Thursday, September 15, 2011

mmmm...I love wheat berries!

Okay, wheat berries doesn't sound as enticing as Turtles, but still good! A few of the cooking shows I watch have mentioned farro as a great substitute for rice. After doing a little bit of research on what the heck farro was, I found out that they are wheat berries. Wheat berries, or hard wheat kernels, are available at your local bulk store. They don't look like much, kind or boring until you cook them and jazz them up. One cup of dry wheat berries will cook up to just over 3 cups! If you soak them for at least 12 hours before cooking them, it really cuts down on cooking time. When you're ready to cook them, drain and rinse the soaked berries. Put them in a pot with about 2 cups water to 1 cup berries. Cook until chewy, about 40 min. I've heard they are great in salads too. They stay a while in the fridge so you can cook a bunch and use them when you'd like.

This is the salad I love. It is a Waldorf salad with homemade dressing. This is what I do.

Per 1 cup of dry wheat berries
Dressing:
1/3 cup mayo or plain yogurt
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp sweatener (I use honey)
about 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice

1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium apple, chopped
handful of walnuts or pecans
handful of raisins

Beat the dressing with a fork until uniform. Add as much as you see fit. Toss with the celery, apple, nuts and/or raisins.

If you don't think you'll finish eating the batch that day, I recommend adding the nuts when you eat it. That way you still have the crunch. I haven't tried raisins, but I imagine it will balance the dressing nicely. This recipe is great the next day too! Makes a satisfying lunch or side dish.

Hope you like it too!

Lisa

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