Leftover Magic - Wild Rice & Black Bean Salad

I'm a huge fan of wild rice. At $10.59 per pound for organic (where I shop, anyway), I use it sparingly, and never waste a grain.

This is my favorite way to eat leftover rice and beans. Start with a bed of lettuce - whatever you have on hand, such as the iceberg and red leaf I used here, tossed in a simple vinaigrette. My favorite is equal parts seasoned rice vinegar and extra virgin olive oil whisked with salt and pepper (but that's another post). Top with cold or warmed (I prefer warmed) leftover rice and/or beans, and finish off with whatever strikes your fancy. I love fresh avocado, red onion and toasted seeds. Grated parmesan, toasted whole grain bread crumbs, and dried cranberries are also tasty.

There's no reason you should ever have to throw out leftover food. With a little creativity you'll enjoy fun, nutritious meals and save money!

Soaked Grain Porridge

Two years ago I was introduced to soaked grain porridge at the Southeast Women's Herbal Conference. Warm and comforting with raw milk, sweetened with a touch of honey and sprinkled liberally with a mix of salted seeds, I thought it tasted like a little piece of heaven. This is my rendition of one of my all-time breakfast favorites.

This recipe makes 2 cups of the grain mix. One eighth of a cup of dry mix yields a nice bowl of porridge, so 2 cups will produce about .. 16 servings, give or take a few bites. Don't bank on my math, I am somewhat number-challenged.

This recipe is easy to half, double, triple, etc. I pre-mix big batches and store it in a glass canister in my kitchen, plus it makes a lovely homemade gift. I like to sweeten my cooked porridge with a bit with raw honey, pure maple syrup, or brown sugar. Some of my favorite toppings are toasted seeds (salted pumpkin seed is my favorite), toasted nuts (almonds, walnuts and pecans, oh my!), dried or fresh berries and fruit, cinnamon, nutmeg, whole milk and cream. The possibilities are endless!

I hope you try this. The millet gives the porridge an interesting little crunch if you don't overcook it. Overcooked porridge is mush!

Soaked Grain Porridge
Of course organic ingredients are best, if at all possible! I drive 50 miles one way to buy organic grains in bulk at Earth Fare. Yes, it's worth it.

1/4 cup bulgar wheat
1/4 cup pearled barley
1/4 cup long grain brown rice
1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/8 cup millet
1/8 cup corn grits (preferably stone milled - corn meal also works)

1 - 2 tablespoons vanilla, optional (Take care not to overdo the vanilla. Too much and it's all you'll taste, which is a shame, because the porridge actually has a subtle, delicious flavor. I don't use vanilla for this reason.)

Mix dry ingredients together, and store in a cool, dry place.

To prepare, mix 1 part dry mix with 3 parts water (+/-) and bring just to a boil in a pan; immediately remove from heat, cover and let soak at room temp overnight.


In the morning return to stovetop and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to desired consistency.

My personal favorite porridge consistency results after only 2 or 3 minutes. I'm sure a microwave would do the job for you, but I don't use one, so you're on your own there.

Dress it up however you like and enjoy!

Ch-Ch-Changes

Welcome, friend!

After much thought and deliberation, I've finally made the decision to move from my previously farm-oriented blog to a more herb and nutrition-centered one, with emphasis placed on nourishing wholeness in the individual with food, herbs, simple living and honoring the natural cycles of self and season. Inspired by the book, "Nourishing Traditions", by Sally Fallon and in the spirit of "Julie & Julia", I plan to try every single one of the 700+ recipes - yes, including the raw meat and liver - and share the results here with you. My journey toward wellness, the health of my family, and living with my own painful health issues led me here.

For those of you who landed here from the link at Cove Rock Farm Life, thank you for making the jump! I will no longer be posting at Cove Rock (I simply do not have the time to maintain two blogs) and hope you find the new blog interesting and informative as it progresses. I will be leaving all of the original Farm blog posts in place, copying relevant ones here as I see fit, but will continue posting garden and lunar planting-related pieces here as they pop up. I appreciate your loyalty and hope you'll feel free to leave comments here. As always, I'd love to know what you really think.

My sincere hope is that through my journey you are able to find some inspiration or motivation of your own to love and nourish yourself and your loved ones, as is your right and responsibility, and to find pure joy in simple things. Health and happiness are viral, and we sure could use a little more of both right now, don't you think? Do everyone a favor and infect yourself :)