BLT rice salad

We are frantically trying to pick and use as many tomatoes form our garden as we can before the frost starts, because everyone knows tomatoes have the most give-up in them when it gets a little chilly outside.  Well, tomatoes and basil.  Basil is such a weak baby. It reminds me of my ex-boyfriends. 

So, I started cutting the tomatoes and making the vegan microwave baconish the other night before I realized we had no bread in the house. But we did have a bunch of cooked frozen jasmine rice and a glorious cucumber from the neighbor's garden, so BLT rice salad it was. This was our dinner, but I think it would be a great side to some grilled fish or chicken or this nice lentil salad. 

BLT Rice Salad

Serves 2 as a light meal or 4 as a side

2 cups cooked rice (any kind you like)

1 large fresh tomato, cut into chunks

1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks (try to match the size of the tomato chunks)

1/2 avocado, diced (optional)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, chives, parsley), optional

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

4 strips of cooked bacon or bacon-like product, drained and crumbled

You can eat the rice hot, room, temperature, or cold.  If it's a long grain rice, best to keep it warm or it will get too dry and hard to eat.  Stir in the tomato, cucumber, avocado, fresh herbs, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the crumbled bacon.