Wild Rice with Dried Apricots & Pistachios

From EatingWell: December 2005/January 2006 — Subscribe Now!

Colorful apricots, scallions and pistachios make this vibrant dish worthy of any holiday table. Since wild rice (really a grass) does not absorb liquid to the extent that true rice and other grains do, cook it in boiling water and saute the vegetables separately so they stay tender-crisp.

Wild Rice with Dried Apricots & Pistachios Recipe

6 servings, 2/3 cup each

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

7 cups water
1 cup wild rice, rinsed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2/3 cup thinly sliced scallion greens
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add wild rice, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a lively simmer until the grains are tender and starting to split, 45 to 55 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve.
Shortly before the wild rice is ready, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, garlic and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add apricots, orange juice, salt and pepper; simmer until the apricots have plumped and the liquid has reduced slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the wild rice. Remove from the heat and stir in scallion greens. Serve topped with chopped pistachios.

Nutrition

Per serving: 224 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 5 g fiber; 104 mg sodium; 498 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (110% daily value), Vitamin A (35% dv), Fiber (20% dv).

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat