Serves 6-8
1 cup wild rice
In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the wild rice and a pinch of salt, return to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the grains have popped open and are tender, about an hour. Drain well.
1 cup shelled edamame (soy beans)
1 cup corn kernels
Cook the edamame and corn in a small saucepan of lightly salted boiling water until done, about 5 minutes. Drain.
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
½ lb of bacon
While the wild rice cooks, cook the bacon until crispy, drain, crumble, and set aside.
1 cup toasted almonds
To toast almonds, place on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. You can leave them whole or roughly chop them in half before adding them to the salad, depending on your texture preference.
For the dressing:
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper
Whisk together until well blended.
In a large bowl, toss all of the ingredients together, except for the bacon, with the salad dressing. Let rest for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. Add the bacon just before serving to keep it as crispy as possible.