This is a simple, easy recipe. If you have cooked rice on hand (I did), this will only take a few minutes to put together. I am only now recovering from Thanksgiving cooking and eating. And we leave for Argentina on vacation next week. So I’m trying to keep my cooking this week simple.

Cooked long grain rice – 2 cups, I used Basmati
Walnuts – a big handful
Raisins – 2 tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tbsp
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Salt – about 1 tsp
Pepper

Put the walnuts in a zip lock bag and crush them lightly using a rolling pin. Place the crushed walnuts in a pan and toast on medium heat till they are slightly browned. Be careful not to burn the nuts.

When the nuts are done, add all remaining ingredients to the pan and mix well.

Any combination of nuts and dried fruit will work in this recipe. Try toasted pine nuts or hazel nuts with chopped, dried apricots or figs. You could also use brown rice or packaged microwaveable rice. If you are boiling your own rice, make sure it is al dente and not mushy.