Take a Walk on the Wild Side
With its firm, chewy texture and slightly nutty flavor, wild rice is a
hearty addition to any meal. This week’s dish is the perfect
accompaniment to baked fish or chicken, and also makes an ideal choice
for lunch bags, as it can be served cold. The red onion adds a jolt of
color and a source of quercetin, a phytochemical that may have
anti-cancer effects. The almonds provide some crunch as well as
heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
Wild Rice Salad
3/4 cup wild rice
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup dried sour cherries, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup slivered toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
*
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. walnut oil, or canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
In
a medium saucepan, combine the wild rice with 2 1/2 cups cold water.
Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is
almost tender, about 50 minutes. Drain, and place the rice in a mixing
bowl. There will be about 3 cups cooked rice.
Add the
celery, cherries, nuts, onion, orange juice, and oil. Mix with a fork
until the ingredients are well combined. Season the salad to taste with
salt and pepper. This salad keeps, covered in the refrigerator, for up
to three days.
* If your local grocer
doesn’t sell toasted almonds, toast them yourself. Preheat the oven to
350 degrees and spread the nuts on a baking sheet. Toast until fragrant
and lightly colored, about 8 minutes, stirring them once or twice.
Cool completely before chopping.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 260 calories, 8 g total fat (less than 1 g saturated fat), 40 g carbohydrate, 7 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 95 mg sodium.
From AICR.org
