Wild Rice Salad with Strawberries & Citrusy Tahini Vinaigrette

We are in Minnesota for a much needed family vacation. I have to admit that it hasn't all been smooth sailing and that's mostly thanks to my body deciding that vacation = fall apart. I got a pretty epic summer cold and then my neck and left shoulder seized up, leaving me immobile for the past 3 days, thanks to a seven year old car accident injury. Did I mention that we drove from Denver to Minneapolis? Yep. It's been quite the trip so far. On the plus side, Riley is having a blast with his Minnesota grandparents, we all seem to be breathing a little easier now that we're getting settled in, the weather is perfection, annnnnnd there's this Wild Rice Salad. So it can't be all bad, right?

I love wild rice. It's so beautiful and satisfying in a variety of dishes. Casseroles? Um, yes. Soup? Duh. Salads? Absolutely. Plus, it is one of Minnesota's claims to fame (for good reason). Here, I've taken cooked, chilled wild rice and tossed it with some baby spinach leaves, beautiful red strawberries, and a creamy, citrusy tahini vinaigrette. It's an ideal summer lunch that packs tons of flavor, countless health benefits, and it is 100% added sugar free. WIN.

Citrus does some serious double duty in the dressing recipe: it acts as a sweetener and also adds a little acidity (along with some super healthy apple cider vinegar) to create a well-balanced vinaigrette. I only used orange juice but you could easily add fresh lemon or lime juice for a little extra zing. If you've never used tahini in salad dressing (it's most commonly used in hummus...surprise!) you should really get going on that. It's wonderfully creamy with a subtle nuttiness that adds oomph to salads, making them substantial but still light.

If you like this recipe, stay tuned because I’ll be posting no sugar added/refined grain free recipes from now until August 11th. During that time, I hope to open your mind to exploring new ways to be kind to your body. After all, it’s the only one you’ve got!

If you’re ready to learn more about Go Sugar Free, you can click here. If you decide to register, you’ll be making a massive change in your life that can’t do anything but help you become a better, healthier version of yourself.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Jacqueline’s philosophy but aren’t ready to commit to the GSF course, I urge you to get her eBook, 5 Easy Ways to Look Radiant Tomorrow Morning, and Don’t Waste Produce (DWP) Checklist (this is a HUGE help when it comes to no-waste meal planning and encouraging the consumption of more fresh, whole foods).

*This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Wild Rice Salad with Citrusy Tahini Dressing

Serves 2

Total time: 15 minutes, plus additional cooking time for the rice

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

For the Salad:

• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups cooked wild rice, cooled (follow package directions)
• 1 cup hulled and quartered strawberries

Instructions

1. Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If the dressing seems thick, add another tablespoons or so of orange juice or water.
2. In a large bowl, add the baby spinach leaves and top with the wild rice. Toss 2 or 3 times to combine.
3. Top with the strawberries, drizzle with the dressing, and serve.

Red White & Blue Prosecco Sangria

Ah, Sangria. It's the perfect way to refresh on a hot afternoon and an ideal cocktail to serve to guests. I love how Sangria leaves room for creativity. Red wine, white wine, and even sparkling wines make the perfect base. From there, you just need to add something sweet along with some fruit. It all comes together perfectly every time. This Prosecco Sangria is quite possibly the most refreshing sangria everrrrrrr. Just throwing that out there.

This time of year, something light and bubbly fits perfectly into any celebration. Here, I've used white peaches, blueberries and strawberries. Instead of adding anything sugary, I simply smashed an entire peach with the small bit of bourbon the recipe calls for, then poured it through a strainer into a pitcher. This recipe makes enough for 4-6 people but it is very easy to double or triple if needed.

If you've got some extra Prosecco lying around but perhaps a different variety of fruit, give it a try and use this recipe as a guide. It is extremely adaptable!

And with that I wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

Red, White & Blue Prosecco Sangria

Serves 4-6

Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 5 ripe (but not too ripe) white peaches, 1 left whole, the rest peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups strawberries, quartered
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 bottle Prosecco, thoroughly chilled

Instructions

1. Peel the peach that remained whole.
2. In a large bowl, combine the bourbon and the whole peach. Mash the peach with the bourbon and pour through a fine mesh strainer over a large pitcher, using a spatula to press all the liquid out.
3. Add the remaining peaches, the blueberries and strawberries to the pitcher with the peach bourbon.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 2-3 hours.
5. Just before serving, pour the Prosecco and lemon juice into the pitcher and stir gently to combine.
6. Serve immediately.

Notes

The level of sweetness in the recipe relies on the sweetness of the peaches you're using. If you find they are not as sweet as you'd like, feel free to add a little maple syrup to the peach bourbon mixture (I like it for the flavor and how easy it is to mix into a drink vs. honey).