First, let’s talk about the taste. It’s mighty delicious! The texture of the wheat berries is just so fun! It has a slightly chewy bite with earthy and nutty flavours. But when we add everything else – such as grilled corn with a smoky flavour to it, crunchy celery, nuts, cranberries – this salad becomes a roller coaster of flavours and textures.
Next, nutrition. Wheat berry is a true whole grain with virtually no nutrients stripped away, which is packed with fiber, protein and iron!
Last, the ease of making the dish. And it is EASY. Really, you don’t even need a recipe (although the one below is pretty great.) Just toss cooked berries with veggies, nuts and seeds, some olive oil, optional honey and lemon juice – to keep the flavours clean and let the ingredients shine through. Maybe some cheese, if you like. I also topped mine with candied pecans (find the recipe here,) but regular toasted walnuts or pecans work just fine also.
So, let’s get cooking!
The gorgeous Field of Gold photo is by @chris_kozyniak used with permission. Check out his gorgeous landscape photography on Intagram.
Does it get anymore Farm-to-Table than this?!
Note, if you cannot find wheat berry, you can use pearl wheat.
Combine wheat berries, water and a pinch of salt in a medium pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook covered for 30-50 minutes. The exact timing may vary depending on the freshness of your berries. Check after 30 minutes - the berries should be chewy but not tough. Mine took just under 40 minutes.
Drain the berries and let cool completely.
While your berries are boiling, prepare the corn, if using. You may simply boil it and shave off the cob.
I grilled the corn directly over high heat of the grill for about 10 minutes turning every two minutes or so. Charring the corn brought some interesting smokiness to the dish. Shave the kernels off and set aside.
Combined cooled wheat berries, corn, if using, celery, green onions, seeds and nuts, cranberries and anything else you may wish to add. Drizzle with olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Toss the salad, taste and season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a bowl and garnish with optional cheese and herbs. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine wheat berries, water and a pinch of salt in a medium pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook covered for 30-50 minutes. The exact timing may vary depending on the freshness of your berries. Check after 30 minutes - the berries should be chewy but not tough. Mine took just under 40 minutes.
Drain the berries and let cool completely.
While your berries are boiling, prepare the corn, if using. You may simply boil it and shave off the cob.
I grilled the corn directly over high heat of the grill for about 10 minutes turning every two minutes or so. Charring the corn brought some interesting smokiness to the dish. Shave the kernels off and set aside.
Combined cooled wheat berries, corn, if using, celery, green onions, seeds and nuts, cranberries and anything else you may wish to add. Drizzle with olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Toss the salad, taste and season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a bowl and garnish with optional cheese and herbs. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make it Vegan: Do not use honey, use maple syrup instead. Do not add optional cheese.
Happens to be Vegetarian.
Make it Dairy-Free: Do not use optional cheese.
