My usual go to recipe has some sort of grain, greens, veggies and a nut or legume to extra protein and texture. I am always trying to incorporate new grains to switch it up. After coming across some great Fall recipes with black rice, I decided to give it a try. It not only has a nice chewy and when cooked right, flavorful taste, but also has tons of beneficial properties making it fall in the category of a superfood.

Black rice is a great grain for those looking to get the most nutritional value out of a whole grain because of its complex carbohydrates. It contains more grams of protein and fiber than any other rice. It also contains iron, which a lot of people think you can only get from red meat, though there are many great vegetarian sources of iron as well. You have probably not had many dishes with black rice before becasue it was relatively new and rare until more recent years.

Something else noteworthy about black rice is the high amount of antioxidants it contains. Commonly associated with foods like acai and blueberries, antioxidants help flush out free radicals in the body and promote detoxification, as well as slow down the body's aging.

I recently combined a New York Times and Bon Appetit recipe to make this spinach, black rice, pistachio, pomegranate, tarragon and squash salad. It would be a perfect vegetarian dish to have on Thanksgiving. I used my own dijon vinaigrette recipe (with more lemon and no vinegar) to toss it with. Comment below to share your favorite black rice dishes!