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It’s officially holiday season!

I love this time of year because I can share my favorite flavors from around the world with my friends and family through my cooking. This year for Thanksgiving, I am making a Moroccan Brown Basmati Rice Stuffing that is gluten-free, easy to make, and full of flavor. It pairs well with turkey, chicken, beef or lamb, and on its own as a main entrée. Moroccan Brown Basmati Rice Stuffing brings the robust flavors of fall that we all love: nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and more which adds a sweet and savory essence to your holiday table.

For this particular dish, I am using ecoLife® Organic Quick Cook Brown Basmati Rice which is gluten-free, delicately flavored, and non-sticky. I love eating brown rice, but hate the 45 minute cook time. So when LT Foods Americas introduced me to ecoLife® Organic Quick Cook Brown Basmati Rice, I was thrilled. EcoLife® Organic Quick Cook Brown Basmati Rice cooks in 12 minutes and maintains its nutritional value and taste great. If you prefer white rice, you can use Royal International Authentics Basmati Rice for this dish as well. Now let’s get started!

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[x_custom_headline type=”left” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″]Moroccan Brown Basmati Rice Stuffing[/x_custom_headline]

PREP TIME: 20 mins
COOK TIME: 30 mins
TOTAL TIME: 50 mins

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Author: Taste and See Life

Recipe type: Entree

Cuisine: Moroccan

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup ecoLife® Organic Quick Cook Brown Basmati Rice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 pound lean organic grass-fed ground beef or lean ground lamb
• 2 tablespoons Whole Foods Market™ Organic Ras el Hanout Seasoning, divided
• salt and pepper
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ½ cup dark raisins
• 2 cups water

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add the chopped onions and garlic to the oil on medium-high heat. Add the ground beef or lamb and cook until lightly brown.
2. Season the meat with 1 tablespoon of Whole Foods Market™ Organic Ras el Hanout Seasoning, plus salt and pepper. Toss together to combine, and cook until the meat is fully browned.
3. Drain the fat, leaving the meat in the skillet.
4. Add 1 cup uncooked ecoLife® Organic Quick Cook Brown Basmati Rice, 2 cups of water, the remainder of the Whole Foods Market™ Organic Ras el Hanout Seasoning, and a pinch of salt.
5. Bring the liquid to boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid.
6. Simmer until moisture has completely been absorbed.
7. Remove from pot from heat. Mix almonds and raisins together with rice and meat.
8. Serve in a large bowl and garnish with parsley.

Notes:

If you can’t find Whole Foods Market™ Organic Ras el Hanout Seasoning or want to make your own version, you can find the recipe for Ras el Hanout Seasoning online.

Also, I originally cooked my rice in a rice cooker and then mixed the cooked rice with the cooked meat. But I recommend to cook the rice with the meat as listed in the instructions so the rice can absorb the seasonings.  I was trying to save time, but this is one short cut you don’t want to take!

Now it’s Your Turn!

Add your own twists and make this dish your own!  One of the favorite things I love about my foodie friends who cook, is their keen insight to flavor combinations. They have their own cooking tricks that bring ordinary dishes to life.

For instance, instead of using 2 cups of water, try using a beef stock. Or add a few chopped green olives as your salt substitution when the rice is simmering. Or my favorite, using 1/2 pound ground lamb and 1/2 pound ground beef.  This is a sweet and savory dish. It should enhance the flavors of your main dish and compliment your additional sides without being heavy like traditional breaded stuffing. For my party planners, you can make the Moroccan Brown Basmati Rice Stuffing a day ahead to save time. This will allow the flavors to absorb in the rice. Just heat before your meal and serve.

Have fun this holiday season and make sure to taste and see this recipe for yourself!

How do you bring your favorite international flavors to your holiday menu?

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