Saturday 24 March 2012

Brown Rice and Cabbage Salad


Do you remember Roots zero heel shoes or the advent of Birkenstocks?  A time when “back to the earth” was a motto associated with earnest young reformers?  When granola and yogurt were new-to-us foods?  When carrot cake was the dessert to eat?  Then you may remember Harrowsmith magazine.

When I was a young wife, I used to eagerly await the arrival of the latest issue of Harrowsmith.  I’d set aside an afternoon to walk into town and read it at the library, taking care to have a pen and paper with me so that I could copy out any recipes that caught my eye.

Harrowsmith published three cookbooks, and I saved up to buy all of them.  The recipes in the books were submitted by the magazine’s readers, and were notable for their whole food ingredients and simple instructions.  They were a boon to a beginning cook with healthy eating on her mind.

Looking at those recipes now, I see how much food has changed in the ensuing thirty years, and how much broader a range of cuisines and ingredients we can access.  Still, despite our more cosmopolitan tastes there is a good foundation here; an excellent opportunity to start with simple nutritious recipes and then branch out and make them your own.

This brown rice salad is from the first Harrowsmith cookbook.  It's simplicity itself and provides the crunch I crave while using ingredients that are readily available at this time of year.  I’ve changed it a little, using cabbage in place of mung bean sprouts and making the dressing with a fruit infused vinegar.  (This time I used peach vinegar.)  If you don’t have a fruit infused vinegar on hand, red wine vinegar is just fine.

To make Brown Rice and Cabbage Salad, you’ll need:


  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fruit infused vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups cooked brown rice
  • 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
  • 3 ribs of celery, sliced
  • 1 cup of cooked peas

Combine the oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a jar with a tight fitting lid.   
Put the lid on the jar and shake it until the honey is dissolved and the ingredients are well combined.


Place the brown rice, cabbage, celery, and peas in a large bowl and pour the dressing over top.  Toss the ingredients together until well mixed.


Refrigerate the salad until all the ingredients are well chilled.  


Recipe source:  The Harrowsmith Cookbook, Volume I, Pub. Camden House, Toronto, 1981


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This post is linked to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop hosted by Premeditated Leftovers, The 21st Century Housewife, Zesty South Indian Kitchen, and Penniless Parenting, and to Delicious Dish Tuesday hosted by Coping With FrugalityMama Chocolate, and Full Time Mama.

Hearth & Soul Hop

Full Time Mama

16 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

I adore brown rice and this salad looks so fresh, appetizing and satisfying!

Aunt B said...

Thank you Angie. :) I appreciate you stopping by to check it out.

Alea Milham said...

I love brown rice salads, but have never had one with cabbage before. This looks wonderful and since I have cabbage on hand, I will be making this very soon.

Aunt B said...

Thanks for taking the time to stop and check out the recipe Alea. Enjoy! :)

April J Harris said...

This sounds absolutely delicious - the nutty flavour of the brown rice would be so nice against the freshness of the cabbage. I really like the flavours in the dressing too.

Aunt B said...

Thank you! :) It is a nice contrast. We enjoy the flavours, and the crunch the cabbage provides.

Elsa said...

Beautiful salad! I'm not sure I've ever made a rice salad though. Definitely something my family would enjoy though.

Aunt B said...

Thanks for stopping by to check out the recipe Elsa. I hope you do try it. It's really good. :)

Swathi said...

Delicious brown rice salads.Rice is my staple, I am going to try them. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.

Swathi said...

Delicious. Brown rice salad looks nice. Rice is my staple diet. Sure I am going to try this one. Thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop.

Aunt B said...

Thank you Swathi. We enjoy it.

Thank you for hosting the blog hop. I enjoy the many good ideas I see there.

Amanda said...

I would never have thought about putting these ingredients together. Where do you get fruit infused vinegar (or do you make it)? I can't wait to try this one out! Thanks so much for sharing it with Delicious Dish Tuesday.

Aunt B said...

Thank you Amanda. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe.

I make infused vinegars throughout the year, using whatever fruits and herbs are in season. You can read about it here: http://awordfromauntb.blogspot.ca/2011/09/infused-vinegars.html

You can buy infused vinegars at many gourmet food stores, or you can make this salad with regular red wine vinegar.

I hope this information helps. :)

Alesha @ Full Time Mama said...

Wow, this is so different from what I generally use rice for, but I love this idea! Thanks so much for linking up again!

Aunt B said...

I'm glad that you like the recipe. Thank you for hosting. I find great ideas at Delicious Dish Tuesday.

Mara said...

My daughter will take that for lunch at school tomorrow. Thanks!