Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad

• servings: 4 servings
• total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

1 pinch salt

1 cup wheat berries*

1 cup baby tomatoes (halved)

1/4 cup kalamata olives (halved)

1 medium red onion (sliced)

2 large leeks (green stems removed, thoroughly washed and diced)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 cup good olive oil

Hummus, pine nuts, fresh parsley, pita chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Then add salt and wheat berries and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and continue cook for 25-30 minutes or until tender. They should be chewy but not tough.

Drain and add to a large serving bowl. Add 2 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt for added flavor (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).

Prep leeks and onions, then place on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil and a pinch each salt and pepper (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Bake for 23-28 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Toss halfway through for even cooking. Set aside.

In the meantime, prepare dressing by combining all ingredients except olive oil in a small mixing bowl. Stream in olive oil as you whisk to emulsify. Otherwise, add all ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Add tomatoes, olives, roasted leeks and onions to the wheat berries and toss with enough dressing to coat. You’ll likely have leftover dressing.

Serves 4 generously (as original recipe is written). Cover and refrigerate to keep for up to several days. The longer it sits and marinates, the more intense the flavor becomes.

Additional garnishes might include hummus, pine nuts, parsley and pita chips.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 g
• Calories: 251 kcal
• Total Fat: 17 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Sodium: 173 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 22 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 3.4 g