Lemon-Herb Rice Salad

A refreshing, herby summer salad!

Ingredients:
2 lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups rice of your choice
2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
2 TBSP packed brown sugar
salt and pepper
*1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 medium red onion - thinly sliced
1 medium carrot - shredded
1 cucumber - seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts or sliced almonds
*1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup fresh cilantro - roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint - roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil - roughly chopped

*optional

Cook rice as directed, adding a strip of lemon zest to the water. Transfer rice to a large bowl and discard zest. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the dressing; Juice both lemons into a medium bowl. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, heaping tsp salt, *cayenne and 1/2 tsp pepper and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in oil. Add the onion slices and let marinate 15 minutes.

Add carrot, cucumber, peanuts and chopped herbs to rice. Add dressing and gently toss. Keep refrigerated.