Friday, November 9, 2012

Wheatberry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad

Wheatberry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad

When I think about healthy food that's completely delicious, without any compromise in flavor, this is one of the recipes that comes to my mind. I've been making this salad, and its variations, for about five years and it never ceases to amaze me that something so good is so good for me. I keep the base ingredients of wheatberries and wild rice the same but vary other ingredients based on season. In autumn, this salad plays beautifully with one of my favorite seasonal veggies, roasted butternut squash.

Wheatberry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad
If you're not familiar with wheatberries, they are whole grains that can be served as side dishes or baked into whole grain bread and are very high in protein and fiber. You can usually find them in the rice and grains aisle of your market but, if not, you can substitute another hearty grain such as barley. I tend to make a big batch of this salad on the weekends and then have it for lunch during the week. The high fiber content keeps me full all afternoon without those 4:00 pm cookie cravings. Well, OK...nothing completely stops those cookie cravings... :) Enjoy!





Ingredients
1/2 Cup wheatberries
1/4 Cup wild rice
2 1/2 Cups water
1/4 Cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 Cup walnuts, chopped
2 Tablespoons chives, chopped
1/2 lb. Butternut squash, cut into bite size pieces
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Wheatberry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad
Toss the pieces of butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until the squash is lightly golden brown. Allow to cool.

Place the wheatberries, wild rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for approximately 1 hour or until all the water has been absorbed and the grains are tender. Allow to cool.




Wheatberry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad
Uncooked wheatberries
Add the squash to the cooked wheatberry / rice mixture. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice. Toss in the cheese, chives and walnuts and season to taste. Makes approximately 6 servings.






12 comments:

  1. What a lovely dish. I personally cannot use wheatberries, but I could substitute something else. I really need to make more dishes with grains. You have inspired me Anita.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yep, I'm sure I could eat this every single day until it was gone. Great flavors and I'm a major fan of wheatberries and wild rice. Mmmm!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never had wheatberries but since you said they were high in protein and doctor's orders are to eat more protein, I am going to look for them at the store tomorrow morning! Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love whole wheat recipes & I love this recipe ... Very tasty and nutritious :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have never tried anything with these wheatberries but your dish looks so good! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday! Please come back on Sunday to VOTE!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wheatberries will go on my shopping list...it's a grain I haven't ever tasted, but I'd love to attempt a couple dishes like your beautiful, tempting and healthy salad.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anita, This Wheatberry, Wild Rice & Butternut Squash Salad looks fantastic! Like Liz before me, I'm not familiar with this grain at all, so I appreciate the introduction. Wonderful flavor profiles in a healthy dish...who could ask for more?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've only used wheatberries in soups. I've never tried them in a salad. This salad looks awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This looks fantastic, Anita. A Kroger store near me has a wheatberry salad that I love but it's so darn expensive and there sure isn't any cheese in it. I will definitely be giving this a try. Nice way to use up the 9 gazillion Butternut Squashes I have put up.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have been wanting to use wheatberries but haven't yet. This dish is inspiring me. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures

    ReplyDelete
  11. Such a great dish - definitely a keeper! Have made this twice now and love the simplicity of the meal, as well as the satiating flavor combinations. Those who've tasted send their compliments to the creator of something wonderful. Thank You!!

    ReplyDelete

We'd love to hear from you!