Fourth of July family get-together this past weekend. What to bring? My mom suggested a quinoa salad…it’s becoming an old standby. Just to show I knew how to switch things up, I decided to delve in with a different grain. Nothing against quinoa. But I had a cup of wild rice sitting in pantry and it sounded like it would go well with the nectarines I had in the fridge and wanted to use up. So I threw together wild rice with some veggies and fruits along with fresh romaine and arugula from the garden and topped it off with a lemon, basil coconut dressing. Yum. A perfect combination of sweet and savory, this salad can be paired with fish or chicken for a satisfying, nutritionally complete meal. You might just walk away thinking you’ve had dessert.
What you need:
- SALAD
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 bunch romaine, chopped
- 2 nectarines, chopped
- 1 cup strawberries, chopped
- 1 cup arugula, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
- 1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
- DRESSING
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh mint
- 1/8 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 4-6 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
How to make it:
- First, combine rice and water in saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45-50 minutes or until rice is soft and liquid is absorbed.
- Combine cooked rice and other salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
- Combine lemon, basil, mint, water and coconut oil in a blender and blend well. Add olive oil slowly while blades are turning to infuse. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Feel free to experiment with your favorite fruits and veggies, or whatever’s in season.