Heart-Healthy Refreshing Rice Salad
Elevate your mealtime with this *Heart-Healthy Refreshing Rice Salad*, a vibrant fusion of wholesome ingredients designed to support your well-being without compromising on flavor. This easy-to-make recipe features nutrient-packed brown rice as its hearty base, tossed with crisp cucumber, juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet red bell pepper, and creamy avocado for a delightful mix of textures and colors. The light, zesty dressing—made with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a hint of garlic—ties the flavors together beautifully. Packed with fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins, this dish is perfect as a nutritious side or a light main course. Ready in under an hour, this versatile salad can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature, making it ideal for meal prep or picnics. Treat yourself to this refreshing, heart-healthy delight today!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 0.5 small red onion
- 0.5 cup parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium avocado
Instructions
Rinse the brown rice under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of brown rice with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer the rice for about 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool completely.
While the rice is cooling, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the red onion and parsley.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, cucumber, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and parsley.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the rice and vegetable mixture, then gently toss to combine all ingredients well.
Peel and dice the avocado, and gently fold it into the salad just before serving.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve the salad chilled or at room temperature.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
853 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 53.2 g | 68% | |
| Saturated Fat | 8.2 g | 41% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5.5 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 1252 mg | 54% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 89.2 g | 32% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 21.2 g | 76% | |
| Total Sugars | 16.6 g | ||
| Protein | 13.9 g | 28% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 188 mg | 14% | |
| Iron | 5.5 mg | 31% | |
| Potassium | 2009 mg | 43% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
