Sage & Spring Veggies Pie In A Brown Rice Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 cup raw brown rice
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth or 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can homemade chicken stock
• water, as needed
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or 1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (such as monterey jack, cheddar, etc)
• 3 extra large eggs or 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (any flavor, your choice)
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt or 1/2-3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt, to taste
• 10 leaves fresh sage, minced,divided plus
• 3 leaves fresh sage, for garnish,left whole
• 1 cup zucchini, thinly sliced,1 medium
• 2 cups raw sweet potato, peeled,shredded,1 medium
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 3 -4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked bulk turkey sausage, drained well,crumbled

Recipe

• 1 pour chicken broth into a glass measure, adding enough cold water to make 2 cups, then pour into a rice cooker along with brown rice and stir; cook in rice cooker according to manufacturer’s directions, about 40 minutes.
• 2 while rice is steaming in the rice cooker, you can get started on the veggies and the sausage.
• 3 if you have not already done so, cook sausage, drain, and set aside to cool.
• 4 heat a large skillet over medium high heat, then add oil and butter.
• 5 when butter has melted, add sliced zucchini and shredded raw potato, and about ½ tsp salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and sauté until zucchini begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
• 6 add half of the minced sage leaves and the garlic and continue to sauté until the sweet potato starts to also soften and wilt slightly, about another 5 minutes, tasting and adding more salt and pepper if needed, no more than 1/2 tsp; set aside and let cool slightly in a mesh strainer set over a bowl, to catch juices.
• 7 at this point, the rice should be almost ready.
• 8 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 9 once rice has cooked fully, allow it to cool slightly, then stir in ½ cup cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and the egg.
• 10 press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9” pie plate or 9" square glass casserole dish.
• 11 sprinkle cooked sausage over the top, then cover with the sautéed zucchini mixture (discarding the juices).
• 12 whisk together eggs, buttermilk,flour, the remaining minced sage leaves, and ½ cup shredded cheese and pour over the top.
• 13 if desired, garnish with 3 additional whole sage leaves in the center of the pie (optional).
• 14 bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until filling is set.
• 15 let cool slightly before serving.