Walk on the Wild Side

According to researchers at the University of Manitoba, a quarter cup of wild rice has 30 times more antioxidant power than white rice. “Since wild rice takes an hour to cook, prepare one pound of wild rice at once and freeze it in one- to two-cup packages,” says Susan Carol Hauser, author of Wild Rice Cooking (The Lyons Press, 2004).

3 Ways to Use Wild Rice:

• To thaw, pour wild rice into a strainer and run under hot tap water. Or, place rice in a glass dish and microwave on high for two minutes; stir the rice and continue microwaving on high in 20-second increments until thawed throughout. Frozen rice can also thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
• Add it to soups and casseroles at the end of cooking.
• Mix it with low-fat Parmesan cheese, black beans and lime juice for a refreshing grain salad.