Sweet and Spicy Rice Salad

This economical salad is a snap to put together and ports well for a picnic or pot-luck. It's also great with a piece of grilled chicken or salmon.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups short-grain or brown rice, cooked according to package instructions and cooled
1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 small red or sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Juice from 2 fresh limes
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
Add diced avocado to small bowl and fold gently with half of the lime juice. This will prevent the avocados from browning as they sit.

Add rice to a large, nonreactive mixing bowl and fold in remaining lime juice, vinegar and oil, making sure to combine well. Add mango, jalapeño, bell peppers, cucumber, onion and mint and fold to combine. Add avocado and fold gently to combine. Let stand a room temperature for at least an hour before serving.