Cooked wild rice, barley, brown rice, or other whole grains make wonderful salads when combined with fruits, vegetables, and seasonings. Here are four recipes to get you started. Experiment with your own favorite combinations and flavors; It’s hard to go wrong!
Wild Rice Fruit Salad
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup seedless grapes
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 t. curry powder
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise or enough to moisten the grains
Combine all ingredients and chill.
4 portions
Cuban Mango Salad
1 small sweet onion, minced
2 mangoes, peeled and chopped
1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooled cooked barley or brown rice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro or Italian parsley
1/4 cup of rice vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Hot pepper sauce bottled to taste
Combine all ingredients and chill.
4-6 servings
Fruity and walnut salad
2 oranges or 6 tangerines, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 tart apples, cored and cut into chunks
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced (white part)
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
2 cups of cooked and cooled wild rice
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 cup cashew nuts, chopped
Combine all the ingredients. If you make it ahead of time, skip the mayonnaise and walnuts. Chill, then add mayonnaise and walnuts just before serving.
4-6 servings
Wild Blueberry Rice Salad
1 cup dried cranberries
4 cups cooked wild rice, chilled
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 6-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 cup pineapple crushed, drained
1/2 cup of chopped flat parsley
1/2 cup of rice vinegar or to taste
1/2 cup sliced almonds or other nuts of your choice
Combine all the ingredients. If you make it ahead of time, add the walnuts just before serving.
4-6 servings