Bare Shelves at Supermarkets as a result of Queensland Flood Disaster

The Queensland Flood Disaster has certainly left some supermarket shelves bare and left many people including myself feeling a little bit like "Old Mother Hubbard"!

Here is a "store cupboard" recipe you can prepare for yourself and your family, even if you have no access to fresh fruit and vegetables, you can usually access the following ingredients pretty easily.  This meal is certainly simple and nutritious and with a little bit of your own style and personal flair can be very tasty!

Confetti Rice:

Ingredients:

1 onion
Garlic (if you have)
1 stockcube
2 cups of rice (whatever you  have)
1 cup lentils (rinsed)
1 cups of frozen mixed veggies (or tinned mixed veg)
Mixed herbs (whatever you have) (I like margorum, or mixed herbs or rosemary or thyme)
Mixed spices (whatever you have, I like: Mixed spice, or cumin, or ground coriander, or mustard seed and a bit of paprika)

1. Saute (fry) the onion in a little butter, olive oil or coconut oil, if you have some garlic add, add the a teaspoon of spices and a teaspoon of herbs.
2. When the onion is clear (opaque), add the rice, stir, then add the stock cube and 4 cups of water, add the lentils.
3. Bring to boil then simmer for 15 minutes (keeping an eye on the water level, it should start to absorb and go down, make sure it doesn't dry out though before the rice is cooked).
4. When the rice is nearly cooked, stir in the mixed veggies and heat through.
5. You can add any other extra flavours you like depending what you have available:  for example you may have some condiments like soya sauce or tomato sauce, chutney or mayonnaise, you may have some fresh lemon to squeeze in or some fresh herbs or spring onion or dukka to chop and stir through.  If you are fish lover you can stir in some tuna and leave out the lentils.

SERVE!