Rice Cakes, Rice Pasta and <i>Penne with Broccoli Puree</i>

by Danielle Margulies

This week I stumbled upon two great products for the allergy afflicted – and they both happen to be made by the same company: Lundberg Family Farms. Honey Nut Rice Cakes

Last week my carb cravings were taking over and I decided to give rice cakes another try – although I've never found any that didn't have the taste and consistency of Styrofoam ... I grabbed a bag at the health food store – read the ingredients list, not even registering the flavor and took them back to the office where I proceeded to munch my way through half the entire bag! These are by far the best rice cakes I've tasted and the Honey Nut flavor – which is by the way – NUT FREE (as well as gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, egg and sulfite free of course) is delicious! Sweet and tasty enough to be eaten alone, but not too sweet to make the addition of honey, fruit or nut butter too cloying. The two other flavors that are also allergen free – Buttery Caramel (you guessed it – no butter) and Apple Cinnamon as well as Lightly Salted and Salt Free Classic versions (organic or eco-farmed choices) make these the most versatile sweet or savory allergy friendly snack foods I've seen so far.

I had also decided last week to taste test some rice pastas (those carb cravings again ...) and tried a couple, (DeBoles, Glutino) which were ok, almost good, but just not hitting the spot. The trouble with rice pasta is the consistency is so susceptible to over-cooking that if you don't monitor your cooking time and temperature with OCD-like precision mushy pasta is pretty much inevitable and in both of these cases the pasta still has a rice-y taste.

My search came to an abrupt end when my friend dropped off a box of penne for me to try; I was intrigued when I saw it was the same brand as my happy rice cake experience, but the proof was in the cooking. Following the box directions carefully resulted in the best textured (actually al dente) and best tasting (as in; not rice-y) rice pasta I've had. Hooray for Lundberg's that's all I can say and after my impartial tasting when I read up about this family-owned company I was even more impressed.

They are second generation sustainable farmers in California with a company history of caring about the planet long before it became trendy. They are passionately concerned about their land, their employees (the company was named a "Great California Workplace" by the Employer Resource Institute), their products and in turn, the consumers who buy them. Their products can be purchased online at or at a list of stores at www.lundberg.com. The pasta is also available in Rotini or Spaghetti - and try the Purely Organic Hot n' Creamy Rice Cereal – great for kids or cold mornings.

This week's recipe for Penne with Broccoli Puree is a simple and easy meal and is a great quick-fix for kids. You can dress it up by adding some diced chicken breast, shrimp, roasted garlic or parmesan cheese – or keep it simple – it's tasty and satisfying.

Penne with Broccoli Puree Ingredients:
3 Cups Lundberg's Penne Pasta (dry)
1lb organic frozen broccoli (frozen broccoli saves cooking and prep time in this dish – of course you can use fresh, just add some cooking time and possibly some more liquid)
1 Cup chicken or vegetable stock
5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Penne with Broccoli Puree Instructions:
--Fill a large pot with water for the pasta and bring it to a boil.
--While the pasta water is heating add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large saucepan with the broccoli and cook over a high heat with the lid on.
--Begin adding the chicken or vegetable stock to the broccoli 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more before all the liquid is gone.
--Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.
--Quickly strain the pasta when it is ready (reserving some of the pasta water; you might need it when you puree the broccoli).
--Add 3 tablespoons of olive to the cooking pot, return the pasta to the pot and give it a shake, coating all the tubes with olive oil. Remove to a serving bowl.
--By now the broccoli should be well cooked with a small amount of liquid in the saucepan.
--Puree the broccoli (2 batches is probably easiest depending on your blender) – if you need more liquid add some of the pasta water a tablespoon at a time. You want a thick puree – the consistency of mashed potatoes works well.
--Add the broccoli to the pasta in the serving bowl and mix together well.
--Season to taste and enjoy!

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