Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges (and Cooking Matters)

Posted on November 3, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Over the past six weeks I have been a volunteer chef for Cooking Matters. If you haven’t heard of Cooking Matters, I suggest you check it out. Their website articulates their impressive mission:

Cooking Matters courses teach family members skills that will last a lifetime and more as they share them with relatives and friends. When families practice what they’ve learned in Cooking Matters courses—how to plan, purchase, and prepare healthy, tasty, and affordable foods at home—they are winning the fight against childhood hunger and protecting themselves from the destructive consequences of poor child nutrition.

Once a week, approximately 15 participants, a volunteer nutritionist, a volunteer assistant, the course coordinator, and myself all gathered to prepare a healthy meal together and discuss nutrition and technique. Each week we focused on something different and each week participants took home a bag of fresh groceries so that they could replicate for their families the meal we made in class. I find the whole idea brilliant!

Spending time with the participants was humbling. Their enthusiasm was contagious and their appreciation obvious.  At the end of the course, each one gave me a big hug and expressed the most sincere gratitude. It was incredibly touching.

Not only was I enthralled by the participants, but also I fell head over heels in love with the Cooking Matters recipes! They exceeded my expectations in the best way possible. Each recipe was interesting, delicious, loaded with healthy grains and nutrients, and easy to prepare. I found myself making several of the recipes over and over at home for my family. (In fact, there is a chicken recipe that I have made four times, yet every time we have eaten it before I have had the chance to photograph it!)

I found this Brown Rice and Mandarin Orange salad to be particularly wonderful. It is a perfect side to a protein, yet stands up well on its own for a vegetarian lunch or dinner. It is very filling and fresh tasting. I jazzed it up by adding one of my favorite ingredients, wild rice, however, using only brown rice works just fine. I left a large bowl of this in my fridge for a week and ate a healthy helping for lunch every day!

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If you are interested in reading about other blogger experiences with Cooking Matters you can check out these posts:

Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin Oranges:

  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1/2 cup wild rice
  • 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1 cup mandarin oranges, canned in light syrup
  • 3 scallions
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup canola oil

Cook both types of rice according to package directions and set aside.

Drain mandarin oranges and reserve juice.

Rinse and chop scallions.

In a medium bowl mix Mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, scallions,
almonds and rice.

In another bowl whisk together lemon juice, mandarin orange juice,
and pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until dressing
forms.

Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Let rest at room
temperature for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

 

Filed under: Main Dish, orange, rice, Side | 2 Comments »

Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad

Posted on August 29, 2011 by kitchenbelle

I don’t think I have mentioned on this blog that while I was in college I did a mini term abroad to the island of Martinique.  While geographically in the Caribbean, Martinique is considered to be a “department of France.” While in Martinique I lived with a lovely host family and studied French, Creole, and the culture of the island. The trip was one the best experiences of my life, as I fell in love with the easy going pace of life that contained hints of what I love about France sans the often uptight rules and rigidity of French culture.

The reason I mention this is because last week I picked up a cookbook on sale at Boarder’s. The cover boasted it contained the best recipes of the Caribbean.  It was so cheap I didn’t think twice about the purchase and it was only when I got home that I realized what a great “find” I had picked up. Flipping through the pages of gorgeous photos reminded me of dishes I hadn’t thought about in years! I decided instantly to make the tomato and hearts of palm salad that was served regularly at the table of my host family in Martinique. It is a very simple salad that was served without much thought, sort of the way we might serve a mixed green salad with dinner.  It is easy to make last minute and is a delicious and healthy addition to any roast or sandwich. I served ours over a bed of greens along with Lime Roasted Chicken.

This was a fun way to bring the Caribbean to Boston during hurricane Irene! I was flooded with memories of my time on the island at first bite; the thick humid air, the smell of my host mother’s perfume, and the strong citrusy taste of Shrubb (a traditional liqueur made during the Christmas season).

Aren’t the powers of our senses incredible? The way that a single taste can induce a rush of memories is pretty amazing if you ask me. It ranks pretty high as one of my favorite reasons to cook.

Tomato and Hearts of Palm Salad:

  • 4 ripe tomatoes
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1- 14 oz. can of hearts of palm
  • the juice of one lime
  • 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

Slice tomatoes and arrange on serving platter.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over sliced tomatoes. Drain the can of hearts of palm. Cut them into 1/2 inch slices and arrange over tomatoes on platter.  Make the dressing by whisking lime juice, mustard, and oil in a bowl. Drizzle over salad.

Adapted from The Food and Cooking of the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Filed under: Appetizer, salad, Side, tomato | 5 Comments »

Vegetable Orzo

Posted on July 28, 2011 by kitchenbelle

Here is an easy way to use up odd vegetables to create a satisfying dinner. This dish stands well on its own for an easy weeknight meal or can be used as a side served warm or room temperature. I served it along with some grilled white fish.

Vegetable Orzo:

  • 1 lb. box of orzo
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, cut into one-inch segments (tough ends discarded)
  • 1 yellow pepper, diced
  • 2 14.5-oz cans chopped tomatoes
  • 1 14.5-oz can quartered artichoke hearts
  • one handful kalamata olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Boil and drain orzo according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add asparagus segments and yellow pepper. Heat until just tender.  Stir in crushed tomatoes.  Cook for few minutes until heated through and then gently stir in artichoke hearts and olive slices.

While orzo is draining in colander, add half of the tomato mixture to the pot the orzo boiled in. Add the orzo and toss quickly in the sauce then add the remaining sauce. Toss to combine. Serve in individual bowls garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese. May be served warm or at room temperature.

A kitchenbelle.com original.

Filed under: artichoke, asparagus, Main Dish, olives, orzo, peppers, Side, tomato, VEGETARIAN | 2 Comments »

Italian Style Baked White Fish with Flavorful Rice

Posted on May 12, 2010 by kitchenbelle

My husband requested some white fish for dinner and as always, I am happy to oblige his cravings! Baked white fish is one of my favorite meals so I looked forward to making this delicious weeknight dinner.

The basis of this fish recipe is something my mom has been making for years. It’s a favorite dinner of hers and mine and whenever dinner ended up just being the two of us, this is what she would make. I believe it is something my grandmother used to “throw” together when my mom was young. It is almost too simple to call a recipe, but I think it is definitely worth sharing. This is actually the first time I have made it and it came out almost as good as when my mom makes it! 

I decided to serve the fish with rice and roasted broccoli for a satisfying, colorful, healthy and complete meal.  Rather than plain old rice, I pumped up the flavor and nutrients by caramelizing some shallots and onions along with some fresh garlic and then fluffed it in to the cooked rice. (This is explained below.)   

Enjoy!

Italian Style Baked White Fish with Flavorful Rice:

  • 2 white fish filets, approx. 3/4 lb. each
  • 2.5 cups of water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup long grain brown rice, rinsed under running water
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 1  (14.5) ounce can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, oregano (I like using Del Monte brand)
  • 2 fresh scallions (green onions), chopped

Bring the water or broth to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes (or according to package directions).

Meanwhile, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan over low heat. Add the onion, shallot, and garlic and cook over very low heat.  (You can leave this mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally, the entire time the rice is cooking. Doing so will really sweeten the onions and shallots bringing out their wonderful flavors.)

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a small mixing bowl combine Italian breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup of olive oil, and fresh chives. Stir well. Rinse fish with cold water and pat until completely dry. Place fish in a glass baking dish.  Spread a thick layer of crumbs over the fish and pat them down.  Spoon the diced tomatoes over the fish.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake fish uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until fish is done.  (How long you cook the fish will depend upon the thickness of the filet.) 

When the rice is done, fluff with a fork and use a wooden spoon to stir the onion mixture into the rice.  Stir in chopped scallions. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve fish with rice.

Here I spread a thick layer of breadcrumbs over the fish.

Here I spooned the diced tomatoes over the breadcrumbs.

A Kitchenbelle.com original!

Filed under: chives, fish, Main Dish, rice, Side, tomato | 11 Comments »

Wild Rice Salad

Posted on April 22, 2010 by kitchenbelle

When I made the Mushroom and Wild Rice Casserole I wasn’t thinking straight! The recipe called for about 2 cups of cooked wild rice but I didn’t account for the fact that rice nearly triples its size when cooked. I ended up with quite a bit of extra cooked wild rice in my fridge. Not a problem, though, because I LOVE WILD RICE!

There was no way I was going to waste the extra so I did some online searching for a quick and easy wild rice salad recipe and I was immediately drawn to this recipe on Simply Recipes.

Until Kelly mentioned it, I had no idea that Wild Rice is a “Minnesota thing.” When I served this salad to my family, my brother-in-law, who is also from Minnesota, was quite vocal about how much he loved this salad! He had no idea about my infatuation with wild rice and said if he had known, he would have asked his dad to bring some out with him this weekend. Unfortunately, his dad had already departed Minnesota so I won’t be tasting any authentic Minnesota wild rice any time soon!  Next time Ed! 🙂

In my opinion, the quality that makes this salad so great is the texture. There is quite a bit of satisfying crunch.

Remember to chop each component to uniform size so that each bite includes a little bit of each ingredient. You don’t want one bite to contain nothing but a giant chunk of celery and the next bite to contain a giant piece of green onion. (I talk more about the importance of chopping uniformly here.)

Each bite should contain a little bit of everything. Doing so allows for each bite to be a little dance party in your mouth!  The peas pop, the pine nuts snap, the celery crunches (and so on) and they are all united by the chewy grains of wild rice. Oh the fun! 🙂

Wild Rice Salad:

  • 2-3 cups cooked wild rice
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 4-6 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas*
  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 -1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2-4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 teaspoons sugar

In a medium bowl combine rice, dried cranberries, celery, green onions, frozen peas, and pine nuts. Use a wooden spoon to gently combine.

In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss gently to evenly distribute dressing. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

*If you plan to serve this dish immediately, use thawed peas. If you are storing overnight in the fridge, frozen peas will defrost by the time you serve.

Adapted from this recipe found on Simply Recipes.

Filed under: Appetizer, gluten free, Main Dish, pine nuts, salad, Side, VEGETARIAN | 10 Comments »

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