I just returned from a lovely vacation in Florida.  It was the first time we (self, 2 girls, husband and in-laws) ate most of the food we purchased.  Fruit, yogurt, crackers- gone.  But we also made use of the restaurant leftovers. Do you wonder why restaurants don't ask if you want big red onion rings for burgers, salads and other dishes before they serve them to you? Don’t get me wrong. They look beautiful on the plate, but I’ve yet to see anyone (especially members of my family) eat more than one ring, if any. The onion is an awesome vegetable. It’s loaded with phytonutrients and inulin that fight disease and keep our guts healthy, respectively. They add flavor and color to our food as well as fiber. But they can also be a flavor bully and take over the entire dish. I love onions, but hate food waste! I find that too much of a good thing can be bad. So when faced with a stack of uneaten red onions while on vacation, I take them back to my rental property like any other leftover. One man’s garbage is another man’s meal! My mother in law laughed at me, until she saw me add those pretty red onions added to some otherwise boring brown rice. Here is the recipe that emerged from those uneaten rings.Ingredients:2 cups water1 cup brown rice1 tsp. olive oil1/4 cup chopped red (or other) onions1 clove garlic, minced1/2 tsp. salt1 tsp. cumin1 tsp. oreganoDirections:In a medium pot, sautee onions and garlic in olive oil until browned.Add water, rice, cumin, oregano and salt and boil for ~ 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook rice according to directions for 30-35 minutes until rice has soaked up the water.Add additional cumin, oregano or salt and season rice to your taste.Makes 4, half cup servings. Nutrition information per serving: 188 calories, 2.6 grams fat, 37.3 grams carbohydrate, 3.8 grams protein, 2 grams fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 297 mg sodium