Hey guys, back with another recipe! This one has quickly become one of my favourites. It’s a warm harvest type wild rice pilaf that’s great for the end of summer or fall! I’ll definitely be making this for Thanksgiving.
I love that this recipe is completely locally sourced, for the most part. The wild rice is from Floating Lead – a Canadian family business. Their wild rice is a blend of riceberry rice, wild rice, chusei calrose rice, long grain brown rice and kow mun red rice.
If I’m being honest, I didn’t even know there were this many different rice varieties. But believe me when I tell you, they taste fantastic! Not to mention this blend is vegan, gluten free, non-GMO, certified kosher and 100% Canadian made. The best part is, you can find this rice blend at Costco! Talk about a win.
The carrots, onion and garlic I used were sourced from here in Ontario and the Swiss chard and thyme are actually from my own little garden! It’s so rewarding when you can literally eat the fruits of your labour.
Note, I used rainbow Swiss chard, which is why my rice turned a little purple. Don’t worry though. These pigments just mean the food is full of antioxidants and healing plant compounds.
Onto the recipe, shall we?
Wild Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups chopped Swiss chard, about 1 small bunch
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cups Floating Leaf wild rice blend
- 3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 large bay leaves
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
Instructions
- Using a colander, rinse your rice thoroughly with cold water. This helps wash away any debris or dust that may have been collected during harvesting and processing and storing. Set aside.
- Dice the carrot and onion into small pieces and set aside. Mince the garlic and chop the chard. I usually chop the stem into pieces, then slice the leaf in half lengthwise and chop again. Once everything is chopped, add the avocado oil to a large pot and warm over medium heat for about a minute.
- Add in the carrot and onion and stir to evenly coat everything. Cook over medium heat (no lid) for about 7-10 minutes until the carrots are tender. Make sure to stir occasionally. Next, add in the garlic and Swiss chard and again, stir well. Let everything cook for another 1-2 minutes, until chard leaves have wilted.
- Add the rice, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low and let simmer for 25 min, stirring occasionally. After the 25 min, you may need to add more water. Start by adding just a quarter cup. Add in the dried cranberries and stir to incorporate. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until rice is cooked through.
- Remove from heat and remove the thyme sprig and bay leaves. Put the lid back on and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Serve warm as a side dish. Optional: top with sliced almonds for an added layer of flavour and crunch!
