Mexican Inspired Wheat Berry Salad

Wheat Berries are one of the healthiest grains available. I like to include whole grains where I can in our diet since they are a good source of B vitamins. In the summer my body seems to crave cold food and raw vegetables. I am always looking for new ways to combine whole grains and raw vegetables.

If you are unfamiliar with wheat berries they are a chewy grain whose texture is not like the other common grains we see in America. I like the somewhat “meat-like” chew of the cooked berries. This salad can be served alone, over a green salad, in a lettuce cup, or sprinkled on a whole wheat wrap that was spread with hummus.

Mexican Inspired Wheat Berry Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups of pressure cooked wheat berries
1 tablespoon of canola oil
2 tablespoons of lime juice (or apple cider vinegar)
1 clove garlic, grated or finely minced
½ teaspoon of ancho chili powder
1 tomato, diced
4 stalks of celery, finely minced
4 inches of seedless cucumber, finely minced
1 carrot, grated
¼ cup of cilantro, finely minced

Direction:

Combine all the ingredients and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 140.78
Calories From Fat (19%) - 27.08

Total Fat - 3.1g
Saturated Fat - 0.29g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 18.7mg
Potassium - 255.31mg
Total Carbohydrates - 25.13g
Fiber - 4.87g
Sugar - 1.71g
Protein - 5.47g

Comments:

This salad has a mild flavor. The garlic flavor is subtle, and the vegetables do not overpower. If you like a lot of flavor in your salad I would recommend you add a little finely minced red onion and a little more ancho chili powder. You could also add a little cayenne if you want some “heat” in your cold salad.

Pressure Cooked Wheat Berries

I decided to make wheat berries in the pressure cooker after reading that they retained more nutrition when cooked this way. The texture of the berries is as good, if not a little better than the standard cooking method that takes 45 minutes. Like the beans, the wheat berries didn’t retain the oil that was added to the pot to keep them from foaming. I did rinse the berries in the colander under running water to remove all the surface fat.

If you haven’t made grains in the pressure cooker give it a try. It is much easier than I thought it would be. Additionally, since you need to cook the grains for a fraction of the time your kitchen won’t be as hot when using this method.

Pressure Cooked Wheat Berries
Makes 3 cups – nutrition given for entire batch

Ingredients:

1 cup of wheat berries that were soaked for 4 hours
3 cups of water
3 tablespoons of canola oil
1 teaspoon of kosher salt

Directions:

Drain the wheat berries of their soaking liquid and rinse well. Place the wheat berries, water, canola oil and kosher salt in your pressure cooker. Lock the lid and set the cooker on high pressure (250 degrees) and turn the heat on high. When the steam begins to escape turn the heat down as low as you can while still getting steam (this is a little above low on my stove). Turn the timer on and cook for 18 minutes. After 18 minutes remove the cooker from the burner and allow to stand for at least 15 minutes to let pressure to decrease naturally (do not press the pressure release valve). After 15 minutes press the release valve and open the pot. Test the wheat berries for tenderness. If you want them to be softer cook in top the stove for a few minutes more (you may need to add a little water).

Drain the wheat berries in a wire mesh colander and rinse with cold water to eliminate the exterior oil. Drain thoroughly before adding dressing.

Nutritional Information (for entire recipe):

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 631.68
Calories From Fat (5%) - 30.9

Total Fat - 3.69g
Saturated Fat - 0.6g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 1905.17mg
Potassium - 659.91mg
Total Carbohydrates - 130.62g
Fiber - 23.42g
Sugar - 0.79g
Protein - 29.57g

Comments:

This was my first time cooking wheat berries in the pressure cooker and it worked well. The wheat berries that were pressure cooked may be a little more tender than the stovetop version that takes 90 minutes. I like that the berries cooked much quicker, and that I didn’t have to heat up my kitchen for as long as normal. However, retaining more nutrition in our food is also important.

I think using the pressure cooker for grains is going to be my new go to method. I can’t wait to try cooking brown rice this way, but that will need to wait until we eat the wheat berries. Overall, I was very pleased with the ease of preparation of the wheat berries in the pressure cooker.

Middle Eastern Inspired Wheat Berry Salad

This salad is easy to put together and improves as it sits in the refrigerator. It makes a great cold lunch or picnic item. The great thing about using wheat berries is that they are minimally processed and therefore retain more of their nutrition.

The wheat berries and sunflower seeds retain their chewy texture, which is a nice counterpoint texturally to the softer vegetables. The sumac helps to enhance the lemon flavor and adds an additional sour note to the salad that is unusual.

If you are unfamiliar with sumac it is a common Middle Eastern spice that grows wild in both the Middle East and Italy and comes from the dark purple berries that are dried and ground. The taste of sumac is fruity and sour. Sumac can be purchased online or is found at well stocked Middle Eastern markets. If you can’t find it, add more lemon juice and zest to the recipe for a similar flavor.

This salad is very healthy with the inclusion of the garlic, onion and tomatoes, which are all reported to help protect you from cancer. A serving of this salad contains more than 15 grams of fiber, which is half of what you need for the entire day, and more than the 12 grams of fiber the average American consumes in a day.

I serve this salad as an entrée when the weather is warm and I want something refreshing for dinner. Since the entire dish has less than 400 calories and 15 grams of protein. I think it makes a great light, yet substantial dinner packed with a lot of nutrition.

Middle Eastern Inspired Wheat Berry Salad
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup of wheat berries, which will be cooked and cooled
4 cups of water to cook wheat berries
zest and juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
1 tablespoon of sumac powder
2 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 pound of snow peas, sliced into ¼ to ½ inch lengths
½ red onion, finely diced
½ cup of raw sunflower seeds
1 hass avocado, sliced
8 cups of lettuce
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook wheat berries in at least four cups of water until tender. The wheat berries will take at least an hour to cook. Be certain to check them periodically to make certain the water has not evaporated. When the wheat is tender to the tooth, but still a little firm, pour the wheat berries into a colander and drain. Rinse them in cold water if you are in a hurry.

Combine the lemon zest and juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and sumac. Move cooled wheat berries to a dish with a lid. Pour the dressing over the wheat berries and toss to coat evenly. Add the tomatoes, snow peas and red onion and refrigerate covered, until ready to serve.

Before serving the salad taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly. To serve place two cups of lettuce on each chilled plate. Top with one quarter of the wheat berry salad and fan a quarter of the avocado on top of each serving.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving
Calories - 396.17
Calories From Fat (34%) - 135.61

Total Fat - 16g
Saturated Fat - 1.99g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 29.5mg
Potassium - 1031.35mg
Total Carbohydrates - 54.79g
Fiber - 15.34g
Sugar - 7.3g
Protein - 15.28g

Comments:

This is a good salad when you want something cold that is still substantial. The salad would make a nice lunch or light dinner. This salad would also be good with cucumber or fresh parsley. If you have any almond feta on hand that would make nice addition to the salad.

If you haven’t tried making wheat berry salads before this may have you making many variations. We enjoy the chewy texture of the wheat berries in all types of cold salads. You can use the wheat berries in place of brown rice or pasta in any cold salad.

Be careful when eating as sumac will stain your clothing. If you rinse the sumac out immediately with cold water the stain won't set.