Name: Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons butter; 1 cup uncooked brown rice; 2 cups water; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 large sweet potato (about 1 lb.), peeled and chopped into 1/2 – 3/4-inch chunks; 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped; 1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained; 1 small shallot, peeled & chopped (or 2 green onions); 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley; 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar; 1/4 cup white wine; 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard; 4 Tablespoons honey; 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic; 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

Scale

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large sweet potato (about 1 lb.), peeled and chopped into 1/2 – 3/4-inch chunks
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cups baby spinach leaves, chopped
1 15-oz. can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 small shallot, peeled & chopped (or 2 green onions)
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

For the Honey Dijon dressing:

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

In a medium saucepan (with tight-fitting lid) over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice has a nutty toasted scent to it and starts to “pop” a little.
Add water and salt and stir. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour or until the rice is tender. Do not lift the lid until after 45 minutes, then take a fork and quickly grab a few grains to test whether it’s done, covering again immediately. When done, turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the burner, covered.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 F. In a small mixing bowl, toss the sweet potato chunks with olive oil. Spread out onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until tender. Let both cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, toss the cooked rice & sweet potato with the greens, parsley, onion, & chickpeas. At this point, you can put the salad in a covered container in the fridge.
At serving time, toss the salad with some of the dressing (to taste–I used about 1/3 cup) and top with toasted pecans.

Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2015, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.