Nutty Sprout Crunch Salad

 Makes 6-8 servings

Nutty Sprout Crunch Salad is a great way to prepare fresh bean sprouts. Both lentils and mung beans are simple to sprout, requiring only a few days before they’re ready to eat,and so easy to prepare.  Steam them with the rice and toss into the veggie blend.  Add a touch of sweet citrus to complete this savory, satisfying one-dish meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked long grain brown rice
• 2 cups lentil or mung bean sprouts
• 1 ½  cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 ½  cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• ½ cup diced red pepper
• ½ cup chopped peanuts
• 1 tbsp. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive or sesame oil
• 1 large orange, peeled
• 1 cup chopped tofu (optional)

Prepare your rice by rinsing it in a fine sieve until water runs clear, then transferring to a medium pot. Add 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp. salt and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the water is absorbed,  40-50 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes then uncover and fluff with a fork.

When the rice is done cooking, mix your sprouts into the rice in the pot, cover and let sit for at least 5 minutes.  This mixture can be made ahead as well.

Divide the orange into sections and cut each into 4 pieces.  Prepare the rest of the ingredients before adding each of them to your large salad bowl.  Pour in the rice and sprout combo, the warmer the better, then combine all ingredients and mix well.  Enjoy!