Brown Rice Salad with Greens, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, and Bacon

Fresh: Brown Rice Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 C Brown Rice, cooked, cooled
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 tsp Caster Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 2 Tomatoes, medium (230g), chopped into 1x2cm pieces
• 5 Streaky Bacon strips, optional
• 100g Feta, broken into small pieces
• 240g Green Beans
• 100g Broccoli, cut into small floret bites
• 30g Sunflower Seeds
• 30g Pumpkin Seeds
• 4 C Rocket
• 100g Basil Pesto (without garlic to be FODMAP friendly)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, caster sugar, salt and pepper together, and toss the tomatoes through in a bowl.
3. Place the tomatoes on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
4. Heat a small pan on medium-high. Add the sunflower and pumpkin seeds and toast, tossing until starting to brown. Remove from heat.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C . Move the tomatoes to one side and add the bacon strips flat in the tray in a single layer, then cook for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through.
6. Bring a pot of water to the boil and add the beans and broccoli. Cook for a few minutes.
7. Drain the beans and broccoli, then run cold water over them.
8. Once the bacon and tomatoes have finished cooking, remove from oven.
9. Chop the bacon strips into small pieces, approximately 1x2cm.
10. In a large bowl, toss the rice and basil pesto together. Add the rocket, green beans, broccoli, bacon, tomatoes, feta, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Toss through, then serve.

SERVE

Serve as a side dish or as a main.