Rice and Vegetable Salad

It might just be because I'm 5 years old at heart, but I'm going to venture to say that it's just plain fun when your food is colorful. 


Back while I was in college, I had this part time job with a non-profit called the Urban Nutrition Initiative. I supervised a group of 12 highschoolers in West Philadelphia. 

It was a great job really, I got to teach them how to cook, introduce them to new ingredients, show them what makes a healthy lifestyle, and explain why exercise is important. 

This last one was particularly fun for me since it meant I got to insist we start each day with push ups or yoga or jumping rope, which they just lovvveeedd, I can tell you that much. I felt like that one gym teacher everyone's had at one time or another that kids always wish they could have clobbered with the handball they were being forced to throw or murdered with that stupid "beep test" machine. My lazy, completely unsporty high school self would be so proud.

Aside from torturing my students by interrupting their teen angst with a constant kind of cheeriness, and of course, forcing my tattooed, tough-guy, senior boys to pull up their pants for a nice bit of yoga, my other favorite part of the job was watching my students try to explain the "healthy habits" to the kids in the elementary schools we'd visit. 
 
My 12 youths would get up in front of a room full of kids, each ready to explain a different healthy habit: hydrating, exercising, eating whole grains, reading food labels. But the best was always: eat a rainbow of colors in every meal. 

"So guys, you remember what the first healthy habit is? It's called: Eat a Rainbow. Do you know what this means?" My sophomore student Alexis would ask the class.

"It's what happens when you eat Skittles," the 8 year old girl in the back announces.

"Um... No. Anyone else want to tell us what that means?"

"No, it's totally about skittles. I know, I saw the commercial." 

So, if you're looking to get your healthy habits checked off the list for today--eat this salad. It "has a variety colors so you can get a variety of vitamins and minerals" as we at the Urban Nutrition Initiative liked to say. It's also completely delicious and works really well if you need to pack a lunch to eat at work or school or--if you're still pretending summer hasn't ended--if you need a great side dish for a picnic.

Or, you know, you could always just eat some Skittles. 

Rice and Vegetable Salad
serves 8-10

 8 cups rice, cooked
2 batches of Homemade Vinaigrette
1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, thawed and blanched quickly in boiling water for 3 minutes
1 medium red onion, chopped 
6 green onions, sliced
2 medium shallots, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced 
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup dried currants
1/4 cup chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste 

Place rice in a large bowl and drizzle with the vinaigrette, tossing to coat evenly. Add the remaining ingredients and toss again. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. Can be served warm or cold.