Wild rice salad with pine nuts and avocado

I’ve been eating wild rice instead of brown rice recently, it’s got twice the amount of protein, it is high in fibre and it is high in anti oxidants! It is more expensive which is annoying as it is so good, but because it is hard to grow, often harvested by hand and needs to be treated to remove the inedible green husk to reveal the shiny black rice then the price is justified. You can buy packs where it is mixed with white or brown rice to make it cheaper, or you can mix it with other grains yourself at home to make it go further! You can find out more about the health benefits of wild rice here

The great thing about wild rice is that it is perfect in rice salads because it keeps its shape and doesn’t stick together once cooked. I probably slightly undercooked it because I liked it quite chewy but ideally you boil it until it really puffs up and has popped out of its ‘shell’.

Wild rice salad

This salad is really a basic and delicious combination of everyday salad items! Spring onions for a zing, peppers for crunch and colour, avocado to add some creaminess and pine nuts to top it all off. I then piled it up on top of some baby gem lettuce leaves to make it look pretty and to complete the salad.

A basic vinaigrette of olive oil, lemon and white wine vinegar gives it a freshness or you can just drizzle over some balsamic vinegar, whatever you fancy.

Serves 6 as part of a ‘lunch spread’

200g wild rice
6 spring onions
3 peppers
2 large avocados
Large bunch parsley
Handful pine nuts
12 baby gem lettuce leaves

Cook the rice according to packet instructions, it needs quite a long cooking time similar to brown rice. Allow to cool. Slice and dice the spring onions, peppers and avocados and mix into the cooked rice.
Spread out the lettuce leaves on a big plate and pile the rice salad in the middle. Sprinkle over the parsley and pine nuts and drizzle over your choice of vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar.

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