Nutrition meets flavor in our Brown Rice & Red Beans Salad
Ingredients
1 cup cooked brown rice (cooled to room temperature)
1 cup cooked red kidney beans (if using canned beans, drain and rinse them)
1 small red bell pepper & yellow bell pepper (diced)
1/2 cup cucumber, diced & 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil & lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
In a large bowl, combine the cooked brown rice, cooked red kidney beans, diced red and yellow bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, and chopped cilantro.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard (if using), minced garlic, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the rice and bean mixture and toss everything together until well combined. Make sure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly.
Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Before serving, give the salad a final toss and garnish with additional cilantro leaves, if desired.