Spring Wheat Berry Salad

I am excited to share a recipe with you that came from the so-called “meal planning” which I described in my last post. The foundation for this salad is built on two hearty ingredients: wheat berries and white beans. My favorite part is the tasty dressing (more like a pesto) that highlights two spring favorites - peas and green onions. While this recipe is vegetarian, I made this for my meat-loving husband and he thought it was great! 

If this is your first time cooking with wheat berries, please don’t shy away. They are as easy to make as rice. A wheat berry is the whole, unprocessed wheat kernel, packed with essential vitamins and minerals and very high in dietary fiber. Once cooked, wheat berries are delightfully chewy and have a delicious nutty flavor. 

This salad tastes great at room temperature, so you can prepare the beans and wheat berries in advance and then all that is left to make is the dressing. Though this recipe calls for dried beans, if you are short on time feel free to use canned instead. If you do go the dried route, maybe make double the amount and save what is not needed for a later date. Why soak twice? I hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know what you think!

Spring Wheat Berry Salad

serves 4 

Ingredients:

-1/4 lb. dried white beans (about 2 cups cooked) or 1 15 oz. can 

-1 cup wheat berries, rinsed 

-3 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth (1 box=4 cups)

-3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

-2 garlic cloves, peeled

-1 bunch green onions (8-10), chopped

-2 cups fresh or thawed frozen peas, divided into 2 portions

-2 tsp. dijon mustard

-1 orange

-sea salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

For the beans: If using dried beans, pick through to check for pebbles, rinse, and place in a large pot covered with several inches of water. Soak for at least five hours or overnight. Drain the beans and add fresh water, enough to again cover the beans by several inches. Bring the water to a simmer and cook for about an hour, or until tender. Set aside two cups for this recipe.

For the wheat berries: Rinse the wheat berries and place in a large saucepan along with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and with the lid on, cook for about an hour or until chewy. Drain and set aside.

For the dressing: In a small pan, saute the whole garlic cloves in the olive oil for a few minutes over medium heat to develop the garlic’s flavor. Remove from the heat. In the bowl of a food processor, add the chopped green onions, 1/2 of the peas, dijon mustard,  zest and juice from the orange, and the roasted garlic cloves with olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and about 5 twists of freshly ground pepper. Puree until everything comes together into a thick pesto consistency. If you would like to thin it out a bit, or in case the orange didn’t give off enough juice, you can always add a tablespoon or two of either vegetable broth or water. 

To assemble the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine the wheat berries and white beans along with the reserved peas. Add the dressing and lightly toss to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.