Nutty Brown Rice Salad

This tasty salad combines brown rice, kidney beans, crisp vegetables, and raw almonds. All are tossed with Italian dressing for a great tasting cold side dish that pairs beautifully with meats, fish, or sandwiches.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 223 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups water
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• ¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup bite-size broccoli florets
• ¼ cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped raw almonds
• ¼ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fat free Italian-style dressing

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine the rice and water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the rice is tender, and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Step 2

Place cooled rice in a large bowl. Stir in the kidney beans, red onions, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and almonds; season with pepper. Toss salad with the Italian dressing and olive oil.

Step 3

Chill for at least one hour before serving.