Fall Vegetable Wild Rice & Green Salads with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I picked up these beautiful Okinawa vegetables this morning at our neighborhood farmer’s market and used some in dinner tonight + a dinner for a new mommy. The orange fruit next to the Japanese eggplants are persimmons and are so delicious and high in beta carotene.  I don’t know what the beautiful deep green and purple lettuce is called, but my favorite farmer neighbor grows it and told me how “genki” {healthy} it is for you. We’ve realized more and more the importance of eating locally and seasonally, and are so blessed to get to do so here of all places!

I took home one of those pretty sage plants too!

I made a wild rice dish packed with the fresh veggies and a spinach salad with walnuts, tomatoes, apple, bacon and gorgonzola.  This went so well together, especially with the dressing mixing into the rice salad. My apple cider vinaigrette is super easy to make and you can use it on all sorts of dishes, not just salads. I shake it all up in a mason jar and then have enough for weeks.

Wild Rice Vegetable Salad
{serves 4}

2 eggplants, chopped
4 small bell peppers {or 2 large}, chopped
1/2 red or yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 C. dense, leafy greens {kale or spinach will work!}
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
1 1/2 C Water
1/2 C Apple Juice
1 C. Long Grain/Wild Rice

Generously coat the bottom of a medium-sized saucepan with olive oil. On medium heat, cook the garlic and onion until lightly browned. Add the rice, water, apple juice and about 1 tablespoon of sea salt and stir until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is soft, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt as needed. {I also mixed in about 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinaigrette for added flavor}

On medium heat, saute the eggplant and peppers in a generous amount of olive oil.  Sprinkle on sea salt and cook until veggies are tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Mix into the rice with the chopped dense greens.

Spinach Bacon Walnut Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

{serves 4}

1 apple, chopped
About 4 C. spinach
Gorgonzola
4-6 slices bacon
1 C cherry tomatoes
1/2 C walnuts
1 C olive oil
1 C apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt & pepper
1 Tablespoon brown mustard
3 Tablespoons honey

Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper, mustard and honey to a mason jar or to a lidded container and shake hard until everything is completely mixed together. Taste with your finger. It should be a little tangy, but if it is too much so for your taste, add more honey. Toss with the spinach, apple, cheese, walnuts, and tomatoes. Enjoy! And I hope you all had a great weekend too.