Vegetable and Herb Wild Rice

This is my first recipe to post so I'll start with my most popular (either that or the people I serve it to are really polite) but it's also my favorite. What I like about this dish is that, as a main dish, it's a simple, surprisingly tasty setting it aside from many vegetarian dishes... speaking only as a meat eater (uuuummm, I'm gonna get in trouble for that one, huh?), and refreshing change from the usual (chicken, beef, pork or lamb). But give it a try and tell me what you think. Chow!

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  cup wild rice
• 1  cup brown rice or 1  cup long grain white rice
• 3 -4  cups water
• 1  tablespoon  cooking oil
• 1 1⁄2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 1⁄2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 3 -5  cocktail  olives, halved with pimento removed
• 4  large mushrooms, sliced
• 2  medium tomatoes, diced or cut up
• 3 -4  tablespoons green onions, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced (us garlic lovers may wanna double that)
• 2  tablespoons  of chopped fresh parsley
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh oregano
• 1  teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper, to taste
• 6  ounces cheddar cheese (optional) or 6  ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium pan; stir in wild rice, cook for 35 min then add white rice cook for another 35 min or until tender.
2. In a large frying pan, cook: bell peppers in hot oil for a minute or two then add mushrooms, tomato, onion and garlic until peppers are only slightly crisp.
3. Then, stir in: olives, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and cooked, drained (if necessary) rice; continue to stir until flavors are combined.
4. Finally, remove rice from pan in to serving bowl, or plate, top with cheese and serve.
5. For Vegan option omit cheese or sub a Soy Cheese.