Isn’t it funny how the universe works? Some things seem like they are way to coincidental and happen for a reason. I’m fatalistic that way. Case in point: recently I assisted (yes, I’m still assisting because I’d rather be working than not, so if I have free time on my calendar, I’ll assist) a lovely stylist for a print shoot at an amazing house up in Caledon Hills. This house is 15,000 square feet (1,400 square metres!), indoor pool, outdoor pool, fitness gym, billiards room and the list goes on. The custom kitchen with a massive stove, a walk-in pantry (with huge side-by-side fridge freezer like this) was just fantastic to work in! A bit grand for lil ol’ me but gorgeous none-the-less. Around 7:30-8 the owner came home and sat in the kitchen to have a bit of dinner from the craft table. We started chatting while I was grilling chicken breasts and it turns out that she is a recipe developer and cookbook author! In fact, she is a fitness guru (and gorgeous and amazingly fit), you may have heard of her…Tosca Reno!!!! How cool is that??? She gave me a copy of her Eat-Clean Diet® recipe book, autographed and all! I gave her my contact info and am hoping to have the honour and privilege of working with her sometime soon. But that’s just half the story.
Fast forward to the following Wednesday and I’m down-town for my weekly meeting (and very generous birthday lunch, thanks KiK gang!) and I’m telling Andrea, one of the partners my amazing story and lo and behold, that very Saturday (the day after I was assisting in Caledon Hills) Andrea bumped into a woman in Caledon carrying boxes and some boxes fell and Andrea went over to help, so who was the woman? Tosca Reno!!! Andrea recognized her immediately because she has followed her on Facebook and just loves her Eat-Clean Diet® program. Coincidence? I think not!
So what does this story have to do with this post? I’m getting to it…As we are in the heat of the summer, enjoying every bit of the 35° C (with 90%+ humidity) we’re trying to eat lighter (plus losing a few pounds wouldn’t hurt either) and in light of my new, delicious Eat-Clean Diet® cookbook, I decided to make a wonderful wheat berry tabbouleh. For me, a tabbouleh is always a combination of my favourite things, so this recipe is quite unique to my tastes, but feel free to amend to your own specific tastes. True tabbouleh aficionados will baulk at my recipe saying it’s not authentic tabbouleh and that’s just fine with me…call it whatever you wish, but I hope you make it and I hope you enjoy it.
Wheat Berry Tabbouleh with Shrimp
A KitchenInspirations Original Recipe
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wheat berries, rinsed and sorted through
- 3 cups low sodium chicken stock, or water
- 20-30 shrimp (21-30 per pound, 5 per person)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup each fresh or frozen corn and peas
- 1/2 cup quartered grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp roughly chopped mint
- 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Direction:
- Bring wheat berries to a boil and then simmer for about an hour.
- Meanwhile, put the diced red onion into a small bowl of very cold water (this mellows the pungency of the onion).
- Cut the avocado into smallish cubes and set into a bowl. Squeeze one lemon and add the finely chopped garlic and olive oil and stir well. Pour over the avocado.
- Combine the corn, peas, green onion and tomatoes and set aside.
- Grill the shrimp until opaque, set aside.
- Once the wheat berries are cooked, add the avocado and corn mixture and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir in the shrimp and the finely chopped herbs.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
I made this short film of our experience, it was amazing being there in such a positive crowd!
Tabbouleh or not, it looks delicious and very original! I have never cooked wheat berries I think… The book you were offered was such a nice gesture, but I hope something more will come out of your encounter. I cross my fingers!
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Thank you for your kind words and ongoing support, it really does mean a lot to me. I think you’d like the wheat berries as they have a nice bite and a slightly chewy texture.
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Sounds like perfect timing. GREG
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It sure was, thank you Greg!
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What a fun story Eva and how neat that it ended up being Tosca Reno’s home! Must have been so interesting meeting her and chatting about your common interests. So great that you continue to expand in the area of food styling and apparently, continue to get great gigs too! This recipe is just delightful – love the use of wheat berry here – nice original twist (thought they were lentils at first) and your shrimp sounds just right in the summer heat. Lovely seasonings too!
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Thank you so much Kelly, I’m very grateful for all the chance meetings I happen to fall into. I make another salad (Thursday’s lunch) that is with lentils. We love all of the grains and pulses!
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Don’t you just love it when fate turns up with a pleasant surprise. I think I call a salad tabbouleh when I have more herbs than grains. lovely dish.
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Thank you David, we enjoy this type of dish often during the summer.
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I made your lovely tasty dish! I loved it so much!
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I definitely don’t think these are coincidences Eva. Things are falling into place for you and it’s everything you deserve. So happy for you. This tabbouleh looks delicious to me. Would love it for lunch today!
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You are so generous with your lovely words, thank you so much.
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Really hot here, too. It hit 100F today! No fun. Although it does mean we get to eat all sorts of great like dishes like this amazing looking tabbouleh. This is gorgeous! Thanks so much.
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Thank you so much John, I appreciate your kind words. 100° F is hot indeed, do you have humidity too? Our humidity makes the heat unbearable.
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You have been busy, Eva. What an amazing coincidence! I do love the sound of her home – how wonderful to have a choice of swimming pools! And she sounds like a very wonderful person – it was very kind of her to give you an autographed copy of her book. I do hope you have the chance to work with her in the future. I love the sound of your hot weather – we are still cold here in Oz and some hot and sunny days would be very welcome. That’s a great twist on traditional tabbouleh xx
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Thank you kindly Charlie, it certainly was an amazing home. I’d feel like I was on vacation on all the time. Except that she had to get up at 5am the day after we were there…so not a vacation!
I dare not say the weather is hot but it sure is humid, tomorrow is supposed to the the hottest at 34°C!)
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Looks so delicious and presentation is perfect. Thanks for sharing.
Mojisola
http://www.mojintouch.com
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Thank Moji, I appreciate your kind words.
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I’ve recently made tabbouleh with quinoa, but it was too lemony for my liking. I think your wheat berry version looks incredible—love that shrimp is involved! And your job just may be opening some new doors for you—such fun!
P.S. I took ski lessons on Grouse and then one spring weekend, we went to Whisler where I got the worst sunburn of my life (was crazy to try to catch some rays lounging at the top of the snowy slopes :/). Fun memories!
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I am sure something positive will result from your encounter with Tosca Reno.
How cool is that to have a Pan Am event going through your neighbourhood, so exciting.
Your Tabbouleh is just the dish for the heat wave we are having.
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Thank you Norma, it was very exciting. I do hope something will come of the coincidences, she is really a positive person.
Yes indeed, the dish was perfect for our heat wave too…still going on.
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I totally believe in fate and what a fun story! And the temperatures that you mention sound blissful. I can’t wait to visit Toronto 😀
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It’s very humid Lorraine. Thank you for your lovely comment.
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I’m not familiar with Tosca Reno but talk about coincidence!
I love it when things comes together like that 🙂
Yummy recipe too. I wouldn’t change a thing!
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Thank you so much Dana.
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I would take the whole bowl! It looks so delicious and good for you too, Eva.
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Thank you Angie, it was really delicious and on such a hot and humid day it was a perfect dinner.
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I hope the meeting leads to lead styling jobs for the future. A whole week of hot, humid weather ahead … oh joy. 😦
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Thanks so much Maria, I appreciate your support.
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