Spinach and Wild Rice Salad

Though I have modified this recipe somewhat, the credit for this salad goes to Mehan's Kitchen. When I first saw her recipe I thought that it was a wonderful way to use leftover rice (which always seems to be tucked in my fridge somewhere) and, since I almost always have spinach in my crisper, it would be quick and easy to put together. The flavor and texture combinations sounded interesting, and I wasn't disappointed at all with the finished result.

The original recipe called for Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice mix, but I prefer to make my own. I also added some red onion and though I used walnuts as called for in the original recipe, I think freshly toasted pine nuts would be excellent too. For a moment I entertained the idea of adding some feta but in the end decided to keep it simple. The overall taste was lovely, and the rice seemed to fit right in. I'll definitely make this again! A printable recipe card can be found at the end of this post.

Spinach and Wild Rice Salad

2 cups leftover long grain and wild rice mix
4 cups baby spinach
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
handful of grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans, or pine nuts)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss salad ingredients together. Mix oil, vinegar and lemon juice together, pour over salad. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss. Let stand in fridge for about 30 minutes, toss once more and serve. Enjoy!