Summer Wild Rice Salad with Fresh Peas, Chickpeas, Mint & Lemon Avocado Dressing

There has been some very un-veganlike behaviour from me since I returned to the maritimes for a rest. I found myself on the shores of the Bay of Fundy at high tide, slicing whole raw squid and baiting my father's fishing rod, while he stared at me in disbelief. I'm not saying I didn't cover my ears and eyes every time something that was caught was to be eaten, but I had some questionable moments of bravery.

My friends like to think I'm moving toward pescetarianism. While it would be great to add another form of protein to my diet, I'm not quite there yet. So when I left the shore, I found a different kind of excitement in browsing the amazing produce at the Wolfville Farmer's Market. The fresh peas are out, and I grabbed them by the handful. The result: a refreshing summer salad, perfect as a side dish to anything barbecued.

Wild Rice Salad with Fresh Peas, Chickpeas, Mint & Lemon Avocado Dressing   

Ingredients

2 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup fresh peas, shelled
1 cup cooked chickpeas
2 tsp diced fresh mint
2 tbsp diced fresh basil
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/8 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 avocado
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook rice according to directions depending on which mixture you buy. For a wild rice blend like the one I used, it's 1 cup of dry rice to 2 cups water. Bring rice and water to a boil with a pinch of salt, and let simmer for 30-40 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes or so before cooling.

Once the rice has cooled, mix together with peas, chickpeas, mint, basil and red onion.

In a separate dish, mash the avocado with lemon juice, olive oil and garlic, until you have a smooth consistency. Let sit for about 20 minutes before dressing for best flavour. Dress the salad and add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 5-6.