Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Garlic and Beets
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I’ve been on a wild rice kick lately. I just finished making a big pot of this Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup and now I’m making a wild rice salad to take to a (socially distanced, outdoor) holiday dinner. In spite of being served cold, wild rice and roasted beets make this a hearty salad that is definitely suitable year round.
Do you find that your eating habits change with the seasons? Mine certainly do! In the winter, I am all about root vegetables. I like parsnips and carrots and beets and sweet potatoes and so many more. While most of us can find whatever vegetables we want in the grocery store, year round, there are benefits to eating vegetables that are in season where we live. They are generally less expensive, more nutrient dense and don’t have to travel as far to get to us. If you are lucky enough to have a garden or live near a farmer’s market, you can easily find local foods that are in season. Even without these options, you can eat seasonally. Fall and winter are the time to find the freshest root vegetables. Root vegetables, like the beets in this salad, are full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Did you know that wild rice is not actually a rice? It is an aquatic grass and it’s one of the few grains that is native to North America. It’s high in fiber and protein and full of antioxidants. The combination of wild rice, kale and beets make this salad a nutrition powerhouse.
Let me know if you try this recipe! Tag me on Instagram @theveganicpanic so I can see how it turned out for you!
Wild Rice Salad with Roasted Garlic and Beets
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup wild rice (dry)
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth or water
- 3 large beets peeled and chopped into 1/2" cubes
- 5 cloves garlic cut in half lengthwise
- 2 Tb. Olive oil
- 3/4 tsp thyme (dry)
- 1 Tb. maple syrup
- 1 Tb. lemon or lime juice
- 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper or to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 cup finely chopped kale (remove center stems before chopping)
- 1 large carrot grated
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a saucepan, combine the wild rice and broth (or water). Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- While the wild rice is cooking, place the beets, 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil, the garlic and thyme in a glass baking dish. Roast at 425 for 50 minutes.
- When the wild rice has cooked, strain out any remaining liquid.
- Combine the wild rice with the roasted beets. Allow this mixture to cool completely in the fridge.
- To make the salad dressing, combine the remaining tablespoon of oil with the lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
- When the rice and beets have cooled, toss in the dressing, kale, carrot and chopped walnuts. Stir to combine. Serve cold.