Southwestern Rice & Pinto Bean Salad

From EatingWell: April/May 2005

The slightly chewy texture of ruddy-red Wehani rice makes it perfect for salads. Serve it mounded on a bed of Boston lettuce or curly frisée.

6 servings, 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Diabetes appropriate | Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Low sodium | Heart healthy | Healthy weight | High fiber | Gluten free |

Ingredients

• 1 cup Wehani brown rice, (see Note) or brown basmati rice
• 2-2 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed and peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, rinsed
• 8 scallions, trimmed and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium bell pepper, (green, yellow, orange or red), chopped (about 1 cup)

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Preparation

1. Combine rice and water (2 cups water if using brown basmati) in a 3-quart saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until all the water has been absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat; let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Spread the rice out on a large baking sheet until cooled to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, toast cumin in a small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes for seeds, 1 minute for ground cumin. Transfer to a blender or food processor and let cool for several minutes. Add oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper and process until the garlic is finely chopped.
3. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and toss with beans, scallions and bell pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

• Note: Wehani rice, an aromatic brown rice related to basmati, has a sweet, nutty flavor, a light reddish color, and splits like wild rice when cooked. It can be found in the health-foods section of large supermarkets or at natural-foods stores.

Nutrition

Per serving: 325 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 49 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 9 g fiber; 125 mg sodium; 513 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Fiber (38% dv), Iron (20% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 1 1/2 fat