|

Mango, Avocado and Forbidden Rice Salad {Meatless Monday}

Remember how I’m on a mission to add more colorful salads to my winter dinners?  Again, it’s not that I don’t like them, but for some reason, in the winter time, I just don’t make many salads.  Whenever I do, I rejoice in how colorful and fresh and delicious they are – kind of like a burst of spring or summer in the middle of an all too dreary time of the year.

So the other day I was scouting the aisles at Sprouts (do you have them by you?) and I spied Forbidden Rice.  Sounds ominous, I know, but I’ve read about it, and was curious.  It’s almost black looking uncooked, but while it’s cooking, the water turns brilliant purple!  So purple, I totally expected to smell grape or blueberry or something crazy like that when I lifted the lid.

Mango Avocado Salad w/Forbidden Rice|Craving Something Healthy

 

Of course, I know – and so should you – that anything with deep, bright colors is full of antioxidants that protect the body from damaging free radicals.  Let me clarify that – anything with bright colors that actually comes from the ground.  Skittles and Lucky Charms do not count!  So hello antioxidants!  I’m thinking the antioxidants in that pot of forbidden rice I cooked up should turn back the clock at least 20 years for me 🙂

I used the rice as the base for this colorful salad which has luscious avocado and fresh mango (another Sprouts find – love them!).  The recipe and dressing is adapted from a cookbook called A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry.  The curry paste in the dressing adds a lovely spicy thai kick to the salad.

 

Mango Avocado Salad w/Forbidden Rice|Craving Something Healthy

 

I almost feel like spring is right around the corner with this beautiful salad.  I subbed light coconut milk for the cream in the original dressing recipe, so it’s light, completely vegan, and clean eating at its best.

 

Mango Avocado Salad w/Forbidden Rice|Craving Something Healthy

 

 

Mango Avocado and Forbidden Rice Salad

Mango, Avocado and Forbidden Rice Salad

No ratings yet
Print Pin
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 side servings or 2 large dinner servings
Calories:

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Forbidden Rice - rinsed and cooked according to package directions
  • 3 cups mixed baby greens
  • 1 cup mixed tender herbs watercress, cilantro, flat leaf parsley, mint
  • 2 scallions sliced thin, green parts only
  • 1 large ripe mango peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 avocado pitted and cubed
  • juice of 1/2 lime

Dressing

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon agave syrup or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon hot curry paste
  • 1/4 cup peanut oil
  • 1/4 cup light coconut milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook rice according to package directions, adding 1 teaspoon salt if desired. Let cool to room temperature.
  • Remove any stems from the herbs and toss with the baby greens in a large bowl.
  • Add scallions.
  • Slice or cube mango and avocado. Add both to the greens.
  • Squeeze lime juice over the avocado to prevent browning.
  • Add cooled rice to the bowl of salad and toss gently.
  • For the dressing, add all ingredients to the bowl of a small food processor, or blend ingredients with an immersion blender.
  • Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to combine.

Notes

Recipe adapted from A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry
Did you make this recipe?Tag me @CravingSomethingHealthy!

 

Have you eaten any summer food lately?  What do you crave in January?

Eat well!

12 Comments

  1. Yum, Anne, this looks delicious! 🙂

    1. Thanks Rebecca! I agree colorful food always looks so appetizing and tastes better. Thanks for visiting!

    1. Yes – so true! It makes me feel happy just looking at the colors in this salad :). Thanks for stopping by Sonali!

  2. Anne, Your recipes always look and sound son wonderful! Such an inspiration!

    1. Awww – thanks so much Diane 🙂

  3. Mango and avocado are one of my favourite combinations! This is making me want warmer weather ASAP, haha. Love the addition of forbidden rice, I can only imagine the great texture it gives the salad! Happy Monday 🙂

    1. I know – funny how some foods just make you think of warm (or cold) weather! Hope you have a good week Genevieve!

    1. Time to give it a try – it really adds a nice color and nutty flavor to your dish. Thanks for stopping by Kalyn 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.