Menu

  • Brown Rice and Kidney Bean Salad with Peppers, Apples, and Sherry Vinaigrette

    Ingredients

    Brown rice

    Yield: 6 cups

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Brown rice, cooked
      2 cups

    Sherry vinaigrette

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Extra virgin olive oil
      ½ cup
    • Sherry vinegar
      ¼ cup
    • Lemon juice
      2 Tbsp.
    • Garlic clove, minced
      1 ea.
    • Tarragon, minced
      1 Tbsp.
    • Salt and ground black pepper
      to taste

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
      2 cups
    • Red pepper, roasted, peeled, diced
      1 cup
    • Cucumber, peeled and finely diced
      1 cup
    • Shallot, minced
      ½ cup
    • Celery, finely diced
      ½ cup
    • Fuji apple, finely diced
      1 ea.
    • Flat-leaf parsley, fresh, minced
      ¼ cup
    • Salt and ground black pepper
      to taste

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Spinach, cleaned and torn
      3 cups

    • Ingredients
      Amount
    • Almonds, sliced, toasted
      1 cup

    Method

    1. For the brown rice: Put brown rice and water together in a pot with a lid. Use the ratio of 1½ cups of water to 1 cup of rice.
    2. Set the heat to maximum, and bring the rice and water to a boil uncovered. Then put the lid on the pot, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let the rice simmer for 20 minutes.
    3. Turn off the heat, and let the rice sit in the covered pot for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
    4. For the dressing: While the rice is cooking, combine the ingredients for the sherry vinaigrette. Adjust the seasonings with additional salt and pepper as necessary.
    5. Once rice is cool, combine all the salad ingredients except for the spinach.
    6. Add some of the dressing to moisten and let marinate for 45 minutes.
    7. Add the spinach and toss. Serve a spoonful of the salad and garnish with almonds.