Do you have a family recipe, that is always requested after you serve it? A recipe that is passed around between family and friends, then friends of friends? We do, and this is one of them! Vietnamese Rice Salad is a dish my mum learned how to make while travelling in Vietnam. It’s healthy, it’s delicious, it’s portable making it fantastic for your lunch box. It’s also gluten and dairy free so it’s a winner for everyone.
Vietnamese Rice Salad
Serves 4, 6 as a side dish…stored in a air tight container in the fridge, it lasts for 3-4 days.
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup currants
1 finely diced red capsicum
2-3 chopped spring onions
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped unsalted cashews
1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
Combine all ingredients in your most Vietnamese looking serving dish. Dress, toss gently and serve.
Dressing:
1/4 cup sunflower oil
4 Tbsp terriyaki sauce (check it’s gluten free, if you have a sensitivity)
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Whisk all ingredients together in a small jug and then pour over the rice salad. Toss gently.
This salad is delicious on it’s own for lunch but is also great as a more substantial meal served with grilled fish or chicken.
More of my top Gluten Free Lunch Ideas…
Want some more ideas for gluten free lunches? Here are some of the things I like to have to avoid the after lunch bloated belly…
Spinach Pesto
I always have a pot of this spinach pesto in the fridge. It’s simple to make, a great way to get your greens in and my version is dairy free too! So, what can you do with it?
- Spread it on toasted gluten free bread or rice cakes and top with tomato, lemon juice and a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Stir it through some quinoa or rice noodles – this can be eaten hot with a sprinkle of parmesan or cold as a salad is nice too. Add some shredded chicken if you have some left over from dinner the night before.
- Spoon on to a delicious, hot baked potato and add any number of toppings…greek yoghurt, goat cheese, chopped tomato, avocado, fresh corn, herbs…
Seasonal Salad
I make this seasonal salad for lunch or dinner almost every day! Salad doesn’t have to be boring! The trick is to add really tasty things to spruce it up and get you excited abut eating it. Here are some suggestions….
- olives, shredded chicken, pesto, beans or chick peas, boiled egg, goat cheese, toasted nuts and seeds…whatever you fancy!
To make salad easy peasy, wash and store lettuce in the fridge with grated carrot and grated beetroot. Toast your seeds or nuts and store them too. Make a double batch of this amazingly delicious dressing and store the jar in the fridge…this way, you have everything ready to throw together for a quick, easy and healthy lunch that will keep you going for the rest of the day.
Happy Nachos
These are my happy nachos!I usually omit the cheese and make it more like a nacho salad piling chopped lettuce, tomato salsa and guacamole on top of organic corn chips. This is a very satisfying lunch…and very versatile, especially appealing to kids – they love making their own!
Anti-pasta platter with Baked Ricotta
This is another of our famous recipes! Everyone always loves this baked ricotta and it is a wonderful addition to an anti-pasta platter. This can be made and stored in the fridge for up to three days. It is lovely spread on crackers or toast and is a great vegetarian option when served with a fresh, green salad. I love to graze and will often just see what’s in the fridge and make up a bit of a platter for lunch…here’s what you can add to any anti-pasta platter…
- olives, chopped carrot, celery, fennel, roasted or raw capsicum, proscuitto or good quality ham, grilled asparagus, pesto roasted pumpkin, gluten free crackers, left over roast chicken or meat, grilled prawns….the list is endless!
Well, I hope these ideas get you inspired at lunch time…adding as much colour and variety to your plate is a great way to make sure you are getting a good mix of nutrients to keep you going all afternoon.
What is your favourite lunch time fare? I’d love to hear your ideas and comments below.
Happy Eating!
mamacino x
I am loving all your ideas and I am going to make that salad! We like vietnamese rice paper rolls a lot – my daughter often just makes her own in the mornings for her school lunchbox with salad and chicken
I was actually just thinking, hmm, could probably put the rice salad in the rice paper rolls!
ooh yes! you can really put anything in them!
These look fantastic. Love rice salad!
Thanks!
They look yummy Kristin, I think we’ll be trying the vietnamese rice:-)
I can always count on you for my dinner idea.
It’s nice to hear from you…how is all the packing going?
Baked ricotta – now that is something I have not made in sometime. All of these recipes sound super yummy and the fact they are gluten free is a huge bonus. I agree re the pesto. I keep a jar of that, olives, roasted capsicums and feta on hand every week for instant flavour hits – so easy. I hope you are well. How are the dandecino’s going?
The Dandecino’s are going great! I am well too, thank you. Making some positive changes in my lifestyle certainly seems to be helping to manage the situation. Pesto, olives, roasted caps and feta – could there be anything tastier?
Yum Yum
Great ideas Kristin, the Vietnamese Rice salad sounds like a great bbq recipe, I am tagging it to give it a try.
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