Today was one of those days when the clock just kept spinning and it got to be dinner time and I thought: You mean, we're going to be hungry again? For pete's sake.
Plus it was warm out and hot in the apartment--not that I'm complaining, mind you--and I didn't want to turn on the oven. Heidi Swanson has some great fast and satisfying meal ideas, including one for a citrus-infused wheat berry salad that can be eaten warm or cold.
Unfortunately I did not have any pine nuts on hand, and since they cost about as much as our rent, I knew I wouldn't be picking them up anytime soon. Walnuts are the working gal's pine nuts and work just as well. On that note, I realized I'd also be trading down from my beloved wheat berries to brown rice, as it is one of the only things I never run out of. And I was really hungry, so I was hoping for something with a little more protein. Here is what I came up with.
Home Food Brown Rice Salad
2 cups cooked brown rice (God love you if you have some lying around--I had to cook mine)
1 cup cooked black beans (canned are fine but fresh-cooked dried have the most wonderful texture and also cost pennies)
1 cup toasted walnuts
3 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Dressing:
Zest and juice of one orange (grapefruit might also be interesting)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp finely diced onion
generous salt and pepper
Other things that might be good: dried cranberries, some other kind of green like arugula or chard or dandelion greens . . .
Mix the dry ingredients; whisk the dressing; toss it all together. Yum!
When wouldn't dried cranberries or arugula be a good addition? :)
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