Cold Bac'n Rice Salad

Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 cups uncooked rice (brown rice works as well as in this recipe!)
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth (or the flavor of your choice)
• 1/3 cup imitation bacon bits
• 3 -5 green onions, depending on size of the onions & your taste, sliced into rounds (including the green tops)
• 2 small carrots, sliced into thin coins (or 1 large one)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup romaine lettuce, cut into small bite-size strips
• 1 cup italian dressing (may use more or less, according to your taste)
• fresh lemon juice
• fresh parsley
• fresh ground pepper

Recipe

• 1 cook rice according to package directions, substituting broth for water.
• 2 once rice is finished - while still warm, mix with green onions (to wilt them a little), a squeeze of lemon juice, and dressing.
• 3 after cooled, add in the rest of the veggies & sprinkle with bacon bits (and nuts, if using). toss well.
• 4 let set in the fridge for a few hours before serving so the flavors can meld together. best if settled overnight. the longer the salad rests, the better it is!
• 5 serve on top of a bed of lettuce & garnish with fresh parsley and ground pepper.
• 6 *(salt can be added, although i've found that the bacon bits and italian dressing are enough for us!).
• 7 *red peppers, sliced mushrooms, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, frozen thawed peas or the sugar snap variety, raisins, mandarin oranges, and toasted pecans or almonds would make great additions to this salad. i prefer the original, but add whatever you like!