We’ve been making our way through a long list of movies to watch, and this weekend was The Five-Year Engagement with Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. Have you seen it? Maybe a bit chick flick-y for Nate, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a liiiittle close to home at times, as the whole premise of the movie is that he is miserable after they move across the country for her post-doc. Had I seen it a few years ago, I probably would have been terrified to make the same move for Nate… well, more terrified than I already was! But all’s well that ends well. Our engagement is going to be a short 10 months, and I haven’t even become a sweater-knitting crossbow hunter during my time in Utah. Nope, just a running-obsessed food blogger… is that better or worse? I’ll let you decide.
Between our list of movies, Nate’s House obsession, and the World Cup going on right now, it’s shocking that our TV ever gets turned off. And I even skipped last week’s episode of The Bachelorette! That’s how you know there’s too much other TV being watched.
Speaking of The Bachelorette, have you seen this Jim Gaffigan bit about McDonald’s? Nate says The Bachelorette is my McDonald’s. I say my McDonald’s is gorging myself on peanut butter and chocolate. Or reading People magazine on the elliptical. Anyone want an update on the Kardashian wedding? I didn’t think so. That’s OK… I could have worse flaws, I think.
This salad, on the other hand, is completely virtuous. It’s got nothing in common with McDonald’s. I mean, hello – look at all that Swiss chard!
Beautiful, fresh, and chock full of nutrients. It basically erases any and all peanut butter and chocolate consumption. And when you see a certain post later this week, you’ll know why that’s necessary.
Sorry for the teaser… I just couldn’t help myself. We’ll stick with the salad for the time being.
This salad is a magical combination of flavors and textures. Both the chard and wild rice have some bitterness to them, which is balanced out by the sweet strawberries, fresh mint, and creamy goat cheese. I’m trying to add whole grains to my salads lately to make them complete and satisfying meals. The wild rice in here is just the ticket! Plus, I dare you to feel deprived after eating a salad filled with strawberries and goat cheese. It’s pretty much impossible.
OK, so now I have to ask you: What’s your McDonald’s? And don’t even say “eating too much salad.” No one is that virtuous!
- heaping 1/2 cup dry wild rice
- 1 bunch Swiss chard (about 5 stalks), rinsed and dried
- 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- Rinse and drain the wild rice. Add to a small pot with 3 cups of water. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, and honey. (You can microwave for 10 seconds so that the honey dissolves more easily.) Taste and adjust. I like my salad dressings low on the oil, so you may consider adding more olive oil to suit your tastes.
- Separate the tough Swiss chard stems from the leaves. Discard the stems or save for another use. Roll up the leaves lengthwise (like a cigar) and slice thinly. Add to a large salad bowl.
- Add the cooked wild rice, sliced mint leaves, strawberries, and walnuts to the bowl with the chard. Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Top with crumbled goat cheese for serving. Enjoy!
One year ago: Honey Thyme Ice Cream and Caprese Grain Salad with Spelt
If this erases chocolate consumption, it’s got my name alllll over it!! I love the fresh mint addition here! So summery and yummalish.
I have seen that movie and it hit very close to home for me too! Living in College Station, TX while Brandon finished his PhD was practically torture.
It was a long three years but luckily his post doc in NorCal has been much more tolerable.
I’ve never used Swiss chard for a salad but it looks amazing and I love the addition of wild rice. Yum!
Oh, and to answer your question, my McDonalds would have to be The Bachelorette and Real Housewives. They’re soooo trashy but I can’t stop.
My McDonald’s is definitely cheese. Or peanut butter. Not together.
Love the mint and strawberry combo in this salad! And wild rice just adds so much oomph to anything; this looks delicious. Thanks for sharing!
I lied. My McDonald’s is totally Diet Coke. I have in the past successfully given up both cheese and peanut butter; never have I ever fully broken my addiction to Diet Coke. Sad.
If eating this wonderful salad of yours makes up for all the chips and fries I’ve consumed since the World Cup started, I’d be a happy man.
I watch The Bachelorette and read People. Sometimes at the same time. (Wow! That was totally freeing!!)
I LOVE salads, and I LOVE putting fruit into salads to make them sweeter! I think the wild rice would be totally amazing in here, too! Can’t wait to make this – SOON! :)
yay!!! I love the highlight of swiss chard here. We haven’t watched any of the world cup (Taylor is really upset by this since he loves soccer!) I can imagine this lovely dinner with a good soccer game on t.v. to be the perfect evening for us. It may just need to happen this week!!!
I love adding strawberries and walnuts together, they are a great combo. The goat chees would give such great flavour too. Great salad, it looks so yummy!
Ohh wild rice always makes everything so pretty. This looks delicious.
This looks so good! I can even see how well those flavors go together. WOW!
Since I spent the last week eating allll the foods and drinking allll the booze, I’m looking forward to nice clean meals like this. I LOVE the wild rice idea and it’s been a while since I’ve had chard. I want to eat the crap out of this salad!
Oh yum, I love the combination of this salad, it sounds delicious!
My McDonalds? Sadly you’re not the only who has all the details of the Kimye wedding… ;)
Hehe and you even called it Kimye :)
I’m currently obsessed with throwing strawberries into salad… would never have though to use chard raw in a salad though, thanks for turning me onto that!
Also… when can we expect this chocolate peanut butter creation….?!
Any salad is better with strawberries! And I am so behind, but the chocolate + pb recipe is finally up :)
Erica, this is a great and well-balanced salad. As usual, you create satisfying meals with healthy ingredients. Keep ’em coming!
I`ve seen this movie! Since I`ve been a fan of this kind of “relationship hardships, breakups, career, love, happy end” movies lately :) So I enjoyed it very much! My boyfriend did not like it at all, because he didn`t like the concept of breaking up haha.
This salad looks simply amazing. I also feel like a good salad erases all my foodie sins haha.
Thanx for the recipe!