Vegetable Rice Pilaf

I found this recipe while looking for a somewhat hearty side dish so that I would be resist the BBQ ribs that I made for the meat-eaters in our family.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

2 Tbsp butter
1 medium zucchini, cubed
About 6 asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 envelope Sazon Goya con azafran, optional

In a skillet (that has a lid), saute zucchini and aparagus in butter for 2 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove zucchini and asparagus and set aside.  Add oil and rice to pan and stir to coat rice.  Add broth, basil, carrot, and Sazon Goya and stir gently.  Turn heat to high and bring to a boil.  Cover with lid and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer 20 minutes or until all the liquid is gone and rice is tender.  Remove from heat and gently stir zucchini and asparagus.

Note: the Sazon Goya con azafran is just for color, you could also add a little saffron.

Other vegetables to use:
1/2 cup frozen green peas - put in 5 minutes before the end
Handful of snow peas - cook like the zucchini
1/2 cup fresh cut green beans - cook like the zucchini
1/2 cup frozen cut green beans - put in 10 minutes before the end
1/2 cup frozen corn - put in 5 minutes before the end
1/2 cup chopped onions - sauté, then leave in to cook the whole time
1 medium yellow squash, chopped - cook like the zucchini
1 cup frozen chopped spinach - put in 5 minutes before the end
1 cup fresh chopped spinach - throw in at the end
1 green onion, sliced - throw in at the end