Summer Wheatberry Salad

This is a great potluck dish! It also works well to make up a batch for the week to take for lunches or eat alongside barbecued dinner.

What is Wheatberry?

Wheatberries are the whole kernel of wheat. This means you're getting all the goodness of wheat including fibre, protein and multiple vitamins and minerals. Wheatberry is a relatively inexpensive whole grain, especially compared to some other popular whole grains such as quinoa or farro. Wheatberry can be purchased at a bulk food store, where they are sometimes call “hard wheat kernels”.

 

How to prepare Wheatberry:

1. Cover the berries with water and bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer.
2. Start checking them for doneness after 30 minutes, and about every 5 minutes or so after that. They can take up to one hour to cook fully, and you’ll know it’s done when it’s tender but still a bit chewy. Some of the kernels may also start to break open and you’ll see the white interior. If you think of it, you can soak them for a few hours or overnight and this will reduce their cooking time, although soaking isn’t necessary.
3. Drain off any excess water.

Summer Wheatberry Salad

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups cooked wheatberry (made from 1 cup dry wheatberry)
• 1 cup finely diced red onion (1 onion)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 green onions, minced, white and green parts
• 1 red bell pepper, small diced
• 1 carrot, small diced
• 1 stalk of celery, small diced
• ¼ cup dried cranberries or raisins
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Saute the red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the remaining 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, combine the warm wheatberries, vegetables, and warm dressing. Allow the salad to sit for at least 30 minutes for the wheatberries to absorb the dressing.

 

Enjoy!

Natalee, RD