Asparagus Multi Rice Blend Pilaf

Asparagus Multi Rice Blend Pilaf is loaded with 4 types of rice, asparagus, cranberries, and almonds.  Doused in the most deletcable vinaigrette this is a delicious side dish perfect for Christmas!

Asparagus Multi Rice Blend Pilaf

Who doesn't love a good side dish?  This one is full of deliscious flavors and is perfect alongside your chosen entree for Christmas dinner.  The base is a blend of four types of rice (texmati white, red, brown, and wild) so you get a wonderful array of colors, textures, and tastes.  Added to that are the mix-ins to make it a pilaf.  I've added sauted asparagus, toasted almonds, and cranberries.  The whole dish is then doused with a fabulous vinaigrette.  

This is one hearty, elegant, and flavorful side dish.  Worthy of your Christmas dinner and any other winter meal.  Make sure to put this one on your "to make" list, it's that good!

Enjoy!

 What Ingredients do I need?

• RiceSelect Royal Blend Texmati White, Brown, Red, & Wild Rice

• Asparagus - 1 bunch

• dried cranberries

• sliced almonds

• extra virgin olive oil

• white wine vinegar

• Dijon mustard

Substitutions and Variations

• Use walnuts or pecans instead of almonds

• Add chopped kale or spinach to the bowl for more greens

• Add dried cherries instead of cranberries

• Don't like asparagus? Add sliced zucchini, mushrooms or broccoli instead

• Make this a bowl meal by adding bite sized cooked chicken pieces

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Cook the rice first as it takes the longest.

• Serve warm for the best flavors.

• Leftover may be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and may be reheated or eaten at room temperature.

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Asparagus Multi Rice Blend Pilaf

serves 4-6

1 cup RiceSelect Royal Blend Texmati White, Brown, Red, & Wild Rice
1 bunch of Asparagus stems
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Dressing:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt & pepper

Cook rice according to package directions.  Once cooked place rice in a large bowl.
Trim the wood ends off the asparagus and cut the asparagus in to 2 inch pieces.  In a large skillet over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, saute asparagus for about 3 minutes, stirring ocassionally.  Add sliced almonds and stir constantly for 1 minute, making sure not to burn the almonds.  Add the asparagus and almonds to the large bowl of rice.

Make the dressing in a small bowl.  Add olive oil, vinegar, mustard, a pinch of salt & pepper and which until combined.

Add the cranberries to the bowl of rice and drizzle on the vinaigrette, tossing to coat,  Serve right away.

Apple Almond Farro Salad

Apple Almond Farro Salad is a light yet hearty winter salad filled with whole grains, crisp apples, toasted almonds, and spinach.  All doused with a sweet-tart dressing this salad will be the star of the show.  

Apple Almond Farro Salad

This is one of the best grain salads for winter!  Hearty farro is the base with special add-ins like crisp apples, spinach, and toasted almonds.  The apples should be a little tart to give it some zip.  All this is mixed with a delicious dressing made with apple cider vinegar for fall tartness, and honey for a little sweetness.  The taste is out of this world.  It's a salad that you can snack on for days.

The whole dish comes together in no time, and it is very simple to make.  Use your favorite slightly tart apple.  I love Honeycrisp, but for this version I used a new apple I found that is pink on the inside!  It's called Lucy Rose apples.  They are crisp, light, pink, and flavorful.  If you can't find them, not to worry.  You can use your favorite apple.  Here are some good ones to pick from:  Envy, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Opal, SweeTango, Jazz, or Amborsia.

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• pearled farro - I use this one

• sliced almonds

• olive oil

• apple cider vinegar

• honey

• Dijon mustard

• spinach

• apple - use your favorite tart/sweet apple

Substitutions and Variations

• Add in some chopped red onion for a more savory bite

• Add in some crumbled feta or goat cheese

• Use chopped fresh kale instead of spinach

• Try chopped pears instead of apples

• Switch up the grain from farro to barley, wheat berries, or quinoa

• Add in some herbs like basil or mint

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• The farro will need to cool so prepare this item first.  

• Look for "Pearled" farro - Pearled farro has had the outer layer of bran removed.  It will contain less fiber and nutrients, but cooks much more quickly.  I use this one.

• The salad will keep in the refrigerator for several days.  Since the farro will soak up the dressing you can add a little olive oil if it seems to dry and toss again.

• Great as a dinner side dish to grilled chicken, pork, or beef.  

• Perfect as a side salad for lunch with a grilled sandwich.

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Apple Almond Farro Salad

serves 4-6

1 cup pearled farro
2 heaping Tablespoons sliced almonds
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 medium/large Honeycrisp apple, cored, and chopped

In a large pot of salted boiling water, add the farro and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender.  Drain and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.  

For the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, thyme, Dijon mustard, and salt & pepper.  

Combine farro, chopped spinach, apple, and almonds in a large bowl and toss.  Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.  Serve.  

Winter Warmers: Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Scones

There's nothing quite like biting into a warm scone, and this one has all the fall flavors you love along with a soft and moist texture and a bit of healthy grains. Pumpkin pie spice for the win!

Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Scones

It's cold and rainy today and I have a pot of soup on the stove cooking away, so I thought I would do some baking and of course pastries come to mind.  I'm feeling a nice cup of tea maybe with Chai spices to go along with some scones.  Not basic scones.  Let's bake warm and inviting Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Scones.  Perfect with my tea, or coffee if you'd like.  So grab that extra can of pumpkin puree leftover from Thanksgiving and let's get baking.  

Scones are part of the quickbread family and are easy to throw together.  One bowl and a few simple ingredients is all you need and you'll have a tender dough made in no time.  Then you can just make drop scones like I did today and not fuss with rolling out the dough and cutting it.  They're rustic, they're quick, they're heavenly!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• all purpose flour
• white whole wheat flour
• sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• cinnamon
• ginger
• nutmeg
• unsalted butter
• pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)
• eggs

Substitutions and Variations

• Use only all purpose flour

• substitute pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 teaspoons for the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg

• substitute brown sugar for regular granulated sugar.

• Brush the top of the scones with milk, then sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar. You can also top with cinnamon sugar, or Demerara sugar. 

• Use a bench knife or a sharp knife to cut each round into six triangular wedges. Placing the formed scones on the baking sheet in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes will give you a better rise and a flakier texture.  Try this is you have the extra time.

• Substitute the pumpkin puree for sweet potato or butternut squash puree (mashed) for a different but pleasant flavor profile.

• Add Mix-Ins: (add up to 1 cup)
• crystalized ginger
• cinnamon chips
• chocolate chips
• toasted chopped pecans or walnuts
• dried cranberries or raisins
• caramel chips

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Wrap any leftovers airtight, and store at room temperature. Reheat very briefly in the microwave, if desired.

• Forming scones 3 ways: 1. Dump the dough from the bowl straight on to a parchment lined baking pan.  Using your hands form the dough in to a 5-6 inch circle.  Cut dough in to 6 triangle wedges, pulling apart about 1/2" so there is space when baking.  2. Scoop dough using a 1/3 measuring cup and drop on to a parchment lined baking sheet.  3.  Place dough on a floured board and roll dough to 1/2" thickness.  Cut out scones using a round or decorative biscuit/cookie cutter.

• Grating butter in to the flour mixture is an easy way to start out with small bits of butter to work in to the flour, and less work in the end!  Once you've grated the butter, you can cut in the butter using your fingers or a pastry cutter.  

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Other Scones to try:

Stollen Scones

Apple Ginger Scones

Strawberry Shortcake Scones

Lemon Blueberry Scones

Simple Chocolate Chip Scones

Basic Scone Recipe

Whole Grain Pumpkin Spice Scones

yield:  8-10 round scones

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
2/3 cup pumpkin purée
2 large eggs

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.

Using a hand grater, grate the butter in to the mixture.  Work in the butter using your hands until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; it's okay for some larger chunks of butter to remain unincorporated.  The mixture should look shaggy.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and eggs until smooth.  Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until everything is moistened and holds together.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup scoop up some dough and form in to a rough circle with your hands about 1/2" thick.  Place it on the parchment lined baking sheet.  Continue making drop scones and placing the scones about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 14-16 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool.  Serve.