I’m a fan of wheat berries because they are high in fiber and vitamins and cook as quickly as rice, but you can certainly make this recipe with another whole grain. You can sometimes find parboiled wheat berries that only take 15 minutes to cook which would reduce the total time for this recipe to 30 minutes. My whole family loves this combination of flavors, and we think this would also be a good dish to bring to a potluck or picnic.
1cupwheat berriesor use farro, orzo or other grain, or use 3 – 4 cups cooked lentils
2Tbsp. fresh mintchopped
1/4cuppecansbroken, or use pepitas
2stalks celerythinly sliced
1 1/2cupsred grapeshalved
1Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1tsp. honey
1/2lemonjuice only, about 2 Tbsp.
1/2cupcrumbled feta cheese
Instructions
Cook the wheat berries in 2 1/2 cups water according to the package directions until they are tender with a little bit of bite and most or all of the water is absorbed, about 1 hour (unless they are parboiled, in which case they cook in 15 minutes. You can also cook them in a rice cooker or instant pot.)
Meanwhile, with a fork, whisk together the lemon juice, honey, oil and vinegar.
In a bowl, combine the cooked wheat berries, grapes, celery, pecans, mint and the dressing.
When it has cooled a bit, stir in the cheese and season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve it immediately or refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Cook the wheat berries, juice the lemon, prepare the dressing, slice the grapes and the celery, chop the pecans and the mint, crumble the cheese if necessary, or fully prepare and refrigerate the dish.Scramble Flavor Booster: Add 1/2 Tbsp. of Dijon mustard to the salad dressing.Tip: A 2012 study determined that the antioxidants in grapes are beneficial for our eyes. Our retinas age right along with us, and it's been found that incorporating grapes into your diet can have a positive effect on your eye health.Like this recipe? Check out The Scramble's family-friendly meal plans to see just how simple getting dinner on the table can be!