I’m always looking for something new and different and when I saw a Wheat Berry Salad on my friend Angie’s blog, Taste of Home, I knew I had to try it at least once. Angie cooks with a lot of whole grains, always healthy and always inventive. She is also a master of bread making, her loaves are gorgeous, appetizing and did I say gorgeous?
I had never heard of wheat berries before reading Angie’s post and I am so glad that I did see it and was inspired to make it. Thank you Angie, I know I will make this grain again and again.
Wheat Berries look very similar to pearl barley, but they are darker in colour and apparently have a nuttier taste. They are a very dense grain and therefore many sites suggest pre-soaking. I soaked my berries overnight and it still took about an hour of boiling. They have more of a bite than barley and are a bit chewier, which I liked, but JT did not. I have found that you will need a ratio of 3 or 4 parts water to 1 part wheat berries. You can substitute wheat berries anywhere a grain is used, for example rice pilaf or even risotto!
Wheat Berry Salad
Serves 4, Inspired by Angie, Taste of Home, Wheat Berry and Watermelon Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wheat berries, soaked over night
- 1/2 avocado, cubed
- 1 Mango, cubed
- 1/2 chopped cilantro
- 1 roasted red pepper, chopped
- juice of 1/2 lime
- salt to taste
Directions:
- Cook wheat berries in 3-4 cups of water, about 1 hour (at around 45 minutes check to see if you like the texture, and if you do, stop cooking).
- Add the cubed avocado, mango and chopped red pepper. Drizzle with the lime juice and salt to taste. Mix in the cilantro. Serve warm or cold as a side to a BBQ’d dish.
Eva! Fellow Torontonian! Which health food store did you get the wheat berries at? My usual health food store (Tutti Frutti in Ken Market) didn’t know what I was talking about, If my recipe for Rejuvelac (I’m sprouting them) calls very specifically for “soft white wheat berries” what might the bin be labeled??
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Hi Betsey, it was a while ago but I usually shop at Strictly Bulk in Bloor West Village. I find the Bulk Barn at Collage and Carlton is also excellent. Welcome to my blog and thank you for the comment.
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I am like many of the others who have not tried wheat berries. I do love cracked wheat so I presume it would be similar in taste.
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I’ve never tried cracked wheat Karen so I cannot comment. I find them quite similar to barley, just a little chewier and a little nuttier (like me!) 😉
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I’ve never heard of wheat berry either. I do love barley though. I shall be on the lookout for this. The Koala doesn’t really like barley as it is. I don’t think he enjoys chewing his food. Soups and purees are his favourite!
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Love Angie’s blog – her recipes and photography are jaw-dropping. You’ve done a really nice job with this salad Eva. Your ingredient choices are fabulous. What a great idea to combine avocado and mango (and the roasted red pepper – yum!). I also like how you’ve used lime juice for the dressing – simple, cleansing, delicious.
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Thank you kindly Kelly, your compliments are much appreciated.
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i am seeing more and more use of wheatberries lately and I like it. They are new to me but so intriguing that I can’t wait to try them. Still haven’t found them though in my market but i am on the lookout. This salad looks amazing
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Thanks Jessica, I hope you like it.
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“Wheat berry” sounded so mysterious and I checked it and it’s simply wheat grains! I had no idea it was called like this in English… It’s the main ingredient of a famous Polish Christmas sweet dish (I’m not a fan because it’s horribly sweet). This salad looks very original, fresh and delicious. It reminds me that I have some wheat grains in my cupboard. I must check if they are still edible.
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I rather like the texture and suspect that you will too; it’s a slight bit chewy than barley.
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I kept seeing recipes for wheat berries and thought they were something that people “in other places” had because I’d never seen them called berries. I keep wheat kernels in the pantry all the time because I mill my own whole wheat flour. LOL I felt like an idiot when one day I decided to look it up.
Tell Lorraine, they ARE available in Australia at any large health food store. 🙂
I have tried them in a salad and I found them interesting but I’d need a second try to fall in love.
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Thanks Maureen, I had just come across someone who makes there own whole wheat flour! I must give that a try. Have you blogged about it? Thanks for the tip.
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What wonderful luck, My MIL brought me a pack of these wheat berries back from california after tasting a salad made with them. But I had no idea how to proceed. Your recipe is wonderfully timed for me. Thank you.. c
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Now that’s serendipity! I hope you enjoy it.
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen wheat berries before. I wonder if they’re called something else here? I’m going to ask the next time I’m at the store 🙂
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Hi Lorraine, they are the whole wheat kernel; I got mine at my health food/ bulk shop.
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Lorraine, Maureen over at Orgasmic Chef says they are called wheat kernels and are indeed available in Australia in any Health Food store!
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I’ve seen recipes calling for wheatberries, but it’s one grain I haven’t tackled yet. Your salad description sounds fantastic (I love Angie’s blog, too)…hubby probably wouldn’t go for it, but I’d happily eat his share 🙂
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Thanks Liz, It’s got quite a bite which I akin to fibre and anything with good fibre is OK with me!
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Yum! Love the bowl too.
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Thanks Greg, it’s another one from my restaurant supply store in Chinatown.
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This is a beautiful salad whose flavour combo sounds heavenly 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
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Tanks CCU, it was a nice change to our usual repertoire.
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I’ve heard of wheat berries, Eva, but never tired them. This, though, should comes as no surprise. I’ve yet to try quinoa, although I did (FINALLY!) purchase some a couple weeks ago. You did make quite a salad with them, though. Let me try my quinoa and then I’ll go looking for wheat berries. 🙂
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Hi John, we have quinoa about 2-3 times per month, so this is a nice change. Let me know what you think of it.
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Can you believe it Eva, but I’m actually a huge fan of wheat berry salads. Haven’t tried this combination before, but it sounds delish. Hope you had a great weekend!
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Thanks Jed, you are the first one to comment that you’ve had it before (other than the person who inspired me).
Thanks for asking, Jed, I had a lovely weekend. I went up to a friend’s cottage in the Muskoka’s and other than the book end 3.5 hour drive which should have taken 2 hours, it was relaxing and wonderful, albeit a bit chilly. But I turned the tunes up and was belting out the songs at the top of my lungs. Good thing I was driving alone! 😉
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Eva, I like yours with mango and avocado even more! Thank you for the shout-out!
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My pleasure Angie.
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I’ll have to keep my eyes open for wheat berries. This salad looks great and I bet the grain lends itself to a bunch of salad options. Yum!
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I could also see using it as a stuffing for Thanksgiving!
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I think the lime, mango and coriander in this would be lovely. I haven’t cooked with wheat berries before. Haven’t even seen them. I’ll have to ask my health food store if they have them xx
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I picked them up in our health food bulk store. They weren’t expensive at all.
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Also good with cranberries 🙂
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Thanks Lisa, I’ll have to try it next time.
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Great salad, Eva, you are always so inventive. No experience with wheat berries, adding it to my must try list which is getting longer, too long.
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I know what you mean Norma…the blogging doesn’t help, too many cool things out there to try!
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