Thanks to Real Simple’s new issue that’s all about organizing, I’ve been on an all-out organizational bender for the past week and a half…and I haven’t even cracked open the magazine! Guess I just needed to put out into the universe that I was ready to start and voila, I started. Funny how that works. Anyway, first up was my pantry’s rice/grain drawer which is always packed to the gills. I usually prefer brown rice while my husband likes white, but we both love Wild Blend Rice and make a pot all the time as an easy yet hearty side dish for dinner. Needless to say, our rice drawer benefited from a little TLC!
I used the aforementioned wild blend rice to give our standard side dish a little upgrade — Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice was the result! Fried rice meets sizzling salad meets HELLO delicious in this wholesome, 1-skillet stir fried side dish that’s full of tongue-tingling flavor.
What’s Inside
Wild blend rice cooked in chicken broth is stir fried with caramelized sweet potatoes, cooked kale, and a zippy Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette then sprinkled with roasted salted pepitas. Your eyes see stir fry, but your tongue tastes warm rice salad with pops of dijon, maple, and sweet potato. So delicious and definitely not too sweet. If you’re stuck in a side dish rut, whip up this fried wild rice to pair with Air Fried Chicken, Baked Chicken Breast, or Baked Chicken Thighs then watch it steal the show!
Start by cooking 3/4 cups wild rice blend in chicken stock or broth instead of water according to package directions. I like Lundberg Farms Wild Blend Rice.
Meanwhile remove 1/2 bunch curly kale from its stems then chop to get 4 packed cups chopped kale. This is a great intro dish to kale for newbies as it’s very tender in the end.
Tip: to easily strip the kale from the stems, grip the leaves at the thickest end of the stem then pull the stem out with the other hand (kind of like stripping fresh thyme leaves from the stem.)
Fill a wok or large skillet with high sides with water then bring to a boil. Add kale and a heavy dash of salt then boil until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain then, when the kale is cool enough to handle, squeeze the excess moisture out and crumble – just like you would do to a package of frozen spinach.
Next, chop 1 medium-sized sweet potato into 1/2″ cubes to get 1-1/2 cups cubed sweet potatoes. First peel the potato then cut it in half. Next, slice each half into 1/2″ planks.
Lay the planks on their side then cut into 1/2″ slices, and then chop. Voila, sweet potato cubes!
Add the sweet potatoes to 1 Tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and a dash of salt in the wok over medium-high heat then stir fry until tender and caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix up the Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette. That’s 2 Tablespoons each extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Add the ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake, shake, shake!
Add the cooked rice and kale to the caramelized sweet potatoes then drizzle in the vinaigrette and toss until sizzling.
Scoop onto plates then sprinkle with roasted and salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, y’all.) They add a wonderful crunch, and loads of health benefits, too!
Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice is unexpected, filling, and truly delicious. Perk up dinner tonight with this nutritious and delicious gluten free side dish!
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