Haha, not really. But, black rice is also called forbidden rice, probably because it is so creepy looking. When eating it, I kept feeling like I shouldn’t be eating something this color.

I got interested in cooking it more after writing this post over at Diet-Blog. Think of how blueberries have potent antioxidants–noted by their dark blue color. Well, black rice (almost a super dark purple) contains potent antioxidants as well. Perhaps it is healthier than brown rice!

Most recipes I read about took black rice in a citrus, spicy direction. I decided to combine ingredients I had at home to make my own concoction:

Spinach, Mushroom, & Sausage Black Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dry black rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 yellow onion
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carton mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bag fresh spinach (about 6-11 oz)
• 3-4 chicken or turkey sausage links, cut or break into pieces before cooking
• 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp. dried basil and sage
• salt and pepper
• Fresh parsley (optional)
• Parmesan or Romano for serving on top (optional)

Directions:
1. Black rice takes a long time to cook, so start it earlier and go do something to forget about it for a while. Bring to a boil in a medium saucepan, then simmer for about 1 hour. Check while cooking to see if you need to add more water.
2. When there are about 20 minutes left, saute the onions in olive oil in a large saute pan. Allow to turn golden. Then, add the sausage and mushrooms and allow to cook about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach, and place a lid on it so that it cooks down.
3. Add your spices and seasonings. Stir to combine and taste test to see if you need any more seasonings.
Serve with Parmesan or Romano cheese grated on top (optional). Also, garnishing with a fresh herb helps to lighten the dish. Try a parsley or cilantro.

Voila! See, it doesn’t look that pretty. Did you know blue/purple foods can reduce our appetite? Perhaps that is why this deep purple rice is not so appealing. But, it was unique and pretty tasty. The mushrooms were actually the best part because they absorbed all the flavors!