Eating healthy this time of year can be quite the drag. Make this Winter Brown Rice and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Maple Vinaigrette to switch things up a bit!
Thank you to Minute® Ready to Serve for sponsoring this post! I had so much fun creating this incredible Winter Brown Rice and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Maple Vinaigrette that’ll be on rotation in my house from now on!
Even though I work from home, it’s important to me to have meals ready to go in the fridge at all times. I don’t usually leave myself a lot of time for making an elaborate lunch, so dishes like this salad are perfect to eat throughout the week. Instead of spending 45 minutes making rice and quinoa from scratch, I’ll often reach for Minute® Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa for a quick and easy meal. I would have LOVED to have these cups when I worked in an office because you can heat one up for 60 seconds and then eat it right from the cup! It’s genius. They’re no mess and you get a wholesome lunch in no time. I love that the cups and film are BPA free, too. As you’ll see in today’s recipe, I like mixing the Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa with a protein like chicken or beans, a green like kale, and additional flavorings like feta cheese and pomegranate. You can feel good about your meal knowing that you’re getting a good source of fiber, 57g of whole grains, and a complex carbohydrate that’s also gluten-free and preservative-free. You definitely won’t find another single serve option like this at the grocery store. In addition to the Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa, they also have Ready to Serve Whole Grain Brown Rice. If you’re stuck in a lunchtime rut, this hearty salad will keep you full all afternoon and make all of your co-workers envious. Be sure to check out the Minute Ready to Serve website for tons of recipes and ideas to use up all of your Minute Rice. What’s your favorite way to use rice? Rice pudding is my all time fave and I’ve been craving it since I made this recipe. BRB, going to fulfill that craving now!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Minute® Ready to Serve.
- 2 containers (1 pack) Minute® Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa
- 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
- 1 cup kale, shredded
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 6 tbsp lemon juice
- a pinch of salt
- a dash of black pepper
- Remove film from Minute Ready to Serve Brown Rice & Quinoa
- container. Empty contents into a small skillet or saucepan and break up any clumps.
- Add 1 tablespoon of water and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute, stirring
- occasionally.
- Remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 minute.
- Add shredded chicken, kale, feta, pomegranate, and walnuts. Toss to combine.
- To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt and
- pepper until well combined.
- Add the dressing to the rice mixture and toss until everything is coated. Serve chilled or at
- room temperature.
