Brown Rice Salad

Today for lunch, I was craving something fresh but with a little more protein than a salad. I decided to make a brown rice salad. Definitely fresh. And with lots of staying power.



Added bonus? It has a ton of veggies!

This recipe is definitely one of those end-of-the-week recipes that use up the random odds and ends you have in the fridge. So, don't worry, that extra zucchini and half a potato? They have a home here.



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Brown Rice Salad

1 cup brown rice, rinsed and sorted
1 zucchini, cubed
2 yellow squash, cubed
2 portabello mushrooms, stems and gills removed
1 red onion, sliced
2-3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 stalks of celery, sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1-2 handfuls of spinach
dried basil
dried oregano
dried thyme
juice of one lemon
1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp flax seed oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook brown rice according to package. Once brown rice is cooked, let stand for 10-15 mins.

2. Combine apple cider vinegar, flax seed oil, salt and pepper in a mason jar and shake to combine. While the rice is still warm (but not hot) add vinaigrette and toss.

3. Optional step: Heat a pan over medium heat. Add in the chopped portabello mushrooms and cook for a few mins. Then add in cubed zucchini and squash and saute for 3-5 mins or until squash is just tender. (You can add these vegetables to the salad raw if you prefer.)

4. In a large mixing bowl, combine onions, carrots, celery, cucumber and spinach. Add in the cooked (or raw) zucchini, squash and mushrooms. Toss to combine.

5. Add in the juice of one lemon and a palmful each of the dried basil, dried oregano and dried thyme. (A palmful is roughly 1.5 tbsp.) Add in the brown rice and toss to combine.

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This salad made another appearance at dinner alongside some plain socca and olive oil/balsamic vinegar/cracked pepper.



Other eats include a bowl of overnight oats with vanilla, cinnamon, honey, unsalted raw pumpkin seeds, unsalted sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Along with the standard apple and almond "milk".



Post lunch, I went to the gym and ran some errands. I also cleaned up the apartment and got in a little studying. I have a long to-do list for tomorrow. My summer semester is wrapping up which means they are really piling on the work. It'll be over in two short weeks. I canNOT wait.

Hope you all had a wonderful Tuesday!