This salad is perfect for packing. I made it up using odds-and-ends around my kitchen and it turned out to be a delicious treat for our cherry picking picnic. I love the contrast of sour and sweet cranberries with salty feta cheese. Walnuts add a great crunch and a brown rice and quinoa mix makes it hearty yet healthy. We quickly threw this salad back – packed in disposable chinese take-out boxes – inside a cold graffiti-filled fort off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

This salad also keeps well without staying extremely cold. It would be great for a day at the park, pool, greenway or on a you-pick fruit farm.

Brown Rice and Quinoa Salad with Feta, Walnut, Cranberry and Cucumber

• 1 box of brown rice and quinoa mix (I buy this in the box and trash the spice mix)
• half of an English cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup  good quality feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup walnuts, halved
• 3 or 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 cups baby arugula

Lime & Honey Vinaigrette 

• 1 lime, juiced
• honey, to taste
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Cook brown rice and quinoa according to the package – I leave out the spice mixture but you could surely play around with it. Once cooked, allow to cool. Meanwhile whisk together lime juice, honey, salt and pepper. Taste for adjustments and whisk in olive oil until the acidity level is at your liking.

Add cucumber, cranberries, feta cheese, walnuts and scallions into the brown rice and quinoa. Dress with the lime-honey vinaigrette. Lightly mix in arugula.