| Total: | 2 hr 40 min |
| Prep: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 main course servings |
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup wheat berries
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup red lentils, rinsed in a strainer
- 3/4 cup basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed in a strainer
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 large garlic cloves, put through a press or minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Generous seasoning freshly ground pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 carrot, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, very finely diced
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Soak the wheat berries overnight, or, as an alternative, place them in a saucepan half filled with water and boil them for 2 minutes, then remove them from the heat and let sit 1 hour. In either case, drain them, then refill the saucepan halfway with water and cook the wheat berries, partially covered, for 1 hour. When done, the wheat berries will be tender but slightly crunchy. Drain them thoroughly and let them cool.
- Bring 2 cups of water, the canola oil, and salt to a boil in a mediumsize saucepan. Stir in the lentils and rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and cook for 17 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Do not stir the mixture at all while it is cooking. Carefully spoon the mixture into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tightfitting lid and shake vigorously. Set aside.
- When the rice mixture is completely cooled, use a large spoon to break up any clumps that have formed. Carefully stir in the wheat berries, carrot, red pepper, and parsley. Pour the dressing on the salad and toss. Let marinate at least 20 minutes before serving. (Note The rice greedily soaks up the dressing, so if you want to make this salad 2 to 24 hours in advance, pour on only half the dressing at first, then add the remainder about 20 minutes before serving.)
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 333 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 45 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 208 mg |
Reviews
Beautiful healthy salad, but we thought the vinaigrette was way too tart. I added a little honey and creamy dijon to make it more flavorful. It was okay with the parsley, but better with some cilantro and capers. Also, I soaked the wheat berries overnight and they only had to cook 15 minutes the next day for a soft, but still chewy texture- an hour would have been way too long.
Holy crapola- Not only is this VERY tasty, it’s also pretty! This would be great for a party, because it’s good for everyone- vegans and meat-eaters alike. The caper idea sounds great. Maybe I’ll do that next time!
This was a bit time consuming with having to soak and cook the wheatberries. I think next time I will either pressure cook them or do this part the day before. I also added a tablespoon or two of capers. It added a great burst of saltiness to each mouthful.
I plated it up with great flair. I put a lettuce leaf in the middle of a small plate and scooped a couple of mounds of the salad onto each. Needless to say, my husband when back for seconds. Even my finicky daughter loved it. Next time I will make it earlier in the day and let the dressing absorb fully. Definitely a keeper.