Have you ever made a dish that received rave reviews from family and friends and left you with a feel-good (and relieved!) feeling, knowing that it was a success? That was this dish for me. Well, it didn't necessarily get reviews from ALL the people — just one, my husband who is, let's say ... a bit particular ... about his meals.
Personally, I love grain bowls and big hearty salads filled with everything but the kitchen sink. A salad can be a solid main course when it includes a whole grain, plant protein, leafy greens, at least three other veggies, a killer dressing, and toppings, like herbs, nuts, and seeds. However, my husband isn't the biggest lover of grain bowls. Whenever I exclaim, "let's do grain bowls!" I am never met with the same enthusiasm. 😂 So, as you might imagine, my crowd response expectations for this meal were minimal.
Much to the contrary, I was wrong! I heard lots of "mmm's" and, I think I even heard a, "this is the perfect meal." It's possible that it was entering the house in a ravenous state after working hard in the garden all day that led to that last response. But, hey, I'll take it!
You'll want to make this salad because it's:
Fresh and light, perfect for the summertime, but also very satisfying.
Packed with nutrition from the wheat berries (keep reading about them!), veggies, and chickpeas.
Perfect for picnics, the whole family, or for a party of one (makes great leftovers!).
Versatile as you can add any veggies you have on hand, swap out the wheat berries for another whole grain (options listed in the recipe), or add another protein of your choice in place of chickpeas (like another white bean, edamame, black beans, grilled tofu, or nuts and seeds).
This article will provide you with some useful key takeaways from the salad-making experience, followed by the inspiration behind the dish and lastly, the Garden Fresh Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad recipe for you and your family to savor.
How to Make Plant-Based Meal Planning Simple and Efficient
Here's a key takeaway from this type of situation: When not all family members have the same food preferences and dietary needs and whenever a dish is a winner in the eyes of all family members, add it to your recipe library! This is a game changer when it comes to planning meals. Building a recipe library with dishes that everyone loves creates your weekly meal plan, taking the guesswork out of what to make for the week ahead and keeps you and your family on a healthy track for eating well to support both physical and mental health.
Another big bonus to having go-to dishes that everyone loves is that they become easy to make, making meal creation simple, efficient, and stress-free. It takes the guesswork out of, "what should I make for dinner?"
Once you have a collection of recurring recipes, think about preparing a new meal either weekly or monthly to introduce variety and experiment with new flavors. This not only adds enjoyment but also contributes to good gut health. Your gut bacteria love a variety of plant-based foods! That's how they thrive, which means that's how YOU and your loved ones thrive.
Cooking for one? I got you. Follow this same plan of building a recipe library. Consider trying one or two dishes a week. They may not all be winners, but keep those dishes handy, that resonate with your taste buds and energize your body from head to toe, by bookmarking them on your phone or laptop, or printing and placing them in a kitchen folder. The bonus of creating dishes that feed two to four people is that you get the leftovers for the week! Trust me, there is no better feeling than going into the fridge or freezer to find an already prepared dish ready for you to eat. It alleviates stress and opens up space for you to do other things you love since you don't have to prepare a meal.
How to Get Recipe Inspiration
Figuring out what to eat can be a challenge. Personally, I find the abundance of plant-based recipes online both a blessing and a barrier. It's wonderful that there are so many options, but it can also create paralysis because there's so much from which to choose! Where does one start?
One thing I love to do is assess my cabinets and fridge to see what I have that is either in excess or about to expire. Then I'll search the internet for ideas to use that one ingredient in recipes. For example, if I have a lot of leafy greens that need to be used up over the next couple of days, I may search for plant-based recipes using kale. If I want to get more specific or seasonal, I may search for plant-based soup recipes using kale in the fall or fresh salad recipes using kale in the spring.
Another way I use this approach is in the case of unfamiliar food. We receive a local produce box every week from Fresh Harvest and this week's box included long beans. They're not something I typically use, therefore, I'll be searching for long bean recipes right after writing this blog article!
The Garden Fresh Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad inspiration came from two places. First, a friend of ours purchased wheat berries in bulk and had way too much on hand so donated a huge bag to us (excess garden produce and bulk food donations are always welcome and always a win!). Second, Whole Foods Market makes a wheat berry salad that I've enjoyed in the past. The nutty flavor and chewy texture of wheat berries are oh-so-satisfying! When you add some fresh crunchy veggies to the mix and a light dressing, they transform into a delightful meal.
Once I knew I wanted to make a big hearty salad with wheat berries as the base and use some of the veggies I had on hand (tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers), I thought about the flavor profile. Since it's during the summer, light Mediterranean flavors fit the bill. However, if it was fall, I may have considered fall flavors, like cinnamon and nutmeg; seasonal produce, like apples and butternut squash; and a creamy dressing.
The end result was a refreshing and light yet satisfying grain-based salad that was packed with tons of nutrients to leave you feeling energized and nourished.
What are Wheat Berries?
Wheat berries are the whole, unprocessed kernels of wheat. They consist of the bran, germ, and endosperm, making them a whole grain that retains all the nutrients found in the wheat plant. They're chewy and have a delicious nutty flavor and provide a hearty texture to salads, soups, and grain bowls. They are a good source of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, making them a nutritious addition to a variety of dishes. Since they are minimally processed, wheat berries take longer to cook than more refined grains, but their robust flavor and health benefits make them worth the effort.
Hard and soft wheat berries differ in protein content, moisture content, and how they're used in baking:
Protein content: Hard wheat berries have more protein than soft wheat berries. Protein reacts with liquids to create gluten, which helps breads rise and develop their texture. Hard wheat berries are better for yeast breads and strong doughs that need a robust gluten network. Soft wheat berries have less protein, which results in less gluten and makes them ideal for baked goods that use baking powder or baking soda, like quick breads, cookies, cakes, biscuits, and brownies.
Moisture content: Hard wheat berries have lower moisture content than soft wheat berries.
Cooking time: Hard wheat berries take longer to cook than soft wheat berries.
Texture: Hard wheat berries are chewier than soft wheat berries, which tend to be more tender and have a softer crumb.
Flavor: Hard red wheat berries can give baked goods a hearty, nutty flavor and an earthy color. Soft white wheat berries can add a bit of sweetness and allow other ingredients to stand out.
For this recipe, I used hard wheat berries, but you could use either or any other whole grain of your choice.
One quarter of a cup of hard wheat berries provides 160 calories, 6 grams of protein, .5 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbohydrate, and 6 grams of fiber.
How to Cook Wheat Berries
Since wheat berries are the whole grain, they can take longer to cook. To expedite cooking, I like to soak them in water for 12–24 hours. After they're soaked, rinse them before cooking them on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker. The ratio of water is 3:1 water to wheat berries. For one cup of dry, soaked wheat berries, you'll add three cups of water. For the stovetop, bring the wheat berries and water to a boil then lower to simmer, covering, for 30 minutes (for soft wheat berries) or up to 60 minutes for hard wheat berries. They will cook in a pressure cooker set on high for 20–30 minutes. I used hard wheat berries that took 30 minutes in the pressure cooker after soaking for 24 hours.
One cup of dry wheat berries yields a little over 2 cups cooked. For four cups of wheat berries, I suggest starting with 2 cups dry to keep it simple. You may have a little leftover that you can toss into other salads or dishes throughout the week.
Let's move onto the recipe!
Garden Fresh Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad
Introducing the Garden Fresh Mediterranean Wheat Berry Salad, a vibrant and hearty plant-powered grain-based salad that's perfect for any occasion. Packed with a colorful array of fresh vegetables like red onion, tomato, olives, celery, cucumber, and green bell pepper, this salad will bring the best of Mediterranean flavors to your table. Combined with nutrient-rich wheat berries, peppery arugula, and creamy vegan feta cheese, all tossed in a bright lemon olive oil dressing, it’s a wholesome meal that’s both delicious and nourishing. Whether enjoyed fresh or as a convenient leftover lunch throughout the week, this salad is sure to become a staple in your recipe library. It also makes for a great shared dish at a picnic!
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: No cooking once the wheat berries are prepped!
Salad Ingredients
4 cups cooked wheat berries
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup seeded and diced green bell pepper (or red, yellow or orange pepper)
1/2 cup diced olives (optional)
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1 cup cooked chickpeas (or other white bean of choice)
2 cups arugula (or other leafy green, like spinach, mixed greens or kale, chopped)
1/2 cup vegan feta cheese (Violife is a favorite) - optional, but really tasty!
Dressing Ingredients*
1 Tbsp extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
2 Tbsps lemon juice (or red wine vinegar)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp oregano
*This amount of dressing is very light. If you prefer a medium to heavy amount of dressing then double this recipe.
salt and pepper to taste
Optional additions
fresh chopped basil
toasted pine nuts
almond slivers
sunflower seeds
lemon zest
chili pepper flakes for some spice!
Directions
Add all of the salad ingredients, except the vegan feta cheese, to a large salad mixing bowl and toss to combine.
Make the dressing: Add the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, garlic powder, and oregano to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss to combine.
Taste for your desired amount of salt and pepper. I used 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt and about 1/4 tsp pepper.
If desired, toss in vegan feta cheese!
Substitutions
Gluten-free friends, wheat berries are obviously not gluten-free friendly! Use four cups of any whole grain or pseudograin for this salad, such as quinoa, buckwheat, corn, brown rice, or sorghum.
Other grain options (that are not gluten-free) include couscous, farro, or bulgur wheat.
I'd love to hear if you try this dish! Please share below.