Cavena Hearts of Palm Salad

Couple weeks ago I was contacted by Smart Foods to try a new grain called Cavena Nuda. This amazing grain, also known as Rice of the Prairies, is wheat free to my delight. Cavena Nuda, meaning Canadian Naked Oats, is a special hulless, hairless oat grown in Canada. If we look at it's excellent nutritional benefits 100 grams contains 397 calories, 12 grams dietary fiber, 4.4 grams soluble fibre, 17.2 grams protein, 45.2 milligrams calcium, 5.7 milligrams iron, no cholesterol, 385 milligrams potassium, no trans fats, total fat: 8.8 grams, and only 3.8 milligrams of sodium. Try this grain in salads, soups, to stuff your chicken breasts, in Cabbage Rolls or in any recipes that calls for rice.


For this salad I cooked the Cavena for 45 minutes. It has a nice nutty, crunchy texture. To my taste it is much better than brown rice. I mixed all the ingredients and let it sit for couple hours so that the flavors developed. The result was a delicious, healthy salad that I could not stop eating. Next time I will double the recipe. I hope you will buy Cavena, Rice of the Prairies, and incorporate this healthy grain in your diet.

Cavena Hearts of Palm Salad Salad: ½ cup Cavena Salt ½ cup cucumber, diced ½ cup tomatoes, sliced ½ cup Hearts of Palm, sliced ¼ cup feta, diced 2 Tbsps fresh basil Vinaigrette: 3 Tbsps Olive Oil 1 ½ tsp Balsamic Vinegar ½ tsp Dijon ½ tsp Honey 1 clove garlic, minced Salt to taste Place Cavena in a saucepan and cover with cold water about two inches above oats.  Add a pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and cook for 45 minutes.  Drain and run cold water over the oats.  Let the oats cool at room temperature. Mix the ingredients of the vinaigrette.  In a large bowl mix the oats, cucumber, tomatoes, Hearts of Palm, feta and fresh basil.  Add the vinaigrette and mix well.  Let it marinate in refrigerator for couple hours.