Cholesterol-Friendly Rice with Vegetables and Chia Seeds

Rice with vegetables and chia seeds is an excellent options if you're hoping to follow a diet that's cholesterol-friendly and low in calories.

Reviewed and approved by the pedagogue in physical education and nutritionist Elisa Morales Lupayante.

Written by Maite Córdova Vena

Last update: 15 December, 2022

Rice with vegetables and chia seeds is an excellent option if you’re hoping to keep a diet that’s low in calories and bad cholesterol (LDL). This combination can be served as a side along with lunch or dinner. It takes no more than 30 to 40 minutes to prepare and will satisfy the whole family!

The best main dishes to go with rice and vegetables are foods like chicken and turkey. However, you can also combine this with hard boiled eggs, tofu, seitan, or tempeh. It all depends on your food preferences.

The main ingredient in this recipe is chia seeds, which have a delicious flavor and very high nutritional value. Chia seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, minerals (including calcium, boron, zinc, manganese, potassium, and iron), essential starches, vitamin E, and even antioxidants.

It’s common nowadays to find chia seeds in a variety of dishes, from smoothies to recipes like the ones we’re going to share with you today.

Rice, Vegetables and Chia seeds

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 chive
• ½ of a red bell pepper
• ½ of a green bell pepper
• 1 medium carrot
• 1 cup of jasmine rice (200 g)
• 3 tablespoons of chia seeds (30 g)
• Seasoning: salt, pepper, and fresh parsley
• Optional: ½ teaspoon of garlic powder (3 g), soy sauce, mushrooms

Preparation

• First, you’ll need to wash the grains of rice with cold water. Once it rinses clear, you’re ready to cook.
• In a saucepan, add the jasmine rice along with two cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring this to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stir, and let it sit for a few more minutes.
• Wash and chop the bell peppers. Do the same with the chive, and set aside.
• Peel and chop the carrots (you can also grate them, if you prefer).
• Over medium heat, add the olive oil to a pan and saute the peppers, chives, and carrots. After a few minutes add the seasoning and remove from heat.
• Add the vegetables to the rice and mix well.
• Finally, add the chia seeds and fresh parsley. This will give you a very aromatic and delicious side dish.

Rice, Vegetables, and Chia Seeds: A Delicious Combination

Here’s another delicious possibility.

Ingredients

• Sunflower oil
• 1 avocado
• 2 tablespoons of chia seeds (20 g)
• 1 cup of brown rice (200 g)
• ½ of a bunch of asparagus (163 g)
• 1 can of green peas (150 g)
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (30 ml)
• Seasoning: salt, black pepper, paprika
• Optional: cherry tomatoes

Preparation

• As in the previous recipe, you’ll need to first wash and cook the rice.
• Just before it’s done cooking, begin preparing the remaining ingredients.
• Cut the asparagus and set it aside. Peel the avocado and slice it. Set aside.
• Drain the can of peas well. Mix in the peas with the other vegetables.
• Add a splash of sunflower oil to a pan and saute the vegetables over medium to high heat.
• In another bowl, add the avocado and the spices (salt, black pepper, and paprika) with a little vegetable oil.
• Serve the rice with the vegetables on top and finally garnished with the avocado seasoning. Add the chia seeds last and you’re done!

You can make these recipes with other varieties of rice: brown, steamed, basmati, wild, black, red, and more. The most important thing is that you keep your vegetable oil usage to a minimum and avoid using other very high-calorie ingredients, like fried foods.

It’s also a good idea to opt for rice with vegetables and chia seeds as a light side dish, to accompany white meats or fish. This is especially good served with prawns, so be sure to take the opportunity to add them to these recipes or as a substitute for another ingredient.

Try it yourself!