No completely vegetarian options for Chickadee, though I do have a side dish recipe somewhere with sauteed wild mushrooms, craisins and what-not mixed into wild rice that’s pretty tasty!

It is the orange juice and honey with cilantro that makes my Indian heart sing with joy!

Delish!!

2 cups cooked rice
2 celery stalks, chopped (optional)
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp. capers
dash garlic salt
salt
pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar or lemon juice

Combine vinegar and oil with salt and pepper. Add rice and vegetables, toss lightly. Cover and chill. Note: also good with peas and basil. Can also use honey mustard dressing.

• Salt
• 1 cup rice
• 3 green onions, cut into 3” lengths
• 1 bunch parsley, stems removed
• ¼ c chopped mixed herbs, such as basil, tarragon, mint and chives
• 3 T olive oil, divided
• Juice of 1 lemon, divided
• ¾ lb cooked medium shrimp, cut in bite size pieces
• ½ lb cherry tomatoes
• ½ c pine nuts

Fill a saucepan 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 T salt and the rice and cook rice uncovered until tender – about 13 minutes. Drain rice in a strainer and rinse it under running water to remove any starch.

Chop green onions, parsley and herbs until finely minced. Add 2T olive oil and mix well.

Shake rice dry and place in mixing bowl. Season with all but 1 T of herb mixture and half the lemon juice. Mix well.

Combine shrimp and cherry tomatoes in a mixing bowl. Toss w/ a little salt, the remaining olive oil, remaining lemon juice and remaining herb mixture.

Toast pine nuts in a small heavy skillet over medium heat about 5 minutes. Be careful – they burn easily!

Add 2/3 shrimp/tomato mixture and 2/3 pine nuts to the rice and fold gently. Season to taste with salt and more lemon juice if necessary. Scatter remaining ingredients over top, or use to garnish if plated individually.

Also, I love making rice and bean burritos, very easy and healthy when you’re short on time and/or motivation. Just cook some rice (any kind, but Rice-a-Roni Nature’s Way Long Grain and Wild Rice is great in them), then put it in a tortilla with some heated beans and such, Green Giant makes Southwest Style Corn w/black beans, and also a Mexicorn with yummy add-ins. Put in some cheese, salsa, whatever. Yum!

i always use pasta (rice, in this case); diced tomatoes (fresh would be great but i have also used canned; drain them if you use canned); newman’s own light balsamic vinaigrette; light italian salad dressing; corn.
i have also added artichoke hearts (drained and chopped) and black beans (drained).

basically, i put all the non-liquid ingredients in a big honkin’ bowl and pour over a lot of the vinaigrette and a little of the italian dressings. (you could use just one or the other, but i like them mixed.) mix and mingle and taste. the pasta version is better if it sits in the fridge for a little while…rice may be the same.

ok. maybe that’s just random and rambly, but i am telling you, the pasta version is good enough that i think a rice version would be divine. plus, don’t you have a lot of produce to use up? yes? good.