Wheat berries are thumbs up!

Harvest Wheat Berry Salad

Move over whole wheat bread, kids and the grown-ups who love them are crazy about wheat berries!  This berry is the entire wheat kernel, composed of the bran, germ, and endosperm — and its flavor is delicious.  This recipe definitely puts crunch in your lunch (or dinner) with this sweet and satisfying whole-grain salad full of fiber, healthy fats, vitamin A and iron. The extras travel well in a lunch box!

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 cup hard wheat berries
2 carrots, shredded (1/2 cup)
½ cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or walnut oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1½ teaspoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

  1. In medium saucepan, combine water and wheat berries; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 40 minutes or until wheat berries are tender but still firm to the bite. Drain wheat berries; set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In large bowl, stir together wheat berries, carrots, and remaining ingredients.

Makes 6 servings (½ cup per serving).

Nutrition Facts per serving: 210 calories; 7g fat (1g sat fat, 3g mono, 3g poly, 0g trans fat); 0mg cholesterol; 34g carbohydrate (5g fiber, 8g sugar); 5g protein; 20mg sodium; 30% Daily Value (DV) vitamin A; 2% DV vitamin C; 2% DV calcium; 10% DV iron.

* Recipe is courtesy of Appetite for Life, Antine, HarperOne. 

How do you like to dress your wheat berries?

– Stacey Antine, MS, RD, author, Appetite for Life, founder, HealthBarn USA, director, HealthBarn Foundation, and recognized as top 10 dietitians nationally by Today’s Dietitian magazine for her work with HealthBarn USA.

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