Chicken and Basil Rice Bowls

I am so thankful for my friends who like to take morning walks around the neighborhood.  I definitely don't have the motivation to go out and take these walks on my own and if I do manage to drag myself out the door, I end up letting my mind wander and before I know it, I'm strolling along the street instead of walking briskly.

I also have one more reason for walking in the morning.  This is the face that stares back at me in the morning if I don't take her on a walk.  Seriously, how can I resist this face?

Mia is actually much less mischievous when I take her for a walk in the morning to get some of her energy out.  (Probably true for me too.)   We both feel better all day if we just get 20 minutes of exercise to start our day.  I'm not really sure why but I tend to make better food choices all day when I exercise too. 

This recipe for basil and chicken rice bowls came from Cooking Light.  It is a great way to eat delicious food and still feel like your eating healthy food.  Personally, I loved the chopped cashews sprinkled on top. 

Chicken and Basil Rice Bowls
1/2 cup brown rice
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
2 Tablespoons chopped cashews

Cook rice according to directions.  Spoon into individual bowls.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil and sesame oil in skillet.  Combine chicken, 1 T. soy, garlic, ginger and red pepper.  

Add to skillet and cook until chicken begins to brown.

Remove chicken from pan.  Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan and add broccoli.  Cook until crisp tender.   (I had to add a little water to the pan and cover it so it could steam.)

Combine 1 T. soy, chicken broth, and cornstarch.  Add to skillet along with chicken.  Bring to a boil and simmer 2 minutes until thickened.

Add basil and cook through.

Spoon mixture over rice and sprinkle with chopped cashews.

I had these rice bowls packed and ready to go to a soccer game but as it turned out - it was rained out so we ended up eating them at home.  I love the fact that they're packable and easy to eat while I'm sitting in the stands on a bleacher.  (Yes, I do get strange looks when I pull something like this out of our cooler for dinner but I really don't care - it beats concession stand hot dogs.) 

Ciao!