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Kale and Wheat berry Salad

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A hearty and satisfying salad is a perfect summer meal. I particularly like to make a large batch that I can keep on hand for a few days, to eat a side dish or a main course.

Kale is one of my favourite greens to use in salads, because of it's benefits: packed with nutrients such as fibre, folate, vitamins A, C, K, and potassium, to name a few. It's also a hearty green so it can handle a dressing or marinade without wilting. There are many varieties of kale. One of the more popular types in Canada is the curly kale, that has either a deep green or deep purple colour and very fibrous stalks. Another commonly found kale is the lacinato kale, or dinosaur kale, that has dark blue-green leaves with a wrinkled texture. Both provide the same nutritional benefits and can be used in recipes in a similar way.

Wheat berries are a great addition to salads, and I like to use them as an alternative to beans and legumes in marinated salads. Wheat berries or wheatberry, are unprocessed wheat kernels made up of all three parts of grain, the germ, bran, and endosperm. They provide a good source of iron, protein, and fibre which contributes to satiety.

Kale and Wheat Berry Salad

Author: Andrea Carpenter, RD

Recipe Type: Salads, Sides

Serving: 4-6

Ingredients

Salad:

  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • 1 cup wheat berries, cooked and cooled
  • 1 cucumber, cubed
  • 1 sweet pepper, cubed
  • 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill), chopped
  • 2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup grated pecorino or asiago cheese (try nutritional yeast for dairy-free option)
  • ¼ cup dried blueberries or currents

Dressing:

  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Cook 1 cup of wheat berries according to directions. Let cool and set aside.
  2. Chop all salad ingredients and add to a large mixing bowl.  Add the cooled wheat berries to the other salad ingredients and mix well.
  3. Prepare the dressing and pour over the salad; mix to evenly coat the salad in the dressing.
  4. Serve chilled.
  5. Optional: add grilled fish, seafood, tofu, or meat.

Note: this salad can be made ahead of time and kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days.

LOVE THE RECIPE?

I would love to hear what you think of the Kale and Wheat Berry Salad. Take a picture if you make it at home, and share it on Instagram with #nutrikidz so I can see!