Lundberg Farms offers an organic, wheat-free alternative to couscous

Founded in 1937 by Albert and Frances Lundberg, Lundberg Farms is still a family-owned and operated company handling a big operation with less than 250 employees. They carry an extensive line of organic and eco-farmed rice products including packaged and bulk rice, rice cakes, rice chips, risottos, couscous, pasta, rice syrup and varieties of flour.
Their most-sold product is the organic whole-grain brown rice, but we really enjoy their risottos and brown rice couscous as side dishes for light entrees.

• Creamy Parmesan Risotto
• Mediterranean Curry Roasted Brown Rice Couscous
• Savory Herb Roasted Brown Rice Couscous

If you’re a working professional or have a family of mouths to feed, there are nights when you can’t whip up a risotto from scratch and a packaged product flaunts its convenience at you. Lundberg’s Creamy Parmesan Risotto (gluten-free) yields everything you want in a rich, creamy risotto and packs a ton of flavor.

It’s really easy to make – stovetop, you’ll sauté the rice with olive oil, add water and the seasoning packet and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top it with fresh-grated Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley for pretty presentation, but if you’re in a rush or short on ingredients just serve as is.

The aroma of the dish made me hungry even before my first bite and not a hint was left on my family’s plates.

The Roasted Brown Rice Couscous is both vegan and gluten-free, and offers a nice wheat-free alternative to traditional couscous. 100% organic brown rice is gently crushed into tiny granules and then fire roasted to add a nutty flavor. The texture was nearly identical to traditional couscous, so light and fluffy; I didn’t miss anything from my usual couscous dishes. The Mediterranean Curry was subtle but added some warmth to chicken dishes and the Savory Herb is incredibly versatile.

You can find Lundberg products locally in the Valley at AJ’s Fine Foods, Sprouts, Whole Foods and other natural foods grocers. Check their website for coupons too!

Learn more about the company at lundberg.com.

^{Disclaimer: Complimentary samples were provided to PhoenixBites for review purposes. Our comments are wholly our own regarding our experience. View our Disclosure Policy for more info.}