This salad goes well at gatherings. It has a colorful contrast of colors with a variety of textures and a hint of orange.
Ingredients for Wild Rice Salad
- 3-4 cups cooked wild rice, instructions how to cook wild rice
- 1½ cups cauliflower rice
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 cup dried apricots, diced (could use dried cranberries, raisins, or fresh diced apple)
- ½ cup sunflower seeds, dry roasted
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds, dry roasted
- ½ cup sliced green onions/scallions
Ingredients for Salad Dressing
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 3 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar, or rice vinegar
- 1½ Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, (any fancy mustard, not hotdog mustard)
- ½ tsp pure orange extract, optional/will enhance orange flavor/DO NOT over use
- a few drops of hot sauce if you like a bit of zing (sriracha hot chili sauce)
Instructions for Salad Dressing
- Add chia seeds to orange juice being sure to whisk a few times during first 2-3 minutes, as this will prevent seeds from clumping.
- Add remaining salad dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
- It is ideal to allow dressing to sit at least 45 minutes or leave overnight as chia seeds take longer to hydrate in juice vs water.
Putting it Together
- In a large bowl, add the cooked cooled wild rice, shredded cauliflower, julienned carrots, diced peppers, your choice of dried fruit, pumpkin and sunflower seeds and scallions.
- Toss to combine. Add salad dressing and again toss to combine.
- Can be served immediately or chilled. Leftovers keep well for 4 to 5 days.