Thyme-Infused Rice Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pine Nuts

Brown Rice, cooked with Sweet Onion and fresh Thyme, tossed with a sweet-tart Apple, dried Cranberries and Pine Nuts. A healthy snack or a great holiday side dish.

Serves 6

RECIPE SOURCE Food and Wine, 2010

Directions

To Prepare Dish ahead of Time:

1. Heat olive oil. Add rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted. Add onion and thyme and cook over low heat, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over very low heat until water is absorbed and grains are tender, about 45 minutes. Cool on a baking sheet.

3. Toast pine nuts (or nuts of choice) in a 350 F oven for 5 minutes. Cool, reserve.

4. Whisk olive oil and vinegar together with shallot. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked and cooled rice, apple, cranberries, and parsley to the rice. Toss well. Store pine nuts on the side.

When ready to serve:

1. Reheat rice in the microwave until hot, or in a covered, oven-safe casserole dish for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through.

2. Sprinkle with pine nuts, and heat 5 minutes more.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon olive oil

• 3/4 cup brown rice

• 1 small onion, sweet minced

• 1 thyme sprig

• 1 1/4 cup water

• Salt

• 2 tablespoon pine nuts toasted (or nuts of choice)

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

• 1/2 small shallot minced

• Salt and pepper

• 1 large apple honey crisp or other sweet/tart; cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1/4 cup cranberries, dehydrated

• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley