The Washington heat is only getting worse, so we hope your summer calendar is full of breezy picnics and pool parties. To help you impress your friends at the next potluck, we’ve got the perfect summer side dish that’s just the right combination of healthy, fancy, and fun.
This salad is a powerhouse of nutrition and good-for-you whole foods, says dietitian Paulette Thompson, who created the recipe.
“It’s a combination of foods that are recommended that we eat more of: whole grains, nuts, and fruit,” she says. One serving provides more than a quarter of your daily fiber needs, and the nuts and olive oil provide the good types of fats.
Yield: 4 servings
Calories per serving: 320
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked wild and brown-rice blend (or whole wheat orzo, bulgur, quinoa, or other small whole grain)
1/3 cup slivered almonds
¼ cup orange juice
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed
1 cup fresh blackberries, rinsed
Steps:
1) Prepare rice (or other grain) according to package directions.
2) While rice is cooking, toast slivered almonds in a small skillet over medium low heat for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
3) Put cooked rice in serving dish.
4) Measure orange juice into a small bowl. Add salt. Whisk in olive oil.
5) Pour orange juice mixture over rice and stir to blend.
6) Add nuts and herbs to rice mixture.
7) Gently mix in fresh raspberries and blackberries.
8) Cover and refrigerate. Serve chilled.
Paulette Thompson, MS, RD, is a public-health nutritionist for the DC government and the owner of a nutrition education and counseling services business in Cheverly.
