Wheatberry Salad with Red Fruit

 

Wheatberry Salad with Red Fruit  

from the Food Network

Guests LOVE this recipe.  It's a great healthy side for almost any main dish.

 Ingredients:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed OJ

1/3 cup dried cranberries

3 c cooked wheatberries (1 c wheatberries, 2 cups water, simmered until tender but still chewy, about 60 to 90 minutes.  Drain, return to pan and stir in ½ tsp salt.

2 large Fuji apples, unpeeled, diced

½ c pecan halves or almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped and/or whole pistachios

3 Tbsp raspberry vinegar

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:

1.    Combine OJ and cranberries in a small bowl and let stand 15 minutes.

2.    Combine wheatberries, apples and nuts in a large bowl; stir gently.  Drain the cranberries, reserving the juice.  Stir the cranberries into the wheatberry mixture.

3.    Whisk reserved OJ, vinegar and oil in a small bowl until combines.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour over the salad and stir gently to coat.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably a day, to allow flavors to combine.  Serve cold or room temp.

To toast pecans, spread nuts onto a baking sheet and bake at 350, stirring once, until fragrant, 7-9 minutes.