Holiday Rice

This year I decided to offer a slightly healthier Christmas meal. Oven baked salmon fillets served with winter rice and steamed vegetables. It was nice to have something healthy that didn't leave us feeling as though we were bursting at the seams.

Winter Rice

• 1 cup Wild or brown rice (I like Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley)
  
• 2 1/2 cups water
  
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  
• olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut halves

Preheat oven to 350F. Pour water into medium saucepan and bring to a boil; add rice, cover, and simmer until tender. Coat butternut squash cubes with olive oil, put in a 9x13 in pan lined with aluminum foil and place in the oven to roast. When rice has finished cooking place in a medium bowl and mix with cranberries and toasted walnuts. Serve rice mixture and top with oven roasted butternut squash pieces. Enjoy! Makes 4-6 servings.