Texas Rice Salad - Vegan & Gluten Free

I found this recipe about 6 or more years ago.  I can't remember where I found it, as it has been handwritten on a recipe card for years. A Google search reveals many variations, some vegetarian some not so much.

I forget about the recipe and then when I make it I wonder why I've waited so long to make it.  It is great scooped with tortilla chips or served over a bed of greens.  I've even made this to take camping and it packs well in the cooler.  Just add the avocado fresh when ready to serve. 

TEXAS RICE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups cooked Brown Rice
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup whole kernel Corn, thawed  (or 1 can drained)
1 Avocado, peeled and diced
1 cup Salsa of your choosing
1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped  (optional)
1/4 cup sliced Green Onions or Red Onion
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste
    *  Tortilla chips or mixed greens for serving

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.

2.  Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days.

*  This recipe is so easy you can understand why I didn't take any pictures of the mixing process.  

*  When choosing your ingredients keep in mind green onions will give a milder flavor than red onion. Also, the salad is best when using fresh salsa from the refrigerated section of the store as opposed to jarred salsa that gets cooked in the canning process.

TIP - If you have brown rice already cooked in goes together in minutes.  I knew I didn't have a lot of time when I wanted to make this so I used pre-cooked frozen organic brown rice form Trader Joe's.  I thawed it in the microwave for a few minutes and let it cool while getting the other ingredients together.  If you need to cook the rice just cool it in the freezer for a few minutes.  The salad is good slightly warm too.  

* The tortilla chips in the pictures are Black Bean & Quinoa chips from Trader Joe's.

- Bon Appetit

"  Life is an onion and one cries while peeling it." - French Proverb
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