What's For Dinner: Thai-Style Veggies with Brown Rice

My slow cooker is definitely one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. Just toss in a bunch of veggies, broth, and maybe some meat, and several hours later, voila!, dinner is made. So easy! For this evening's meal, I'm making Thai-Style Veggies with Brown Rice, a two-serving recipe from my go-to slow cooker cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens Slow Cooker Favorites made Healthy. This recipe is super-easy to make and has great Asian-inspired flavors. Yum!

Thai-Style Vegetable Rice

makes two (large) servings

1 1/4 C vegetable broth

1 C frozen edamame (shelled)

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 C sliced carrot

1/4 C frozen peas

1/2 t curry powder

1/4 t ground cumin

1/8 t ground ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 C uncooked instant brown rice

1/4 C reduced-fat unsweetened coconut milk

1 T fresh cilantro

2 T unsalted whole cashews, chopped

1. Combine the broth, vegetables (I tend to add more veggies than required), spices, and garlic into a 2-quart slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on the low-heat setting for 4.5 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2.5 hours.

3. If cooking on low, turn to the high-heat setting and stir in the brown rice. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the coconut milk and cilantro.

4. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of chopped cashews.