Sprouting wild rice is a simple and delicious way to enjoy this amazing food completely raw. The process of sprouting wild rice is called "blooming" because the seeds actually unfold, very much like little petals, revealing the pale, tender insides. It's a really fun thing to watch, however slowly, and it's groovy to eat something you've seen transform over a few days.

　　This salad combines fresh springtime tastes and textures, all sauced up with a delicious dressing featuring bright lemon and spicy mustard. The herbs add the final layer of flavor, making this a salad that truly tastes alive! Because the rice is sprouted, it is very sweet, requiring salt in the salad—make sure to season it well to suit your own taste.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1 cup / 200g wild rice (makes 1 1/2 cups sprouted rice)

　　2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil

　　2 tablespoons strong mustard

　　Grated zest of 1 organic lemon

　　2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

　　1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

　　Fine sea salt

　　2 cups / 300g shelled green peas

　　1 cup / 165g cooked chickpeas

　　4 spring carrots, julienned

　　1/3 cup / 7g chopped fresh chives

　　1/3 cup / 7g chopped fresh dill

　　1/3 cup / 40g raw pistachios, roughly chopped

　　

Step 1

1. Rinse the rice well, put it in a glass jar or bowl, and cover with fresh, pure water. Let soak on the countertop overnight.

　　

Step 2

2. In the morning, drain and rinse the rice; then cover it again with fresh water and put the jar in the fridge. Drain and rinse the rice at least twice per day for 2 to 3 days, until it has "bloomed"-some or all of the grains will have split open, and it should be tender enough to eat. Drain and rinse the sprouted rice and put it in a large bowl.

　　

Step 3

3. Whisk the olive oil, mustard, lemon zest and juice, and maple syrup together in a small bowl, adding a few pinches of sea salt. Pour half of the dressing over the rice and fold to coat. Stir the peas, chickpeas, carrots, and herbs into the rice.

　　

Step 4

4. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pistachios until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes (be careful not to burn them!). Add the toasted nuts to the salad. Pour the remaining dressing over and fold to combine.

　　

Step 5

Serve.

　　Reprinted from My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season. Copyright © 2015, by Sarah Britton. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.