This month I would like to share a recipe with you from my colleague and friend Dr Alan Desmond.

Dr Alan is a UK based plant-based gastroenterologist, sharing his wealth of evidence-based knowledge on plant-based diets to the masses through Instagram, podcasts, conferences, and in his 2021 book The Plant Based Diet Revolution. You can find this recipe on page 116 of his book, amidst 79 other incredible plant powered and delicious recipe ideas.

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This is a big salad with a lot of components, but it’s worth the effort. Alongside the nuts and seeds, the wild rice brings plenty of protein to this dish. This recipe is a great one for all year round, but why not try the ‘warm salad’ option for the colder days of autumn and winter. This recipe makes a great one to batch cook for your work lunch, as a light meal or as a side, and brings in 11 extra plants, 15g of fibre and a whopping 22g of protein.

Prep & cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 2 generously

Plant score: 11

Fibre per serving: 15g

Protein per serving: 22g

Gluten-free: Yes

 

Ingredients

  • 150g (scant 1 cup) wild rice, rinsed
  • ¼ head of red cabbage, very finely shredded
  • ½ small red onion, finely sliced
  • 2 beetroot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
  • 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and very finely sliced
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 apple, cored and diced
  • 1 large handful of radicchio or other bitter leaves, roughly torn
  • 40g (⅓ cup) toasted and chopped hazelnuts or walnuts
  • Ground allspice, to taste
  • Small handful of fresh dill, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 30g (⅓ cup) mixed seeds (poppy, pumpkin and sesame are ideal)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

  1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the rice and bring to a simmer. Cook for 35–40 minutes, until tender, topping up with a little more water if and when needed. (Note that wild rice, unlike  white rice, has a chewy bite to it when cooked.) When ready, cool in a sieve under cold running water, then set aside to drain.
  2. While the rice cooks, combine the cabbage, onion, beetroot and fennel in a large bowl and stir in the vinegar, mustard and a pinch of salt. Set aside to soften.
  3. Add the cooled rice to the cabbage mixture along with the apple, radicchio, hazelnuts, allspice and dill. Add the olive oil and a twist of pepper before mixing well.
  4. Divide the salad between 2 bowls and finish with a scattering of mixed seeds.

 

For a warm salad:

Oven roast the beetroots in wedges for about 1 hour, Add the fennel, cabbage and shallots for the last 20 minutes, and stir them through the just-cooked rice before adding everything else for the final mix.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! You can follow Dr Alan on instagram at @dr.alandesmond or purchase his book for more information and ideas. The Plant Based Diet Revolution by Dr Alan Desmond is published by Yellow Kite (£20) on 7th January 2021.