Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
A bright, light citrus rice salad with crisp vegetables, creamy avocado and feta
When prepping for my family reunion, I knew that there would be plenty of food, but I knew that I more than likely wouldn’t be able to enjoy it. I wanted to make sure that I had something with me that I could eat and enjoy with the rest of the family. I was going to be gone for a couple of days and I’d be in a hotel, so I wanted to make sure it was something that I could make ahead of time and it would hold up. I went through my recipes, racked my brain, and decided to throw something together on a whim. I looked through my cupboards and fridge and found some vegetables and rice, I knew I had cocktail shrimp in the freezer, it was time to create. After my sister-in-law had a few bites, she insisted that I add the recipe to the blog.
Serve with:
- Turkey Picnic Sandwich
- Grilled Chicken Thighs
What you need:
- Pot with Lid
- Measuring Cup
- Mixing Bowl
- Cutting Board and Knife
- Brown Rice Blend (I like the RiceSelect Royal Blend)
- Cocktail Shrimp
- Summer Squash
- Zucchini
- Cucumber
- Kale
- Avocado
- Feta
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Lemon Vinaigrette
The Rice
I truly enjoy all rice, but I love the texture and heartiness of a mixed rice. I can’t give you too many instructions here, other than follow the instructions on the package. This recipe calls for 2½ cups cooked rice, so make alterations to the package instructions as necessary. Once the rice is done, add it to a serving bowl and set it aside to cool.
The Vegetables
When making this salad, it is important to dice the vegetables to match the size of the rice. You don’t want to have huge pieces of vegetables that overwhelm the rice, you want each bite to be fairly uniform. I like to use summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, kale and avocado in this recipe. The flavors and textures are great, but certainly feel comfortable making substitutions based on what you have on hand and what you like.
I recommend slicing zucchini into 1/4″ rounds. Lay the rounds flat and make two or three (depending on how thick the vegetable is) slices, rotate the rounds 180° and make additional two or three slices (which creates the diced vegetable). You should continue this process with the summer squash and cucumber until you have around ¼ cup of each vegetable. Set aside.
I love different shapes and textures, therefore I decided to add some sautéed kale. Chop the kale into 1″-2″ strips (or buy the pre-packaged chopped kale) until you have 1 cup, packed firmly. Heat a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a sauté pan and add the kale. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until the kale begins to soften. Set aside to let it cool.
Next, it is avocado time. I like to use 1 large avocado, but you can certainly use 2 small ones. Cut the avocado open and remove the pit. Using your knife, dice the avocado within the skin, sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and set aside.
The Shrimp
For this recipe, I like to use precooked small cocktail shrimp, tails removed. If you don’t have precooked shrimp, you can certainly cook up some. I would recommend poaching or sautéing the shrimp in simple olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Not a fan of seafood, substitute shredded chicken for the shrimp.
Assemble the Salad
Once the rice is cooled, add the diced vegetables and kale to the serving bowl. Give the mixture a toss. Next, add the shrimp and crumbled feta cheese. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and give it a good toss. Scoop out the diced avocado into the salad and lightly toss the salad. I like to add the avocado last, to ensure that it stays in its diced form. Now, enjoy!
Brown Rice Shrimp Salad
Intolerances: Fructose, Gluten, Soy
Serves:
Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes
1 cup Brown Rice Blend (RiceSelect, Royal Blend)
1 lb Cocktail Shrimp (substitute shredded chicken)
1 Large Avocado
¼ cup Zucchini, diced
¼ cup Cucumber, diced
¼ cup Summer Squash, diced
1 cup Kale, chopped
1 Large Avocado (or 2 small), diced
¼ cup Feta, crumbled
½-¾ cups Lemon Vinaigrette
1 tsp Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
- Cook the rice per the package instructions. Once cooked, make sure to add it to a serving bowl and set aside to let it cool.
- Dice the zucchini, summer squash and cucumber into small pieces and add it to the serving bowl.
- Add the oil to a sauté pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Give the kale a rough chop so that it is in 1″-2″ strips and add it to the oil (this should be about a cup raw and firmly packed). Add a pinch of salt and toss until the kale begins to soften. Set it aside to cool.
- Cut open the avocado and remove the pit. Dice the avocado in the skin and once again, set it aside.
- Once the rice is cooled, add the zucchini, cucumber and squash to the bowl and toss.
- Once the kale is cooled, add it to the bowl and toss.
- Add the shrimp and feta to the salad, along with the Lemon Vinaigrette. Toss everything to coat.
- Top with the diced avocado and give one final toss to the salad.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.