I had the pleasure of attending the 2009 kickoff meeting of Dragon Boat Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. It’s a group of breast cancer survivors and supporters who want to increase the awareness of breast cancer, share the belief that there is quality of life after breast cancer, and believe that exercise plays a role in helping to achieve the highest quality of life. Sounds great, doesn’t it? And the group that advocates this mantra is too! We zoomed up to the Lake Lanier area to join them, our saddlebags packed with a bottle of wine and this rice salad. I promised I’d pass on the recipe:
Eating Better Potluck Rice Salad
The Salad
1 Package *Wild and Brown Rice Mixture, prepared with low fat, low salt chicken broth
1 Cup Shredded Carrots
1/2 Chopped Pecans, Toasted
1/2 Cup Chopped Dried Apricots
1/2 Cup Raisins
1/2 Cup Craisins
1/2 Cup Dried Blueberries
1/4 Cup Chopped Green Onions
Juice from 1 Lemon
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Finely Shredded Romaine Lettuce
The Dressing
1 Garlic Clove, mashed to a paste with 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 TB Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tsp Curry Powder
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Step 1
While the brown and wild rice mixture is cooking, make the dressing. Mash the garlic together with the kosher salt to make a paste. Add the garlic paste along with the remaining ingredients to a jar and shake. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 2
To the warm rice mixture, add the carrots, apricots, cranberries, raisins, blueberries and green onions, toss gently. Add the lemon juice. Finally, add the dressing, a little at a time.(You will not need all the dressing.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Serve the salad on top of the shredded romaine. (You can make it dinner by tossing the rest of the dressing with boneless skinless chicken breasts. Salt and pepper the breasts, and grill or broil them – slice the cooked chicken on top of the salads.)
*My favorite rice mixes are Lundberg. They are widely available at most grocery stores.
To find out more about Dragon Boat Atlanta: dragonboatatlanta.org