Rice: It's What's 4 Breakfast... Like ALWAYS!

I grew up on cold cereal and fat free milk. I guess the fat free milk was to counteract the effects of overly sugared frosted flakes or sweetened corn puffs.

When I grew up and started preparing my own breakfast meals, I learned the word 'savory'.

"having a salty, spicy, or piquant flavor; not sweet"

And I discovered that a good portion of the Americas south of North America eat rice and beans as a daily morning staple. How hard could it be to prepare? I was amazed at the variety. The beans used to change every week (yeah, I could stretch a single cooked preparation of beans for an entire week!), but the rice was either white long grain, basmati, or the occasional brown.

Changing rice for a different grain was done over time. I used winter wheat, barley, buckwheat, bulgar, oats, rye... But I'd always return to white rice.

I've come to accept long grain white or Basmati white rice as the breakfast starch of choice. Of course, one could/would argue that the accompanying beans are also a starch. I prefer to view them as a protein/fiber combination. I'm also one of those people who finds a way to do something and loves to repeat it without variations. My rice is made via stovetop gas cooking. I clean it, soak it, bring it to a boil, then cover it on a low flame for 18 minutes. After that, I turn off the heat and let it sit for an additional 5 minutes.

Ipsy-pipsy perfect!

I can see where people become addicted to it. When I'm on vacation, I generally bring my portable cooking utensils; an electric burner, a tea kettle, a ceramic coffee cone, a tea pot, and a strainer. I will generally grab rice from a restaurant (Indian is the first choice, Latin is the second choice). The beans change, but the rice is constant.

Since I love the combination so much, I often ask why I am so removed from becoming vegetarian. <SHRUG> Guess I love my tuna too much.