Скачать или смотреть Rice Isn't The Problem, It's How We Eat It

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Rice often gets labelled “unhealthy” because it’s easy to overeat and digests quickly, especially when it makes up most of the plate and isn’t paired with much else.

That’s not a flaw in rice itself. It’s a structure issue.

In this dish, rice plays a different role. It provides energy, but it’s not the bulk of the meal. Beans add fibre and protein to slow digestion, vegetables add volume so the plate feels satisfying without relying on more rice, and olive oil carries flavour and helps everything feel grounded and complete.

The result is a comforting rice dish that behaves very differently in the body - steadier energy, better satiety, and no need to cut rice out entirely.

You don’t need these exact ingredients for the idea to work. Change the beans, swap the vegetables, use what you have, the structure stays the same.


Spanish Style Rice and Beans

Ingredients (serves 2)

Spanish short-grain rice (paella rice) – 100 g

Olive oil – about 50 ml

Onion – 1 medium (or ½ large), finely diced

Garlic – 3–4 cloves, minced

Red pepper – 1, diced

Tomato paste – 1 tbsp

Chopped tomatoes – about 150 g

Vegetable stock – about 600 ml (use 500 ml, hold back 100 ml)

Chickpeas – 220 g (1 can, drained)

Frozen green peas – 100 g

Spinach (fresh or frozen) – 100 g

Smoked paprika – 1–2 tsp, to taste

Black pepper – 1 tsp

Turmeric (or a pinch of saffron)

Bay leaf – 1

Salt – a pinch, to taste

Fresh parsley – optional, to finish


Method

Add the vegetable stock to a small saucepan along with the turmeric (or saffron) and bay leaf.
Bring it up to a very gentle simmer, then lower the heat and keep warm while you cook the rice. This infuses the stock before it’s added to the pan.

Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook gently for 5–6 minutes until soft and translucent. Add a small pinch of salt at this stage.

Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 3–4 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook it out for 1–2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Let this cook until the mixture thickens slightly and turns glossy.

Add the rice and stir for 1–2 minutes so it’s well coated in the base.

Add the chickpeas and peas, then pour in 500 ml of the hot infused stock.

Bring everything to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15–18 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so the rice releases its starch and the bottom doesn’t catch.
If it thickens too much before the rice is tender, add a little of the remaining stock.

For the final few minutes, stir in the spinach.

Remove from the heat, cover, and rest for about 3 minutes before serving.

Finish with chopped parsley if you like.



Notes

The structure matters more than the exact ingredients. You can swap the vegetables or beans for other varieties and it still works.

This keeps well for a few days and reheats nicely with a splash of water or stock.