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This Fall Harvest Wild Rice Medley is packed with warming sweet and savory flavors that pair perfectly with anything you might be planning to put on your table this holiday season. Imagine roasted beets, apples, squash, crunchy pepitas, kale, juicy pomegranate arils, and nutty wild rice tossed in a tangy maple and apple cider vinaigrette.
(As a bonus, this also makes for a delicious next-day lunch!)
I think the best part about whipping up seasonal recipes is the thirst we have for doing so as a new season approaches. When the smell of summer starts to fill the air, we crave cool cucumbers, crisp string beans, and grilled everything; when the cooler weather starts to creep in, our hunger for squash, apples, and cauliflower is real. In winter? Give us all of the citrus, soups, and stews please! And well, unfortunately Spring doesn’t seem to exist anymore—global warming ate that one up.
When it came to planning for seasonal content here at Killing Thyme, I wanted to do a better job at bringing side dishes to the table. I tend to stray toward mains, and with the holidays coming up, having a solid selection of sides is critical.
Sprouted Crimson Lentils, Wild Rice, and Quinoa.
To make this recipe as nutritious as it is delicious, I opted for Floating Leaf Fine Foods‘ Sprouted Crimson Lentils, Wild Rice, and Quinoa blend. In this particular blend, you’ll find lentils, wild rice, brown rice, quinoa, and white sorghum. Simmered in vegetable broth, this blend fluffs up with so much flavor, which just adds to the blends natural nuttiness.
Floating Leaf Fine Foods products aren’t just versatile, they’re also ideal for those with specific dietary requirements like diabetes, celiac, or anyone looking for heart-healthy options. Their variety of grain and legume blends bring high quality plant-based proteins to your meals. For well-being, we should all be considering blends like this more often—and plain ol’ white rice a little less :)
To peruse their other beautiful blends, be sure to check out the company’s Website.
If you make this dish, snap a photo and tag me on the Insta @killing__thyme! I love seeing your creations, and you could be featured in my monthly newsletter <3
Fall Harvest Wild Rice Medley
Ingredients
Wild Rice Medley.
- 1 cup Floating Leaf Fine Foods Sprouted Crimson Lentil, Wild Rice and Quinoa Prairie Blend
- 3 1/4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup cubed squash, roasted
- 1 cup cubed apples, roasted
- 1 cup cubed beets, roasted
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground sage
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/3 cup toasted pepitas
- 2 cups roughly chopped kale; washed, ribs removed
Maple and Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
- 2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP pure maple syrup
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/8 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp Cracked black pepper
Garnish.
- Fresh pomegranate arils
Instructions
Wild Rice Medley.
- Pre-heat the oven to 420°F.
- Transfer the squash, apples, and beets to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil and add all of the spices listed from the salt through to the nutmeg. Stir until everything is evenly coated. Then, spread the squash, apples, and beets out onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, o until the squash and beets are tender.
- While the veggies roast, combine 1 cup of the wild rice blend with 3 1/4 cups of vegetable broth in a large pot. Bring it to a boil and let it boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Once 5 minutes has passed, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes. When done, remove the pot from the heat and let the rice stand for 5 minutes; then fluff with a fork.
Maple and Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
- Add all of the ingredients to a small jar or bowl and shake/whisk the mixture until it's well-blended; set aside.
Assembly.
- In a large bowl, combine the rice blend with the roasted squash, apples, and beets. Add the toasted pepitas and kale, and drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss to coat. Garnish the salad with pomegranate arils and serve warm.
