Santa Rosa Rice Salad

1 box long grain and wild rice, cooked

1 cup brown rice (yield 3 cups of cooked rice)

juice of 1 lemon

2 chicken breasts, cooked, cooled and chopped, optional

4 green onions, chopped

1 1/2  red bell peppers, sliced in thin julienne slices, then diced

1- 1 ½ cups Pea pods, diced on an angle

2 avocados diced small

1 cup pecans, toasted and large chopped 

1 pound of spinach, chiffonade style

Cutting ingredients into small consistent pieces makes for a nice salad. The nuts should be bigger in size so the flavor stands out.

Dressing:

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt, optional

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup rice vinegar

Mix together all ingredients except avocado and pecans the day before or at least several hours before serving.  Stir in avocado and pecans and serve on a bed of chiffonade spinach or other leafy green.