Simply Perfect Wild Rice
With some simple additions like celery, onion, garlic, and herbs, this staple recipe makes the most of wild rice’s natural nuttiness. Once it’s cooked, feel free to add your favorite accouterments like dried cranberries, bacon bits, toasted chopped pecans, fresh herbs... or nothing at all. Truly, it doesn’t need it.
For those of us who do eat some grains, we want to know which ones are the best choices for us as Thyroid Thrivers. Some qualities to look for are those that are gluten-free, nutrient-dense, easy to prepare, and, of course, delicious.
Toasted Quinoa is one example of this type of recipe. Today, I introduce another delicious staple recipe for one of the most flavorful gluten-free grains: wild rice.
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Chef's Notes
This recipe is made from 100% wild rice, not a pilaf-style blend like you buy in those little boxes. There’s no spice powder or seasoning packet involved. It takes a little time to completely cook the grains, but the flavor and the nutritional payoff are worth it.
This Simply Perfect Wild Rice recipe makes a lovely addition to any dinner party, holiday feast, or weeknight dinner. Just make sure you start the cooking process early, so the grains have enough time to get tender and cook completely (about 75 minutes).
About Wild Rice
Wild rice is not technically related to rice. It’s the seed of an aquatic grass native to the Great Lakes region of the United States and known as one of the ancient staple foods of Native Americans of that region.
Wild rice has a chewy texture and nutty flavor when fully cooked. Its slim ebony grains burst and curl a bit when ready to eat.
The Importance of Rinsing Your Wild Rice Thoroughly
As with all varieties of rice (including white, brown, and wild), heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury may be present. This is on account of the way rice grows in water, which is often contaminated with agricultural and industrial runoff. These pollutants are now unavoidable in our water, air, and soil, but rice is especially vulnerable to contamination because of the watery “paddies” in which it grows.
Further Reading: Is Rice a Thyroid-healthy Food?
The good news is that there’s a simple hack to reduce heavy metals in rice when preparing it: RINSE IT THOROUGHLY.
According to research, the best way to reduce these residues on rice is to rinse it thoroughly before cooking. This has been shown to remove 50–100% of heavy metal residues. Since heavy metal toxicity is one proven root cause of thyroid imbalance, it’s a good idea to make a habit of thoroughly washing rice of any kind before cooking it.
Ready for more good news?
Thyroid-healthy Highlights of Wild Rice:
- A 3.5-ounce serving of wild rice contains 2 grams of fiber, which may be helpful in alleviating constipation associated with hypothyroidism.
- Wild rice contains 4 grams of protein per 3.5-ounce serving. That’s double the protein found in white or brown rice. Furthermore, the protein in wild rice is considered a “complete protein,” meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids needed for assimilation.
- Wild rice is low in calories but high in nutrients, including some key thyroid-supporting nutrients like selenium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
- Wild rice contains 30x more antioxidants than white rice.
Happy cooking, happy thriving, and enjoy the recipe (below)!
P.S. Need more thyroid-friendly recipe inspiration? I’ve got you covered. My Thyroid-friendly Everyday eCookbook features over 50 quick and easy, thyroid-friendly recipes your whole family will love. To take a peek at what’s inside, CLICK HERE.
More Thyroid-healthy Sides:
- Bacon and Chive Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Toasted Quinoa
- Parsnip Sage Risotto
- Mashed Winter Squash - 3 Ways
- The Ultimate Gluten and Dairy-free Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
- Crispy Grill Fries
- Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms & Bacon
