Brown Rice Salad

adapted from the Fiddlehead Cookbook
serves four

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 1/4 cups cooked brown rice (see below)
1/2 cup vinaigrette (I make my own because it’s so easy… but I’m sure any old vinaigrette would work)
2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
4 cups lettuce (I used romaine + mizuna)

avocado and shredded cheddar for garnish

Heat oil in a large, deep pan over high heat.  When oil is hot, add onions, zucchini, carrots and mushrooms.  Cook, stirring frequently until tender.  Add cooked rice, 1/4 cup vinaigrette and tamari, and stir until thoroughly combined.  Toss lettuce with remaining vinaigrette.  Plate up lettuce and top with a helping of hot rice.  Garnish with avocado and cheddar.

Super easy.  Super good.  If I use the following rice recipe for dinner one night, I always have just enough left over the next day to prepare this salad.  I actually like the texture of day-old rice better for mixing with other ingredients.  It is way less clumpy and seems to absorb the flavors of the add-ins better.

Brown Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups brown rice
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon each salt + pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add rice and stir until it begins to crackle.  Add water and seasonings, bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes.

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