Rice, inexpensive and healthy, is a great way to stretch a meat or casserole dish

September celebrates the nutrition and versatility of rice. Yes, September is National Rice Month.

Whether it is red, brown, white, Basmati, Jasmine, wild or black, long-grain or short-grain rice offers good taste and nutrition. Heart healthy and vitamin rich, rice is low fat, low in calories, whole grain, and gluten free. Some brands of rice are even non-MO verified, certified gluten-free and organic. Black, wild and red rice are considered good sources of fiber.

Rice, which is grown in the Mississippi Delta, is an inexpensive product, another plus for budget-minded consumers. It can stretch a meat dish or casserole for a large family.

Just as the colors vary in rice so does the taste. Black rice for which Minnesota is famous has a nutty taste and requires longer cooking time. Another favorite is wild rice. One-fourth cup uncooked yields at least one-half cup and contains 176 calories. Wild rice also has a nutty, rice flavor and firm texture, and is good in casseroles, soups and pilafs.

While brown rice is considered healthier, white rice is more widely consumed around the world, according to www.healthline.com/ .

Rice offers versatility and savings to the home cook. This grain can be used in recipes from morning until night, including soups, salads, entrees, sides and even desserts.

For novice cooks, long grain white rice is easy to make. Add 1 cup of white rice to 2 cups boiling salted water to which a tablespoon of butter has been added. Bring to a boil. Turn to low and let simmer until water is absorbed about 15 minutes.

If the colored or wild rice are unfamiliar, check out the varieties of rice and give added flavor to the meal. Soup made with black rice is amazing, as is a wild rice soup. Wild rice is a good accompaniment for chicken or turkey dishes. Red rice can be used in soups, salads, pilafs and stir-frys.

Fall arrives Sept. 22 even though Coastians still get little of fall weather until at least October. Rice dishes, such as a cold salad with cranberries, apples and pecans make one think of fall. This salad could be paired with poultry or pork chops or tenderloin or served along a Thanksgiving bird. Preparation time is about 10 minutes.

Different varieties of rice also can be found in the freezer section at the grocery store. These are perfect for time-starved cooks. The wild rice soup below is made with packaged frozen rice but can be made with packaged wild rice found on grocers’ shelves.

Creamy wild rice soup

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 medium stalks celery, sliced (1 cup)

1 medium carrot, coarsely shredded (1 cup)

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)

3 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pouch (from 10-ounce package) frozen cooked wild rice (1 1/4 cups)

1 cup water

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) condensed chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted, if desired

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook celery, carrot, onion and bell pepper in butter about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Stir in flour and pepper. Stir in wild rice, water and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in half-and-half, almonds and parsley. Heat just until hot (do not boil or soup may curdle).

Expert tips:

If you can’t find the frozen cooked wild rice, use 1 1/4 cups from a 15-ounce can of cooked wild rice. 2-quart saucepan; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 40 to 50 minutes until wild rice is tender.

For 2 grams of fat and 245 calories per serving, omit the butter and spray saucepan with cooking spray before heating. Substitute 1 cup evaporated fat-free milk for the half-and-half. Top servings of this hearty soup with toasted cheese slices.

Melt butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook celery, carrot, onion and bell pepper in butter about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. – Recipe from www.BettyCrocker.com/

Wild rice with cranberries and pecans

1 cup wild rice, rinsed

4 cups water

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice from 1 orange

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 celery stalks, diced

1 apple, peeled, cored and diced

1/4 cup roasted and salted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

2 scallions, light and green parts, thinly sliced

In a medium pot, combine the rice, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low; cover and simmer until the rice is tender and most of the grains have split open, about 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer the rice to a fine-mesh strainer to drain any excess water. Let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the cooled rice, pecans, dried cranberries, parsley, celery, apple, pepitas and scallions. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Note: Salad may be made a day ahead and covered tightly in refrigerator. – From “Once Upon a Chef” by Jennifer Segal

Send recipe requests and recipes to Andrea Yeager, ayeager51@gmail.com/.