Rice Salad Recipe

Healthy, fresh and easy to make. This rice salad is just what you need for these hot summer days

It's so hot today, I cannot believe it! I went for my run this morning and thought I was going to melt on my way back. Really!! The forecast says we'll have a high of  95 degrees for today and tomorrow (that's about 35 degree Celsius). And for those of you who don't know me, I'm in Southern California near the ocean, with an average temperature of about 70 degree all year long. Breezy and cool, and not extremely hot.
With this unexpected heat wave, I don't feel like baking or cooking very much. So here is one of my favorite dishes for these occasions. It's fresh, wholesome, light and easy to make.
This dish can be prepared a day before and can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It's  perfect for a picnic or a barbecue. For a light dinner or to take along with you at work or school for a healthy lunch.

You can really make rice salad with many different ingredients. That's what I like about it so much. Change it up every time and make it fun. Today, I've prepared it with mixed pickled veggies, marinated artichoke hearts, olives, fresh mozzarella and hard boiled eggs. And of course, you need a drizzle of tasty olive oil and a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil. Sounds perfect, right?

Here is the video recipe for you.

Note, the quantities of the ingredients added to the rice are just to give  you an idea of what I did. But feel free to add or change anything as you prefer!

Ingredients: serving about 4

• 1 1/2 cups (300 gr) rice ( I used long grain)
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 1 cup (180  gr) of giardiniera - mixed pickled veggies
• 1/2 cup (75 gr) of marinated artichokes hearts
• 1/4 cup (35 gr) of mixed pitted olives ( I used Greek)
• 6 oz (170 gr) of fresh mozzarella
• a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• 3-4 leaves of fresh basil 

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Simmer the rice, as directed. it should take about 15 minutes.
2. In a separate small pan, hard boil three eggs: place the eggs in the pan, cover with cold water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame to the minimum and let cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, run under cold water and peel.

3. In a large bowl, add the mixed pickled veggies, the artichoke hearts and the olives. All cut in small pieces.

4. When the rice is ready, drain and run quickly under cold water to cool it down. Drain well and add to the bowl with veggies.

5. Drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.

6. Cut in pieces the boiled egg and salt to taste.

7. Add the eggs, mozzarella cut in small cubes, and the basil cut in smaller pieces to the rice.
Mix well. And adjust with olive oil if necessary.

Serve at room temperature or store in the refrigerator up to two days.

Buon appetito! 

Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Marinated Artichokes, Olives, Fresh Mozzarella and Cherry Tomatoes

Healthy, quick and delicious pasta salad 

with artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, olives, fresh mozzarella and basil.

An amazing combination of Mediterranean flavors!

I always appreciate a pasta salad that takes little time and little effort to prepare. This pasta salad with artichoke hearts, olives, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes is fresh, healthy and delicious. Perfect for a family picnic, or to take along for a lunch or a dinner at the beach.
With the beginning of spring break, and many beach days coming up, this quick recipe will come really handy. Especially when the weather is so nice and the kids can't wait to get out there and play! Even when my morning gets pretty busy with all the packing for the day, I can find time to cook this dish. Ready in less than 30 minutes. Amazing, right?!?
All you have to do is cook the pasta, chop and combine all the veggies, and the job is done. The quantities of the ingredients are only there to give you an idea of how much I used for each. But you can improvise, change it up and make it fun. You can't go wrong with this pasta salad.
And here is the video recipe:

Ingredients: serving 4

• 8 oz (225 gr) mixed, organic cherry tomatoes
• about 12  olives (kalamata, greek... or your favorite)
• 4 oz (115 gr) of artichoke hearts, grilled and marinated (I bought mine at Cost Plus World Market)
• 4 oz (115 gr) of fresh mozzarella, ciliegine
• about 4 leaves of fresh organic basil
• 12 oz (340 gr) of orecchiette pasta, or similar shape
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water boils, cook the pasta following the directions on the box.
2. Cut the tomatoes in small pieces, removing most of the seeds. Cut in pieces also the mozzarella, the olives and the  artichoke hearts.
3. In a large bowl, add the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil. Add the artichoke heart and the olives.

4. Drain the pasta when ready, and run under cold water to stop from over cooking.
5. Toss the pasta with the vegetables. Add the mozzarella and the basil leaves cut in pieces. Drizzle with more olive oil if necessary.

Buon appetito!

Pasta Salad with Artichokes Hearts, Fresh Mozzarella and Speck

Super quick, easy and wholesome pasta salad with artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella and savory speck

Happy Friday! The weekend is right around the corner. And I'm ready!! How about you??
The weather forecast for coastal Los Angeles shows a beautiful and sunny Sunday, with a high of 79 degrees. Not bad for winter, right?
So, if you live in Southern California, or any other warm place by the beach, get ready with your biking, sun screen and beach towel. And, as I will, buy all the ingredients to prepare this fresh and healthy pasta salad for a fun family picnic on the sand.
This pasta combines sweet artichoke hearts, delicate fresh mozzarella and savory speck. You should be familiar with speck by now. I posted several recipe using this smoked Italian type of prosciutto, like lasagne with radicchio and speck,and the pappardelle pasta with mushrooms and speck. If you can't find speck at the Italian deli near you, or local grocery store, it's fine to substitute it with prosciutto. Cut it in thin strips and sprinkle on top. Simply delicious.
Enjoy your weekend!

Ingredients: serving 4

• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• half onion, chopped
• 8.5 oz (240 gr) of (frozen) artichoke hearts (I used Trader Joe's)
• fresh parsley, chopped
• 4 oz (115 gr) of fresh mozzarella
• 2 oz (55 gr) of thinly sliced speck (or prosciutto)
• 10.5 oz (300 gr) of medium shell pasta, or other short pasta
• salt

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Directions:
1. Bring to a boil a large pot of salted water. Add the pasta when the water boils. If using frozen artichoke hearts, rinse them under running water for about one minute.
2. Saute' the chopped onion in a large skillet with the olive oil, over medium heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts cut in thin slices, with the chopped parsley. Salt to taste, cook until tender, for about 10 minutes or so. Add a couple of tablespoons of water (from the pot where the pasta is cooking) if necessary.

3. Drain the pasta when ready. If you are not eating the pasta right away, but making a pasta salad ahead of time, run the pasta under cold water to stop it from over cooking. Toss the pasta in a large bowl, with the artichokes, the mozzarella cut in small cubes, and the speck cut in small slices. Add one or two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil if necessary.

Buon appetito!