A Salad and a Meal, All In One: Wheat Berries and Brussels Sprouts

I don’t know about you, but if I’m eating a salad as a meal, I want it to have some heft. I can’t last until my next meal on mixed greens alone. Enter wheat berries and Brussels sprouts. Together with some nuts and cheese, they make tasty a salad filled with protein and fiber, which does wonders for satiety.

If you aren’t already familiar with wheat berries, I hope you’ll give them a shot. A wheat berry is the entire wheat kernel before it’s been processed. The grains are chewy and nutty and simply wonderful.

I soak mine overnight to speed up the cooking by a few minutes, but if you forget that step, don’t worry. Just cook them a little bit longer. In fact, why not cook a few cups of wheat berries while you’re at it. You’ll have a delicious and nutritious staple ready to go all week long.

Wheat Berry and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat berries

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup chopped dates (about 7)

3/4 cup roasted, salted almonds, coarsely chopped

1 ounce Pecorino cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine wheat berries and 2 cups water. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

Drain and rinse the wheat berries. In a medium pot, bring 3 cups salted water to boil. Add wheat berries and simmer until tender but still chewy, 30 to 50 minutes. Drain and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon and lemon juice. Add olive oil while whisking. Season dressing with salt and pepper to taste. Add wheat berries, Brussels sprouts, parsley, and dates and toss to coat. Top with almonds and Pecorino to serve.

Get more healthy dish ideas:

Foods with 100 Calories

Healthy Weeknight Dinners

5 Healthy Breakfasts to Fit into Your Schedule

Samantha Seneviratne is a New York-based writer, recipe developer and food stylist. She blogs about dessert at Love, Cake.

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