Forbidden Grains

The Chinese emperor watched as each cover was lifted from each tray of food, steam billowing out. There was grilled fish and a wide variety of vegetables. Foods that pretty much any one in the kingdom could get their hands on. All but one. One bowl of purplish looking rice known as black rice that no one of the lower class could touch. Black Rice was forbidden for pretty much every person that was not apart of the royal family. Due to its high nutritional value and low grain per hull, it was kept to the highest class that could afford it. The antioxidants and vitamin E is good for support in the heart, brain, skin and eye health as well as boosting the immune system. Higher in protein, iron and fiber compared to the "healthy" brown rice and the white rice that essentially breaks down into sugar. It provides a more stable energizer rather than a sugar rush. The husk is left on, so if you decide to give this a try I would soak it ten to twenty minutes before cooking. It wont be soft like Nishiki, japanese rice, and the taste will be on the nutty side but honestly its next to nothing. So I'm giving you my secret recipes! Better to drop gems than let them turn to stone, right? The way I flavor it up is with a good sprinkle of Shiso, pickled plum leaf, and then I squeeze half of a lime over it. That lime also aids with iron absorption which pairs perfectly with the black rice, adds even more immunity and helps with skin health as well. Next you slice up some pickles, and if you are like me then you cut up a celery stalk and a jalapeno to replace the claussens you are about to eat so you don't waste all that good pickle juice. Then you dice up a nice and soft ripe but not mushy avacado on top and booyah! You get to figure out if you want to lightly grill some wild salmon and squeeze a lemon on it or marinate some chicken wings in soy sauce and bourbon. Oooooh my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Now we move on to the sides. Do you go and bust out the olive oil to sautee some fresh spinach, sweet onions and shiitake mushrooms or grab the Himalayan pink salt to boil black beans and corn? Yes protein bowls will be called upon at least twice a week if not thrice! Its all about THrice hahah No? Well anyways I imagine I pretty much live on protien bowls at this point, they are easy to dish up and with a nice mix you will have all kinds of flavor in your mouth with every bite. What I also imagine is some people of the lower class getting their hands on some and seeing their face expression once they tasted it. The excitement it must have been to get a bite of luxury, YES AND FINALLY THE MOMENT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR aaaand "This bland a$& @!#% is what those robe wearing uppities eat?" Without knowing about antioxidant and vitamin E levels I would have stayed away as well but knowledge is power. And this is just the rice we're talking about people! I don't know, maybe a little more digging, aka googling, and we'll find out about the vibrations of their Jade jewelry has some crazy effect on prosperity and the heart chakra *cough cough wink cough* Don't get me started or I will give you everything you need to align yourself with the most high, the universe, God or whatever floats your boat but no this is about rice. Ah yes Black Rice, treat yourself don't cheat yourself.