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Over the past couple of years, we have shifted our diet away from fish and meats with every dinner meal to enjoying a largely vegetarian diet. A long time favorite and hands down crowd pleaser is my Nutted Wild Rice Salad from one of my favorite cook books. I have developed so much confidence with cooking now that I am at home and loving it! When I need help, I turn to my cookbooks for ideas - The Silver Palate Cookbook has really helped me become a star!

That said, my girlfriend Vivan always made a fantastic quinoa salad so I revived that grain back into our diet and with this recipe, it is part of my 'wow them' repertoire - I simply replace quinoa for the wild rice. Quinoa is an ancient cereal grain that grows in the Andes Mountains of South America - it's a powerhouse of protein and amino acids, and kept the Incan armies strong. I have my friend Hadden to thank since he brought this package back from his worldly travels as a gift for us. We are now addicted! Just follow the cooking instructions for the quinoa and replicate the rest. Enjoy - this is a chewy satisfying meal!

Recipe from Silver Palate Cookbook Page 345 

Nutted Wild Rice Salad

1 cup (1/2 pound) raw wild rice
5 1/2 cups defatted chicken stock or water
1 cup shelled pecan halves
1 cup yellow raisins
grated rind of 1 large orange
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
4 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

1. Put rice in a strainer and run under cold water; rinse thoroughly.
2. Place rice in a medium-size heavy saucepan. Add stock or water and bring to a rapid boil. Adjust heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes. After 30 minutes check for doneness; rice should not be too soft. Place a thin towel inside a colander and turn rice into the colander and drain. Transfer drained rice to a bowl.
3. Add remaining ingredients to rice and toss gently. Adjust seasonings to taste. Let mixture stand for 2 hours to allow flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature.
6 portions

Quick Tip: I add lots of fried onions, garlic and mushrooms to the mixture to make it even more robust. Feel free to add chopped red peppers and cucumbers - be creative with this. I triple the recipe for continuous leftovers that everyone loves! 

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Alright, here's Viv's recipe too:

1 cup Quinoa (follow cooking instructions using spring water)

1/2 cup finely diced English cucumber

4 stems finely diced green onion

1/3 cup cooked corn kernels
1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro

Toss with cooked quinoa

3 tbsp. fresh lime juice

3 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp. rice syrup or honey (optional)

Combine, then add to quinoa. Stir thoroughly with a fork to coat grain and vegetables.

Thanks Vivian! I would triple the recipe for a dinner party and/or leftovers and all ingredients are organic in Viv's kitchen and mine. Enjoy! xoxo