And the thing with most salads: they are deceiving. How so? The dressing. Loads and loads of oil in most dressings.
Dietitian's
recommendation: next time you buy a salad dressing, check the
ingredient list. The ingredients are listed in descending order by
weight. I bet you a pretty penny that oil is in the first three
ingredients.
This salad is low in oil compared to most salad dressing recipes.
Much of the flavour comes from the miso paste, a fermented ingredient that offers probiotics and enzymes to improve your overall intestinal flora.
I
use miso paste a lot, especially in salad dressings. It gives a very
distinct taste that will instantly make your dish taste Asia-inspired.
To purchase your own, try any Asian supermarket.
Once bought, store in the fridge - it can be kept for quite some time without any concern or change in quality.
Dietitian's
recommendation: soaking the rice overnight cuts down the cooking time
from 45 minutes to just under 20 minutes. Plus, there are loads of other
benefits to soaking that you can read about in this PUL article.
Of course you don't need to soak your rice... it's just that I don't like waiting around for my food to be ready. You know?
Note: green beans contain anti-nutrients and may be mildly toxic if consumed raw, causing nausea, sickness and abdominal pain in some individuals. This may not be an issue for everyone or if consumed in small quantities, but as a precautionary measure it may be best to briefly cook the beans to avoid any abdominal discomfort.
~~~
▸ ▹ Vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, nut-free
Yield: 2 large servings, 4 small servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min (excluding soaking time)
Total Time: 30 min
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min (excluding soaking time)
Total Time: 30 min
INGREDIENTS: SALAD
1/2 cup brown rice, soaked overnight*
1/2 vegetable bouillon cube
10 long flat green beans, cut into thirds**
2 medium red bell peppers, diced
1/2 medium red onion, minced
INGREDIENTS: Dressing
1 small lime, juiced
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp miso paste
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar, or other vinegar
1 cm chunk fresh ginger***
pepper to taste
Directions
- Drain the soaked brown rice and add to a medium pot over high heat. Add 1 cup of water and crush in the bouillon cube. Note: if the bouillon cube is added without crushing it can get stuck to the bottom of the pot and not evenly distribute. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and partially cover with a lid. Cook until al dente, about 20 minutes. If a small amount of moisture remains, remove the rice from the element and put the lid on tightly. The rice will absorb the extra moisture and become more fluffy, and less gummy.
- With the rice is cooking, cut the vegetables and prepare the salad dressing by adding all the ingredients to a blender, and blend on high until well combined. Note: if using ginger powder instead of fresh ginger, you can whisk this in a bowl instead of blending.
- Add the cooked rice and vegetables into a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss until coated. Enjoy immediately or allow the rice to marinate in the sauce in the fridge and serve later.
Notes
- *If not soaking overnight, cook in 1.5 cups water and cook for 45 minutes.
- **Green beans contain anti-nutrients and may be mildly toxic if consumed raw, causing nausea, sickness and abdominal pain in some individuals. This may not be an issue for everyone or if consumed in small quantities, but as a precautionary measure it may be best to briefly cook the beans to avoid any abdominal discomfort. If choosing to do this, cook in boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente.
- *** Substitute with 1/4 tsp ground ginger if not using fresh.
- Variations: add any vegetables you like!
- Speed-it-up: by soaking the rice the night before, or at least a couple hours before preparing!
- Storage: store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two days.