Mediterranean rice salad | The Vegan Society

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked long grain brown rice (from 1 1/3 cups of raw rice)
• 2 2/3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic or to taste, peeled and minced
• freshly squeezed juice of 1.5 lemons
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped small
• half 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil OR Italian flat leaf parsley
• 1 1/3 cups spinach leaves, washed, stemmed, and chopped (to save time use prewashed baby spinach)
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped small
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions (scallions or chives)
• 1/3 cup pitted Kalamata or regular black olives, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts OR 1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds (toast on a flat baking pan for 15 minutes at 250 degrees)
• 2/3 teaspoon dried oregano leaf
• 2/3 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper optional:
• 1/3 cup cooked black beans (canned or home cooked). If using canned beans, drain, rinse and then drain well in a sieve.