Wal-Mart Bonanza Brown Rice Salad with Balsamic Dill Dressing

Yes, people.  Wal-Mart.  If you're lucky, you live in a place where Wal-Mart is not the only store around.  For most of America, however, this is not the case.  And you want to know what? Wal-Mart actually carries a few decent, healthy-ish brands (like Newmans Own, Stonyfield, and Market Side Veggies) and even though it's not organic, you can find nice looking produce there -so it's not a total desert.

Well, I thought I would showcase what can be done in middle-America; that you can eat sorta-healthy and satisfying things made from items solely found at Wal-Mart.  Lets be clear though, I am in no way ADVOCATING that you shop at Wally-world.  I'm simply trying to show the variety of things you can buy there in the case that you ever find yourself in such a position.

Sacrifices must be made...it will not always be organic, you will be supporting a-hole conglomerates.  Pesticides aside, at the end of the day you can still do OK for your body with a limited budget and a trip to your local mega-store. This salad can be refrigerated and enjoyed for a few days.

Just LOOK at this color bonanza! This fiesta of flavors! This triumphant texture fest!

Wal-Mart Bonanza Brown Rice Salad  
*Omit Feta to make it vegan, simply add sprinkle of sea salt in place.

Ingredients:

-2 cups cooked, chilled long or short grain brown rice

-1 medium cucumber 

-1 small bag of Market Side fresh French Green Beans (or frozen), blanched 5 mins in boiling water

-Mini Sweet bell peppers (~6)

-1 can low-sodium garbanzo beans

-1 pint cherry tomatoes

-1 small container of traditional Feta cheese, in block form --crumble it yourself, worth it!

-Green onions, rough chopped

-Cilantro 1/2 bunch, rough chopped (or parseley, or whatever herb you want; mint would be excellent)

-2 avocados (if they have em, not essential...chopped walnuts would do as well in place)

Salad Dressing:

-1/4 cup best olive oil you can find at Wal-Mart (I actually don't measure, I just drizzle it over the top and stir it in until it looks well coated.

-1/4-1/3 cup best Balsamic Vinegar you can find

-1/2 tbsp dried dill
-1/2 tsp each garlic powder and onions powder (or fresh garlic and onion!)

Step 1: Cook Rice

Cook 1 cup brown rice according to package directions (probably ~2 cups water).  Best to do the night before and refrigerate, but cook it and let is cool as much as possible.

Step 2: Chop up a bunch of veggies and throw them in, then open can of beans and toss that in too.

Yeah, it's that simple.  Just throw shit in there.  Whatever you have!  Chop things how you like them.  Me? I like a fine dice.  You could do navy beans or cannelini beans or red kidney beans or even black beans.  Whatever you like!

Step 3: Drizzle with dressing and toss.

I just sprinkle/drizzle the dressing ingredients on until it looks like everything is seasoned. And adjust from there.

Bon Apetit!