Early Spring Salad

From: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/12/28/back-on-track-wheat-berry-and-bean-salad/

If you're not familiar with wheat berries they are firm and hearty, one of the meatier grains. High in fibre they are a great addition to a bean salad making it something more substantial.  I really like the texture and often use it as a base for salads, adding veggies and dressing.  Substitutions for wheat berries could be kamut (kamoot), quinoa, spelt, rice, cous cous, etc.)  Wheat berries, spelt, kamut, etc. are really easy to freeze. If it a bit of a process making them make extra and freeze for another meal.

Salad Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained
• 2 cups/500 ml cooked navy beans (or black beans, chick peas, etc.)
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, diced with large stems removed
• 4 green onions, diced
• Kosher salt + pepper, to taste

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste 
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp hot mustard (or regular)
• 1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions: In a medium bowl, soak the wheat berries overnight in cold water. If you have a rice cooker cook on brown rice setting (there is no need to soak).  The next day, drain the wheat berries and place in a medium sized pot, covered in 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. They should be firm but not hard. Drain and cool.

In a large bowl, mix all salad ingredients.

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.

 Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.

Yield: 7.5-8 cups.

Perfect Potato and Tomato Salad by Marika

So this is my friend Marika's photo of her amazing potato salad found at http://ediblediaries.blogspot.com/2009/06/recipe-potato-salad-la-nicoise.html. Her photo is much better than mine which is in a crowd with two other salads I made one evening below, all posted somewhere here.  The dressing is very versatile and I will often double the recipe and save it for a quinoa or kamut salad.



You will need:


2 pounds of baby nugget potatoes
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
3/4 to 1 cup mixed olives
4 poached eggs (optional)
2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons chopped chives





Save this dressing as a perfect go to for quinoa, rice, lentil, kamut salads. Keeps well in the fridge for a few weeks and the recipe is easy to double. If you don't have a food processor drizzle the oil slowly into the rest of the ingredients to blend the oil well with the vinegar.


Dressing:
1 tablespoon dijon mustard, grainy or smooth
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
5 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Servings: 4

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook 10-15 minutes or until done.
Remove and drain in a colander. Put in a large salad bowl with tomatoes.
Add all dressing ingredients into a food processor. Blend well.
Pour dressing over warm potatoes and tomatoes. Plate and top with olives, chives and shallots.

Optional: Place poached egg on top so yolk acts like a gooey warm sauce on top of potatoes.

Veggie Burger and Strawberry Greens

I like to keep frozen veggie burgers in the freezer for times when I'm in a pinch. I can't cook all the time!

I got one out of the freezer (Money's i think from Costco) and defrosted it, threw it in a pan to brown, toasted a flax pita, got some jack cheese , red peppers and blue cheese dressing and voila!

Balsamic Dressing for Strawberry Almond Wild Greens
From my friend Marika over at http://www.ediblediaries.blogspot.com/

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. veg oil or grapeseed oil
1 t. dijon mustard or seeded
1 t. brown sugar
1 t. honey
1 clove minced garlic

Pulse gently in a processer to emulsify ingredients or add oil slowly while continually whisking to get a nice creamy consistency.  Serve with toasted sliced almonds and sliced strawberries, or blueberries, or pears.