Brown Rice Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Gorgonzola

See nutrition, selection, storage and prep notes for our Brown Rice Salad with Pears, Walnuts and Gorgonzola recipe.

Nutrition Notes

1. Brown rice isn’t the only whole-grain rice – wild rice and exotic hues like purple, black and red rice are also whole grains.
2. Brown rice – and all rice – is gluten-free.
3. Pears contain soluble fiber to help lower cholesterol and phytonutrients that help prevent premature aging.
4. Add a little extra cheese and turn this side salad into a vegetarian main dish.
5. Walnuts are the only nut with a significant source of heart-healthy omega-3 fats.

Smart Selection, Storage & Prep

1. Brown rice comes in so many different forms you’ll easily find one to meet your time schedule. There’s long cooking in bags, quick/fast cooking in boxes or already-cooked pouches that just need microwaving.
2. While you can substitute quick-cooking or microwave rice, they both have a slightly chewier, denser texture and this will affect the overall quality of the salad.
3. Red pears give this salad the most color, but use any pear variety you like.
4. Standard crumbled blue cheese and even crumbled feta can replace Gorgonzola if desired.
5. Be creative and try pecans, cashews or almonds instead of walnuts.
6. White balsamic vinegar has a slightly milder flavor than traditional dark balsamic vinegar.

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