Brown Rice and Orange Salad
- 1 cup brown rice
- 4 small clementines or 1 cup mandarin oranges, canned in juice
- 3 green onions
- 1 large lemon
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup frozen shelled edamame beans
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup feta or farmer's cheese
Cook rice following package instructions. Remove from heat. Let stand covered for 10 minutes. Scoop out into a large bowl to cool. While rice is cooking, prepare rest of salad.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Peel clementines and tear into segments. Or, if using canned oranges, rinse and drain.
Rinse and chop green onions.
Rinse lemon and cut in half. In a small bowl, squeeze juice from both halves. Discard seeds.
Slice almonds. On a baking sheet, spread slivered almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 8–10 minutes. Watch closely so they do not burn.
Fill a small pot with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add edamame. Cook for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
Add clementines or mandarin oranges, edamame, green onions, almonds, and dried cranberries to bowl with rice. Mix together.
In a second small bowl, use a fork to whisk together lemon juice, honey, and ground black pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until a dressing forms.
Pour the dressing over the salad. Mix well. Let salad rest at room temperature for 10 minutes so flavors can combine.
If using, top with crumbled feta or farmer’s cheese.
- Edamame are sold in both pod and shelled form. Look for them in the frozen food aisle.
- If edamame are not found in your store, use any seasonal or frozen veggies like green peas, lima beans, or asparagus.
- Try different types of toasted nuts, like peanuts or walnuts. Or, try different dried fruit.
- Use leftover green onions in Mango Salsa, Tabbouleh, Hearty Egg Burritos, or Tuna Boats.
- This salad is a tasty way to use up leftover brown rice.
- Serve over a bed of lettuce or raw spinach for a light entrée, or serve a smaller portion as a side dish.
