Bejeweled Forbidden Rice Salad
MAKES 6 SERVINGS • PREP TIME: 5 minutes (after soaking rice overnight) • COOK TIME: 30 minutes
2 cups water ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup forbidden rice ¼ cup Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette ½ cup diced celery ¼ cup diced red bell pepper 1 scallion, minced ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint 1 avocado, cut in ½-inch dice
In a 2-quart pot over high heat, combine 2 cups of water and the salt and bring to a boil, then stir in the rice. Cover, lower the heat to medium low, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, then check the rice. It should be tender, but still with a nice chew. Fluff the rice with a fork, then transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool. Add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Then mix in the celery, bell pepper, scallion, and mint. Top with avocado just before serving.
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP • PREP TIME: 5 minutes • COOK TIME: Not applicable
½ cup cilantro ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon lime zest 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger ½ teaspoon Grade B maple syrup ½ teaspoon salt
Put all the ingredients in a small food processor and process about a minute, until smooth.
COOK’S NOTE: Cilantro tends to be a love-it-or-hate-it ingredient, and it turns out your opinion depends entirely on your DNA. Some folks have a gene that makes cilantro taste soapy, which makes it hard to become a fan of this healthful herb. If you’re looking to replace cilantro in a recipe, try Italian flat-leaf parsley—it’s a great power herb that will give you a similar nutritional wallop.
Rebecca Katz invented the term “Culinary Translator” to describe what I do, which is essentially translating nutritional science to the plate, seasoned by wisdom and the alchemy of flavor. Ater a stressed-out career in the business world, Rebecca was led to seek out a more nourishing life. She found the answer in a signora’s kitchen in Florence, and went on to formal culinary training at the Natural Gourmet Institute. Since then, she has become Executive Chef for the Food As Medicine professional nutrition training program, obtaining a Masters of Science degree in Health and Nutrition Education from Hawthorn University, and publishing her first science-based cookbook, Healing Kitchens.