Tahoe recipe: Whip up a winter wheat berry salad

TAHOE-TRUCKEE, Calif. — The first time I had wheat berries, they were mixed into a tossed salad. They were so yummy I found myself picking them out of the greens like they were the marshmallows in Lucky Charms.

At this point I would like to take the time to extend a big thank you to General Mills who have recently made those marshmallows in my favorite cereal bigger and also suggest they just make a Lucky Charms with marshmallows only.

Nuke the oaty goodness. But I digress. We are talking wheat berries here and we want to hold onto their oaty goodness. Besides being naturally flavorful, wheat berries are packed with protein and fiber. And while they are not fortified with 12 vitamins like Lucky Charms, they are rich in B1 and B3 and other essential minerals.

They are so nutritious they would make a Leprechaun grow. After that first wheat berry salad I was hooked and now I cook them up flavored with a little onion, carrot and chicken bouillon to serve solo, or tossed with a spring mix or spinach salad. They are magically delicious.

Wheat Berry Salad ingredients:

1 cup wheat berries

dash of salt for boiling water

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 carrot, finely diced

1/3 to 1/2 cup Better Than Bouillon prepared chicken broth

2 tsp. Italian Seasoning

pepper

2 tbls. (maximum) prepared balsamic vinaigrette

Preparation:

Over low heat, cook wheat berries in three cups boiling, salted water, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until they are soft. Drain and set aside.

Saute the onion and carrot in chicken bouillon, adding just enough to keep the onions and carrots covered in broth, and the Italian Seasoning until soft. Drain.

Mix with wheat berries, season with pepper if desired, and refrigerate for a couple hours before serving. Toss lightly with your favorite prepared balsamic vinaigrette when serving.

Simone Grandmain is an internationally published travel and food writer who currently calls Truckee-Tahoe home. She welcomes your recipes, kitchen “must-haves” and food news at simonegrandmain@gmail.com.