Ingredients:

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked
2 Tablespoons oil
3 Tablespoons vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (398 mL) canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tomato (fresh), chopped
3 green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. In a pot of boiling water, add rice. Bring back to a boil. Cover pot with lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid. If you are using brown rice, the cooking time will be 40 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, add oil, vinegar, basil, thyme, pepper and salt and mix together.
3. Add cooked and cooled rice, pinto beans, green pepper, tomato and green onion to the large bowl. Mix ingredients well. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves 4

Tip:

• Try rice salad in a pita pocket!