rice salad

Since when did I become poor and obese? Okay so maybe I’m not obese but my body has sneakily put on 5lbs behind my back, RUDE! So, as I can’t afford to buy nice new fat clothes, my only option is to go on a diet… Sigh. It’s not like I sit around all day squirting cream into my mouth but I have perhaps been overindulging a tad more than usual. Unfortunately, this means that we shan’t be dining on butternut squash gnocchi with brown butter this week my little blogging chums. Instead, we have a low fat, poor man’s menu starting with my mum’s rice salad…

… Oh stop crying, it’s for your own good!

Mum’s warm rice salad
Serves 6 / Hands on time 25 mins / Total on time 25 mins / V Vn Df
1 tsp rapeseed oil
1 cup of brown basmati rice
100g toasted cashews
1 small red onion, peeled and diced
4 sticks of celery, chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
3 handfuls baby spinach
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 tbs soy sauce
1 avocado, peeled and chopped

Method
1. Put one cup of rice in a saucepan and follow the packet instructions.
2. Place a large non-stick saucepan over a medium to high heat. Once hot, toast the cashews for a few minutes keeping them moving in the pan until they’re golden. Pour into a bowl, put to one side and add 1 tsp of oil into the pan. Over a medium heat fry the chopped onions for 10 mins until soft, stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, chop the celery, red pepper and half the cherry tomatoes, put to one side. In a small bowl, make the dressing by combing the zest and juice of the lemon along with the extra virgin olive oil and the soy sauce.
4. Once the rice is cooked, allow to cool for a few minutes, use this time to peel and chop the avocado. Transfer the warm rice to a large bowl along with the onions. Add the raw vegetables and including the spinach and pour over the dressing. Mix and serve immediately.

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