Breakfast @ 226 - Purple Sweet Rice

This is going to be a short post because we have two sick kids waking up for some snuggles periodically. Oh, when is the first day of preschool you ask? It's tomorrow. They have impeccable timing. Just perfect. I mean, not even the hint of a cough or trickle of a sniffle in over six months. But, wait...school starts tomorrow? Yup, bring on the illness.



It's sort of a sad sight to watch unfold. We have been talking up The First Day of School for over a month. We got backpacks and met our teachers. We said goodbye to pool season and hello to new friends. We even bought a first day of school themed book. And, they literally could not wait. But, wait they will. Poor things.



To combat these nasty sniffles and dry coughs we've been doing a whole lot of smoothies and there have been noticeable improvements. Our current favorite is mango, pineapple, banana, avocado, rice milk and a touch of honey. But, will it be enough?*



Sick or not we all have to eat breakfast. I rotate between the same reliable options, always trying to incorporate a decent amount of protein, eliminate sugars, and throw in a little fruit or vegetable. But, the constraints stifle my creativity and I usually go back to my trustworthy friend, Almond Butter Toast. But on mornings when my eyelids are pried open a little earlier by two sets of tiny hands, I brew the coffee extra strong and I'm just feeling the love? There's always purple rice! Plus, if you make enough, you can feast on the leftovers. I always do.



This is a recipe that I would never try if I read it on a blog. Luckily, I tasted it before I ever prepared it in my home. That's the beauty of working at an awesome grocery store. Creative people and their ideas around to inspire you all the time. I love it. All I know is that you should go against your instinct and make this. Some of the world's most satisfying foods are also the least photogenic. Agreed? But, wouldn't your 4 or 8 or 10 year old self think this bowl of violet hued rice was pretty cool? Mine would. Errrr, does.




Purple Sweet Rice
1 cup brown rice
1/2 can light coconut milk, or more
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen (or fresh) pineapple
2 bananas, sliced
1-2 tablespoons agave sweetener
slivered almonds, for scattering on top

Prepare the rice according to package instructions. When it's nearly finished and all the water is just about absorbed, stir in coconut milk and all the fruit. You're looking for a creamy consistency, like wet oatmeal. Add more coconut milk if it looks dry. Taste and add a bit of sweetener. Depending on the sweetness of your berries and pineapple, you may not need much at all. Stir the whole mess together until the blue of the berries turns the milk purple and everything is incorporated, and the frozen fruit is heated through. Serve in a bowl with a few banana slices and almonds on top.

I usually double the recipe so I don't have 1/2 a can of coconut sitting in my fridge, tempting me to pour it down my throat. Because I have a major love affair with coconut milk.


*A Triumph. They went to school, more on that later.