Wheat Berry Tomato Salad

 

I happen to really love wheat berries. I mean what’s not to love? – they’re chewy, nutty and add a great depth of flavor and texture to any dish. But what exactly is a wheat berry, you may ask? That’s a great question – It is the whole wheat kernel that grows on the wheat plant before it has been processed. If you grind the berries down you will end up with whole wheat flour.

You can find wheat berries at the grocery store alongside other whole grains such as quinoa, farro, spelt, etc. or you can order them online .  Just cook them up according to the package instructions and you will have a wonderful, versatile ingredient to add to soups, salads and so much more.

As a food nerd, I have a tendency to buy lots of random food items. At any given time you can open my fridge or pantry and find a slew of mysterious ingredients.  And as it turns out some of my most treasured dishes are created accidentally – or, more appropriately, as a means to use up the food I have on hand.

This dish was no exception to that rule. I was hanging out with my neighbors and we were hungry. The kids were about to eat pizza and the adults just weren’t in the mood for more pizza – did I mention that kids can eat pizza like all day every day and be totally, completely thrilled?! I bet dads could, too, let’s be honest. But moms? Not so much….so I popped over to my house and looked to see what I had on hand and that is how this salad was created.

 

To a large bowl add about 2 cups of chopped chicken breasts – I had some leftover perfectly roasted chicken breasts I had made the day before, so I used that.  But you could use some rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken you may have on hand.

 

 

Add in 1 cup of cooked wheat berries, 1 large or 2 small avocados cut into large chunks and 1 pound of mini heirloom tomatoes, cut into halves or quarters depending on their size. I bought mine at Trader Joe, but if you can’t find these any cherry or grape tomato will work. I like the heirloom variety because of the beautiful colors. If you can’t find wheat berries you could use a different hearty grain such as farro or barley.

 

 

Next make the vinaigrette in a separate bowl. Whisk together the following : 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (fresh is best, but bottled will work in a pinch), 3 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar (you could also use distilled white vinegar), 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. When ready to serve, pour…

 

 

… and mix thoroughly.

 

 

Now put your delicious salad in a lovely serving dish, grab some crusty bread and a refreshing glass of white wine and you (and your gal pals) are ready to eat!