Wild Rice Salad with Luscious Lemon and Merry Mint
We had a lovely family gathering to celebrate Spring and Easter this past weekend, with lots of family, cooking, good food, egg coloring, and enjoying the sunshine. It's always nice to have (most of) my whole brood together, including some of my niece…
We had a lovely family gathering to celebrate Spring and Easter this past weekend, with lots of family, cooking, good food, egg coloring, and enjoying the sunshine. It's always nice to have (most of) my whole brood together, including some of my nieces and nephews.
A thieving crow!
I colored eggs with my two granddaughters, and the eggs were hidden the next morning when they awoke. Because my youngest granddaughter was sleeping over at my house, her parents asked to not have the hunt until they got there. Well, a very large crow had other ideas in the morning, and started stealing the eggs! I ran outside and shooed him away, but he returned several times, successfully carting off a beautifully colored egg each time. I must admit, he had us all in stitches, and we didn't begrudge him an egg or two. But apparently, he had hoarding in mind, so we had the hunt early, else there would have been nothing in the gathering baskets!
Second snatched egg.
Away he goes, a very large crow! Isn't there something very wrong with one bird eating another's egg?
Eggs everywhere
It seems like the house was filled with eggs, not only the colored ones, but the deviled eggs, my mom's recipe, that we make every year, and the requested Eggs Benedict, my oldest granddaughter's favorite. I was good, I stuck to my egg-white omelet, saving my cholesterol cheat for a deviled egg, which all disappeared quickly. There are always the colored eggs left over.
Time for some relief
After a long meal of rich foods we don't normally consume, the next day, I always look for something a little lighter to get back on track. The splurges are important in life, but it is equally as important to begin again the next day.
Mint and Lemon, of course
We've had this salad, or rather a version of it, previously, and loved the strong mint and lemon flavor. There was a lot of mint left over from making a pesto, so with a bit of wild rice and some other veggies on hand, this pretty salad came to mind again.
A unique and ancient food
Wild rice has a nutty flavor and interesting texture, which make it great in a salad. According to Healthline, it is an aquatic grass similar to rice, but not a rice at all. Most varieties are native to North America, and were used extensively by the indigenous population for centuries.
A nutritious grain
A nutrient dense food, wild rice is a good source of Vitamins and minerals including B6, folate, magnesium, zinc, and copper. High in fiber, this seed is also a good protein source. A 3.5 ounce serving has 4 grams of protein, and it is a complete protein with all amino acids present. Consuming this humble grain supports heart health and is beneficial for those with Type II diabetes.
Lots of options here
Just what we need after a weekend of feasting. The radishes and carrots are from our CSA, and you can substitute with what you have available locally. You can make this salad many ways, adding sugar snap peas rather than shelled peas, or maybe some broccoli or broccoli rabe. No scallions? Toss in some shallots or finely minced onion. Pumpkin seeds were delicious here, but any nut or seed would do. You can also swap out the wild rice for any favorite or left-over grain: regular rice, farro, barley, etc.
Great for a potluck, or just lunch
This salad is lemony and minty and very refreshing. Lovely textures will keep you interested in every bite. It works great as a side, especially if you have a potluck or large gathering. But it is also delicious as a stand-alone lunch or snack. Serve it warm, room temperature, or cold.
Be quick!
For lunch, top it with a boiled egg if you like, if the crows don't get them first.
Wild Rice Salad with Lemon and Mint
1 cup wild rice
2 cups veg stock or water
2 large watermelon or other spicy radishes, diced, about 1 ½ cups
2 scallions, whites and greens, thin sliced
A few baby carrots, thinsliced
1 cup mint leaves, minced
1 cup thawed frozen peas, or cooked fresh if in season
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Zest and juice of one lemon, about 3 tbsp.
¼ cup fruity olive oil
1 tbsp. native honeyor maple syrup
Cook the rice according to directions. You want the rice to be a bit chewy with a nice texture. Cool.
Prep all the vegetables while the rice is cooking. Add them all to a large mixing bowl, then add the rice once cooled. If you are impatient, you can toss the hot rice right in and serve this as a warm side.
Whisk together the lemon zest and juice, the oil, and the honey, then add to the rice mixture mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. It's so good, and is even better the next day. Serve as a lunch or snack with a little boiled egg.
"People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can't rest. Then sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back to put the wrong things right." ~ James O'Barr, "The Crow"
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