Cold Rice Salads:
Oriental Rice Salad Recipe

This Oriental rice salad recipe is both healthy and delicious.

Easy to make on hot summer days, it is one of my favorite summer salad recipes.

Cold rice salads are a nice change and a great addition to a buffet table or barbeque menu.

This one is also very healthy, with lots of fresh vegetables.

Feel free to vary the vegetables to suit your taste.

The raisins add a bit of sweetness but you can leave them out or substitute chopped apricots.

Rice Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked rice
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup raisins
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cook the rice according to package directions or start with leftover cooked rice.

In a large bowl add rice, bean sprouts, raisins, red pepper, green onion, celery and mushrooms. Add spinach and cashews and toss gently.

In a small bowl blend soy sauce, oil, garlic and lemon juice. Pour over salad and toss well.

This rice salad tastes even better if left to marinate for an hour or so before eating.

• You can switch things up a bit by replacing some of the vegetables with finely chopped snow peas or chinese cabbage.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.