Gluten-Free, Vegan Long-Grain Coconut Rice

In case you haven’t noticed, LeBraun and I travel a fair amount, and one of the best budget travel tips—rent a condo/home instead of staying in a hotel.

Homes simply allow more flexibility. Flexibility with price. Flexibility with location. Flexibility with food. Once we’ve selected a neighborhood, our search criteria is simple—must have air conditioning and a kitchen.

Plus home rentals allow you to enjoy the area as a local. Yes, hotels may be closer to the attractions (though often not by much), but home rentals give you the freedom to enjoy a place for how it is by finding a trendy neighborhood, walking the streets, and checking out shops, stores, and areas considered “off the beaten path.”

That being said, we’ve been happily settled in our cottage on the North Shore for the past few days. And while out we have enjoyed some fabulous, fresh food on the island, but since we are planning 2018 being more financially taxing (with the wedding), we’re budgeting where we can and a home rental with a full kitchen is a fantastic money saver.

By eating at least two meals “in” each day, we’re generally saving $75+ dollars per day. Hawaii is expensive to begin with then factoring in breakfast + coffee at roughly $10-15 per person and lunch or dinner at $25-35 per person. It can really add up.

Anyway back to the point of today’s post, in true Hawaiian fashion we needed to introduce more coconut to our island diets—in the form of Long-Grain Coconut Rice!

Coconut contains healthy fats that can adjust the composition of the digestible and resistant starches in rice, increasing the resistant starch and accordingly decreasing the numbers of calories being digested. Or so I’ve heard on Dr. Oz.

The coconut flavor is not overwhelming, though the rice will take on a noticeably creamier texture. A perfect side dish to Thai-inspired meals or something as simple as the base of a tofu/veggie bowl. Enjoy!

GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN LONG-GRAIN COCONUT RICE

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

For Rice:

• 1 tsp vegan butter substitute, softened
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked
• 1 (14 oz) can of full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 -3 tsp granulated sugar, depending on sweetness preference
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp turmeric

For Toppings:

• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• Sliced almonds (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease 8x8-inch glass baking dish with butter substitute.
2. Pour rice into prepared dish.
3. In a small pot over medium heat, stir milk, water, sugar, and seasonings together.
4. Cover and bring mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
5. Pour over rice and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil so steam can’t escape.
6. Bake for 1 hour or until liquid has been absorbed.
7. In a small pan over medium heat, toss shredded coconut continuously until the flakes begin turning golden brown. Remove from heat, transfer to a small plate/bowl, and set aside.
8. When cooked, remove rice from oven, uncover, scrape down the sides, and fluff with a fork.
9. Stir in toasted coconut and almond slices (optional).
10. Serve immediately.

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