Crunchy Brown Rice Salad

So you were intrigued by the raspberry-rhubarb muffins. But I know you are secretly waiting to find out what else I made with my farmer's market frenzy of food. And boy, do I have a yummy recipes for you! There was a recipe in the latest Bon Appetit magazine that looked delectable, but didn't include any of the veggies I purchased. So I improvised, kicked the recipe up a notch, and added a variety of the vegetables eagerly sitting in my fridge. The result: a fantastic grain salad that provided five meals! Crazy! Lunch, dinner, lunch, lunch, dinner...Check out the optional ingredients you can add in to the salad, so that you're not eating the same meal over and over again.


Crunchy Brown Rice Salad (inspired by Brown Rice Salad with Crunchy Sprouts and Seeds, from Bon Appetit) 
Servings: 5 (about 1-1 1/2 cups per serving)


Ingredients:
-1/2 cup brown rice
-1 cup lentils
-2 garlic greens, divided & chopped
(use scallions or chives instead!)
-1/3 cup olive oil
-juice from 1 lemon
-1 zucchini, grated
-8 radishes, chopped
-1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
-1/3 cup almonds, toasted & chopped
-1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
-1/2 teaspoon pepper, plust more to taste


Directions:
1. Cook brown rice according to package; cook lentils according to package
2. In food processor, combine 1/2 of garlic greens, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to create dressing.
3. Combine remaining 1/2 of garlic greens with rice, lentils, zucchini, radishes, seeds, and nuts. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. 


Optional add-ins:
-4 raw asparagus spears, cut into 1 inch pieces
-2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola cheese
-2 tablespoons dried currants, raisins, or craisins


So, have you visited your farmer's market yet?