Arroz Integral in the Rice Cooker

Spray your rice cooker pot with cooking spray - trust me on this one, brown rice loves to stick and at Denver's altitude, it's even more stubborn.

Add the brown rice and water to the cooker. Brown rice needs more liquid than white rice, so we're going with 1 cup rice to 2.5 cups water - this ratio works perfectly up here in the mountains.

Season with salt to taste - I'm generous with mine because rice should never be bland.

Place the garlic cloves on your cutting board and smash them with the flat side of your knife blade. Peel off the papery skin and toss the smashed cloves right into the rice cooker - this is how my tía Carmen always made her rice aromatic.

Drizzle in the olive oil, cover the pot, and turn on the rice cooker.

Let the rice cooker do its magic - brown rice takes longer than white rice, but the wait is worth it for that nutty flavor and better texture.