Wheat berry salad with apples, walnuts, dried cranberries and Gouda

As I walked to my computer to write this post, I caught a glimpse of my 4-year-old daughter dancing and singing along to the Doodlebpops. I had never heard of these guys until we found this DVD at our local library. They are three rock star/clown-looking people, singing and dancing some pretty catchy tunes. My 13- year- old thinks they are sooooo creepy looking, but my little one is completely captivated. It will be hard to bring this DVD back to the library, but I wouldn't mind a break from the same tunes over and over and over. Now, on to today's recipe which captivated me. A Wheat berry salad with some of my favorite ingredients: nuts, cheese, fruit, red onion -yum! And that is exactly what I said when I took the first bite. This salad is fantastic! I love everything about it, the flavors, the texture and the fact that it is so healthy.
 It is a great meat-free lunch or side dish for dinner. I have wanted to make this all week for lunch, but just didn't have time. It is a little bit of a time investment if you make it start to finish the same day, but I actually gave myself a head start by cooking the wheat berries the night before, which takes about an hour. Then I assembled the rest today in about 25 minutes, and it was so worth it. And I will eat this for lunch for the rest of the week (I will probably have some for dinner and a snack too!). I found the original recipe in the latest issue of Fine Cooking Magazine, Cook fresh, but I have altered it quite a bit. The original recipe used red Quinoa (see note), but my local grocery store didn't have it. I was told it is hard to come by right now due to the popularity of it. Production can't keep up with demand apparently. So, I went to plan B. I have never had Quinoa, but they looked and sounded very similar to Wheat Berries, which I love, so I just substituted. And it worked out great. I can't see how this could get any better with Quinoa. But feel free to try it, and let me know. As always play around with it. Add or subtract ingredients as you please. I wasn't sure I would love the Gouda in it, but it is perfect. Substitute for a different cheese if you prefer or for an even leaner version, omit the cheese all together. This salad is full of protein, fiber and other great nutrients (like iron), so you will feel full and satisfied without adding anything else.


Wheat Berry Salad
1 1/2 cups wheat berries (or red quinoa)
Sea salt

Hard Wheat Berries

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed
1 medium red onion, quartered lenghtwise
and thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces arugula leaves (about 3 cups)
4 ounces aged Gouda cheese, finely diced (about 1 cup)
3 medium celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 large crisp apple, such as Fuji or pink lady, diced
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup finely diced fennel (Anise)
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Cook Wheat berries according to package instructions (it usually takes 1 hour to cook).
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, cook stirring frequently, until tender and brown around the edges, 8-10 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and toss with the onions until the vinegar cooks away, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, mix the wheat berries, onion, arugula, cheese, celery, apple, walnuts, fennel and cranberries.

I really didn't need the egg-salad sandwich!

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil with the Sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Add the dressing to the salad and gently mix it in. Let rest a moment, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if the salad seems dry (I did not see a need follow the last two steps).

Serves 6 as a main course; 10 as a side dish.


Note!
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is known as the " mother grain" of the Incan empire. It is a small flat seed very common in South America. It is available in an array of colors,  from golden tan to brick red. It is an excellent source of protein and fiber , as well as iron and zinc, potassium, calcium and vitamin E. For more info check this site http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1007/types-of-grain.asp

From Wikipedia:
The term wheatberry or wheat berry refers to the entire wheat kernel (except for the hull ), comprising the bran,germ, and endosperm. Wheatberries have a tan to reddish brown color and are available as either a hard or soft processed grain. They are often added to salads or baked into bread to add a crunchy texture; as a whole grain, they also provide nutritional benefits since they are an excellent source of dietary fiber.

Recipe adapted from, Fine Cooking, Cook Fresh, Spring 2011