Rice Salad: Recipes with Superfoods

Rice salad is a simple recipe and it's easy to prepare and consists of seasoning the rice with the ingredients you like most.

There are “vegetarian” versions with a mix of your favorite vegetables (strictly seasonal) colorful and nutritious, cooked, raw or pickled. “Marinated” versions for those who love fish, adding for example tuna, shrimp, salmon, surimi and much more… but also chicken, turkey or diced cooked ham are ingredients that lend themselves very well to this type of preparation.

This is a typical summer dish, ideal for a last-minute dinner on the terrace, a fresh lunch on the beach or a quick lunch break at work.

In short, there is something for everyone and alongside the simpler versions we can certainly also experiment with more original and creative versions using superfood !

Why use superfoods?

THE superfood They are foods characterized by an exceptional Micronutrient Density and for this reason they would provide benefits for the health of our organism.

Including these “ superfoods ” is an additional help to integrate precious nutrients into your diet, positively influencing the physiological functions of our organism to maintain and improve our state of health.

In fact, it is increasingly evident how a healthy and balanced diet can positively influence the health of our body.

Furthermore, they add creativity and an intense flavour to every dish, transforming even the simplest recipe into something original and colourful!

Today we see how to use some superfoods in the preparation of a very popular summer recipe, rice salad!

3 Superfood Rice Salad Recipes

Here are some examples of rice salad recipes with superfoods:

1. Green rice with spirulina, avocado and tomato

There Spirulina, or Arthrospira platensis , is a species belonging to the Cyanobacteria class, it can be found either in the form of convenient tablets or in powder form, more practical to use as a spice in the kitchen. It has a characteristic dark green color with blue reflections due to the phycocyanin pigment and a particular “umami” flavor.

Spirulina is considered the food of the future because it has a high nutritional value, contains important vitamins, mineral salts and has a high protein content. In addition, it has antioxidant properties and has a supporting and restorative action.

Organic spirulina powder is used in the preparation of drinks, smoothies, but also as a seasoning for vegetables and salads.

This recipe can be prepared as either risotto or cold rice and is considered a delicate one-dish meal.

Ingredients (for 2 people):

• 200 g of rice (brown, basmati or other)
• EVO oil to taste
• 100 g ripe avocado
• 1 teaspoon of Spirulina Powder NaturaleBio
• Diced tomato
• Diced avocado
• Parsley
• Salt

Preparation:

Place a pot with plenty of water on the stove, once it starts to boil, pour in the rice.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the seasoning.

Peel the avocado and remove the stone, then mash it with a fork until you get a thick, creamy mixture.

Add salt, parsley and spirulina powder and mix carefully until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Once the rice is cooked, drain it and add the seasoning, mixing carefully.

Now you can season it with the tomatoes and avocado that you had previously cut into cubes.

This recipe is perfect for those who follow a vegan diet, but you can also add salmon or chicken which pair perfectly with the dish!

2. Black rice with chickpeas, moringa and goat cheese

There Moringa in powder form it is obtained from the leaves of the Moringa Oleifera tree which are ground, transforming them into a bright green powder with a herbaceous scent.

It is one of the most nutritious plants in the world, containing an incredible amount of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids that we need.

Moringa powder is very versatile and lends itself to the most varied combinations and pairings, it can be used in the preparation of desserts and biscuits, it can be added to drinks and smoothies or it can be used as a spice added to savory dishes, on vegetables, roasts and potatoes.

This recipe is really rich in flavor and very original!

Ingredients (for 2 people):

• 160 g of Venere rice
• 120 g of boiled chickpeas
• 80g goat cheese (if you prefer chilli)
• 1 tablespoon of Moringa Powder NaturalBio
• 1 clove of garlic
• ½ teaspoon ginger powder
• Salt and oil to taste

Preparation:

Cook the Venere rice in plenty of boiling salted water together with the ginger.

Sauté the chickpeas in a pan with a clove of garlic for a few minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the diced cheese.

Drain the rice and season it with the chickpeas and goat cheese, adding raw EVO oil and leave to cool.

Complete the dish by sprinkling the moringa powder.

3. Rice with vegetables and the scent of matcha tea

The Matcha It is a powdered green tea that is grown in Japan. It has a bright green color and an intense and particular flavor, similar to some vegetables.

This is a fine tea, the preparation of which as a tea represents a real ceremonial in Japan.

Rich in antioxidants, or precious molecules capable of protecting the body's tissues because they are able to prevent chemical reactions that lead to the formation of harmful compounds.

Matcha green tea contains an important class of antioxidants, catechins.

Here is a fresh and colorful rice salad recipe!

Ingredients (for 2 people):

• 210 g of rice
• 150 red and yellow peppers
• 80 g of carrots
• 80 of courgettes
• 50 g of celery
• 1 teaspoon of matcha powder NaturaleBio
• Basil
• Laurel
• EVO oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Put the water on the stove and wait for it to boil, leaving the bay leaves to infuse, add the matcha, pour in the rice and leave to cook.

Meanwhile, wash and clean the vegetables, then cut them into cubes of equal size.

Brown them in a pan with a drop of oil, first add the carrots and celery, then the peppers and finally the courgettes so that they cook evenly.

Once cooked, remove them from the heat and add plenty of fresh basil.

Once ready, drain the rice and add the vegetables and season with a drizzle of raw EVO oil.