Trail Mix-Wild Rice Salad

Chewy wild rice paired with dried fruits and crunchy nuts makes for a hearty salad.
rice salad

With so many hip grains like quinoa and millet on the market it is easy to forget about options like wild rice.  This nutty, fiber and nutrient-rich grain is not only good for you but when mixed with long grain brown rice it's an inexpensive, whole-grain option. The chewy rice lends nicely to the dense, chewy dried fruits and when paired with the crunch of nuts and seeds this salad is very inviting.

Trail Mix-Wild Rice Salad

Serves 6-8
1 cup long grain brown rice (such as basmati)
1 cup wild rice
2 cups mint tea (or water)
2 cups water
1/4 cups sliced almonds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon walnut or flax oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup dried apricots, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 scallions, sliced
Salt and pepper<

Combine the tea, water,  long grain brown rice and wild rice in a medium sized sauce pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover. Let cook for 40 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool completely.

In a small skillet on medium high heat, add the nuts and seeds.  Toast them, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and aromatic. Remove from pan and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled, cooked rice, with the oil, vinegar, chopped celery, green onions, dried fruit and nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine; serve.

Photo by: Yoni Nimrod

Katie Cavuto Boyle, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, personal chef and owner of HealthyBites, LLC. See Katie's full bio »

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