add in equal amounts of chicken broth and tomato sauce, substituting them for the water your package of rice calls for. For example, if you use one cup of rice, and the package calls for two cups of water, use one cup of chicken broth and one cup of tomato sauce.
5. Once your mixture starts to bubble (it won’t boil like water does), cover and turn down to low heat.
6. Let simmer according to your rice instructions or until all liquid is absorbed.
7. Stir in salt, garlic powder, pepper and cumin to taste.
8. Serve.

Cilantro Lime Rice (Chipotle Rice)

This recipe is for when you are craving Chipotle but don’t have Chipotle money! It’s delicious on its own or in an at-home burrito bowl.

Ingredients

• Rice
• One Lime per dry cup of rice
• ½ cup chopped cilantro per cup of dry rice*
• Garlic Powder
• Salt 
• Pepper

*Fresh chopped cilantro is best for this recipe, but you can also get dried cilantro and cilantro paste that lasts longer and is cheaper. Also, when chopping cilantro, you only want to use the leaves, not the stems.

Steps

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. Juice and zest your lime.
   1. Juice into a separate small bowl so you can remove any seeds that come out.
   2. If you do not have a zester or microplane, you can peel the lime and put the pieces in the boiling water, then take them out before you serve the rice.
3.  Chop cilantro if you are using fresh (read above note.)
4. Combine rice, lime juice and zest and cilantro.
5. Add in garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve.

Shopping List

This week’s recipes were super customizable, so I made the list based on what I would choose to include. Prices are from H-E-B as of Oct. 11, 2022.

*Items with asterisks are “pantry staples” that you might already have in your kitchen. I still included them on the list and in the total, but you might not be buying them every week. 

Produce

• 1 large yellow onion ($0.67)
• 1 head iceberg lettuce ($1.49)
• 2 pounds carrots ($1.32)
• 1 lime ($0.19)
• 1 bushel cilantro ($0.46)
• 12 eggs ($3.69)*
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast ($5.76)
• Athenos feta crumbles ($4.08)
• 4 count sweet cream salted butter ($4.31)*

Dry Goods

• 3 pounds long grain white enriched rice ($1.73)*
• 2, 32-ounce, low-sodium chicken broth (each $2.04)
• Kraft Greek vinaigrette ($2.60)*
• 17 ounces extra-virgin olive oil ($5.63)*
• 10 ounces Kikkoman less sodium soy sauce ($3.69)*
• 8 ounces (1 cup) tomato sauce ($0.45)
• garlic powder ($2.55)*
• onion powder ($1.29)*
• cumin ($2.05)*
• chili powder ($1.29)*
• iodized salt and pepper pair ($1.73)*
• Bolner’s chicken rub ($2.86)*

Frozen

• 16 ounces frozen broccoli florets ($1.52)

Total Omitting “Pantry Staples:” $20.02

Total: $53.44