Birdie "Un-fried" Rice . . . Lots of the good stuff!

Ingredients

10 cups cooked brown rice (approx. 5 cups dry)

6 – 8 large eggs, scrambled with ½  cup apple juice

1 lb. frozen corn

1 lb. frozen peas

2 large carrots, either thin-sliced or flaked with grater

¼ cup chopped almonds*

¼ cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts*

¼ cup chopped walnuts*

¼  cup dried cranberries or craisins

½ cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes or cubes

½  large red pepper, diced

1 large broccoli crown, including stem, chopped and diced

1 small raw zucchini, shredded

4 – 6 small jalapeno peppers, diced

1 cup diced dried papaya and/or pineapple

1 tbsp. crushed hot red pepper

1 cup Roudybush small pellets or crumbles (optional, but recommended)

Prepare rice so that it is tender and fluffy, not sticky; set aside.

Scramble eggs with apple juice, using a slight skim of butter in the pan; use a manual potato masher to reduce scrambled eggs to crumbles.

Place all remaining ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl (I use a large salad-dryer bowl or cake cover) with enough water to cover; microwave for 8 – 10 minutes, or until all ingredients are hot; check for frozen or hot spots; remove from microwave and drain in large colander with small holes.

Mix rice and vegetable and fruit ingredients thoroughly in large bowl.

Add scrambled eggs and mix thoroughly again, achieving a good distribution of all ingredients.

Add pellets, again mixing for good distribution.

This recipe yields approximately 5 - 6 quarts. That’s enough to feed my flock, with leftovers. Though amounts may be adjusted for smaller flocks, the trouble with multiple-ingredient recipes seems to be that to make them in smaller batches is a fair amount of trouble for low yield.

Serve each bird approximately two heaping tablespoons of the mixture, though less for canaries. Leftovers may be frozen in bulk (for large flocks) or in ice cube trays for individual portions, three cubes approximating one serving. Label the leftovers in your fridge or freezer, lest unsuspecting family members snack on them and call it good, as has happened in my own household.

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 *3/4 cup of unsalted, prepared dry nut topping, available from most bulk-food or restaurant-supply stores, often sold as “Nut Topping,” may be substituted for almonds, dry-roasted peanuts and walnuts.