This recipe is one of Jacob’s new favorites . He literally can’t get enough. I think the flavor combined with the chewiness of the grains makes it really satisfying. I can only take the credit for discovering it, though, as it’s directly from Whole Foods’ website. This “salad” is great as a meal or a side, and is a unique combination of refreshing and hearty, sweet and nutty.
To really make it meal-worthy, I like to get a bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped finely, and add it to the wheat berries for the last 3 minutes of cooking. This steams the kale and takes care of your veggie requirement, all while adding more texture and nuttiness to the dish! You could also use spinach, or arugula, another favorite of mine. You can find wheat berries in the bulk section of the grocery store, or at health foods stores. This also makes a GREAT packed lunch, as it can sit out for a while without spoiling, and doesn’t need to be heated. I put some comments of mine in italics.
Wheat Berry Waldorf Salad (recipe from Whole Foods)
Ingredients
2 cups uncooked wheat berries
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 medium apples, cored and chopped
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Method
Put wheat berries into a large bowl, cover with at least 2 inches of water and set aside to let soak for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Drain well. (If you forget to soak the grains, no worries. The cooking time might be a little longer. If you add kale, just make sure not to dump it out).
Put 7 cups clean water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add wheat berries, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 50 minutes, or until cooked through. (Wheat berries retain a firm, chewy texture when cooked.) Drain and set aside to let cool.
Transfer wheat berries to a large bowl. Add walnuts, apples, raisins, parsley, vinegar, apple juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, olive oil and lemon juice and mix everything together thoroughly.
Bon Appetit!