It’s summertime and that means it’s salad season.  Try this Middle Eastern inspired wild rice and fresh herb salad to accompany just about any meal. When you are shopping for ingredients, make sure to do your part to protect the environment by choosing organic rice.

The Science

A study published in the Journal of Cleaner Productioncompared the environmental impact of rice grown in China that had been in organic production for 5, 10 and 15 years to that of conventionally produced rice. They found that organic rice was more environmentally friendly than conventional rice. In addition, the longer rice was in organic production, the more sustainable it became.Based on this study, organic rice systems have the potential of being recommended as sustainable agricultural practices in comparison with conventional practices.

The Recipe

Photo credit: Senate Democrats

Ingredients

• 1 cup organic wild rice blend
• 3 cups water
• 2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 can of organic garbanzo beans
• 1 medium onion
• 2 Tbsp. chopped organic fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp. organic fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. organic fresh dill
• Salt and fresh ground organic pepper to taste.

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil.  Add the wild rice and cook on a low boil for about 40 minutes or until the rice is tender but still firm. While the rice is cooking, thinly slice the onion, caramelize it in a frying pan on medium/low heat and then set aside. Once the rice is cooked, drain the water and put the rice into a salad bowl. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and add them to the rice. Add the curry powder, cumin, fresh herbs, and caramelized onions to the rice and garbanzo beans. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Banner Photo Credit: Joanna Kosinska; unsplash.com