Cheesy Brown Rice Gratin with Zucchini and Eggplant

I'm very pleased with this recipe. The instructions are very clear, the cooking times were spot on, and the result was very tasty. Thanks to other reviewers suggestions,  I did a parm/mozz blend, added yellow squash, mushroom, fresh thyme and basil, panko bread crumbs, and much more seasoning with salt and pepper throughout.  IMO, the herbs are a must.  I didn't love the topping;  I thought it overpowered the veggies.  Next time I'll cut that back greatly, I may even try using just the walnuts and cheese.  I also agree that this recipe is quite labor intensive;  I made a double batch for a pot luck and it was over 1 1/2 hours of solid work.  That said, I will make this again;  I can see it being perfect as a make-ahead dish, or to freeze in small batches for homemade frozen dinners.  I would also be curious to change the flavors with different vegs, seasonings and cheeses.  

The picture doesn't look anything like the recipe, which calls for 1 inch cubes of vegetables and has a higher vegetable to rice ratio than pictured. (where did that picture come from, anyway?)  I thought it needed more salt, but I see another reviewer thought it needed less.  Next time I would skip sauteing  the fresh made bread crumbs, and just use dry breadcrumbs from the cupboard and  put the topping on at the beginning and bake it uncovered.  It should brown/toast in the oven and provide enough of a moisture block to keep the veggies from drying out. This simplifies an already multi-step recipe. If you bother to toast the breadcrumbs, might as well toast the walnuts at the same time.

I read all the reviews in advance.  Added mushrooms to the roasting veggies.  Did add milk to make 1/2 cup but will add more to make it creamier next time.  Slightly decreased the parmesan and added a handful (1/2 cup?) lowfat mozz.  I know that some reviewers prefer that we rate recipe on how it is written, but as a foodie, just looking at a recipe often drives adjustments the first time.  And if I see a low rating, I often will bypass a recipe that just might be good.  I appreciate the suggestions from others...

Hubby says this is one of his favorite vegetarian dishes! A breeze to make.

Taking tips from other reviewers, I changed this a lot! But hear me out because it was enjoyed by 4 of 4. I used 75% white rice, 25% barley (thawed freezer finds), 1 cup milk, and added 1 tablespoon dried basil to the rice mixture. I also used 1 1/2 cups panko and added red pepper flakes to the topping. It was beautiful and tasty and I'd serve it to company.

very disappointed with this dish...dry and bland. liked all the ingredients, just not together.

yum

We are trying to eat healthier. I am not sure eggplant will be on our favorite foods list, but the zucchini, brown rice and breadcrumbs tasted good!

This is a terrific recipe. I used a little less salt and some yellow squash along with the other veggies and used fresh basil instead of the parsley.

This is a great side and keeps for a few nights (only 2 of us). Great flavors and textures...I love the nutty bite.

My husband made this and it was fabulous! We followed the advice of those before us and cut the zucchini and eggplant into smaller pieces. The bread crumb mix on top was delish! We will make it in a longer pan next time and make a little extra topping to get more of that great crunch in every bite. I will add that it did need a good amount of salt and pepper and I RARLY add either to a dish. Making it again this week - double this time! ENJOY.

The flavor of this dish is ok and the texture is really dry. I think subbing mozzerella for the hard cheese might make it a little creamier. The main reason I will not make this dish again is the amount of time and effort it requires- too much. I was really bummed that I ended up with an overflowing sink full of dirty dishes as well. (I don't have a dishwasher so all the dirty dishes were big pain in the you-know-where.)

This dish was fantastic! I am gluten free, so I omitted the bread crumbs and didn't miss them at all. The walnuts added a delicious toasted flavor and nice crunch. I used fat free half and half and added a splash of heavy cream, since I had it in the fridge. The dish was moist and flavorful. It will definitely be added to my stash of favorite dishes.

Even with adding more herbs than called for in this recipe, I found this recipe rather bland and lackluster. I like the concept, but it just fell short. I tasted it before cooking and added in some cinnamon and some fresh thyme--strange combination, I know, but it worked well. The recipe was, overall, rather dry. I definitely agree on the 1/2 inch cubes instead of the 1 inch cubes. Unless the picture is taken with a giant spoon and giant rice grains, it looks like those were more 1/2 inch or even 1/4 inch dice vegetables. A squirt of hot sauce (Cholula) on the leftovers the next day improved this dish considerably, but it was still rather dry and bland.

It was pretty good. The onions and garlic give it just enough aroma to be interesting. In the future I would slice the eggplant in the recipe thinner than 1 inch cubes. Maybe 1/2. Also, I used panko since I had it on hand, and light soymilk instead of half and half ... turned out fine. Since I dine alone and am on a severely calorie-restricted diet, I didn't cook anything with it, and one serving was enough to fill me up. I'll be making this again, though. Might add some spinach next time. Also, the walnuts are awesome. This is the first recipe I've made from my first issue of Cooking Light, and I'm definitely looking forward to making more!

We did not care for this too much. It was very dry and even with a whole cup of expensive cheese, it was pretty much flavorless. As a vegetarian meal goes, I guess it's nutritious, but nutritious doesn't have to mean tasteless. We will not make again.

I love this recipe! I used short grain rice and panko crumbs. Also sprinkled a little cayenne on top, but I do that a lot. Great as a vegetarian meal or could also be a side dish.

This was more delicious that I thought it would be and so easy! I roasted the veggies, cooked the rice, and sauteed the onions/garlic before I went to work. Threw it together and into the oven in a flash when I got home and it was yummy. I didn't have enough parmesean to add to the breadcrumbs but we didn't miss it one bit so I even saved a few calories there. Even my 6 year old ate it. I served it as the main dish without anything else but next time I'll make some fish to go with it (we're not vegetarians so a protein is what we are used to having most nights). This recipe has found a place in my recipe book permanently! Yum!

Made this for dinner tonight and it's yet again another keeper from Cooking Light. It's a vegetarian dish that leaves you full. Flavoring is excellent and the walnuts are a nice surprise.