Maybe you’ve found yourself in this situation.
I planned my menu for a 4th of July cookout — heavy on grilled meats, and the day before, I learn that our daughter, a vegetarian would be able to join us. I was thrilled and wanted to offer her something more substantial that grilled veggies and tomato cucumber salad. A quick trip to Sprouts and I came up with this recipe.
What surprised me the most about his dish was that one of our male guests, a self-avowed carnivore, loved the wheat berry salad! That was something I never would have expected. At first I thought he was just kidding me with his compliments, but his praise was repeated more than once that day and the next time I saw him, so I think he was sincere. It just goes to show you that it’s good to step out of your comfort zone because you might find the change enjoyable.
PS — Our vegetarian daughter is now vegan. I can still serve her this dish my omitting the Parmesan cheese and buying or making vegan pesto (one that uses nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan cheese). I’ve become a big fan of nutritional yeast. It’s a deactivated yeast, sold as a powder or flakes. You can find it in most natural food stores. It’s a source of complete protein and vitamins, including B-complex vitamins. It has a strong taste that could be described as nutty or cheesy, so nutritional yeast is a popular cheese substitute for vegans. It’s a great topping for veggies, tofu, or even popcorn!
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Wheat Berry Pesto Salad
- Yield: 8 - 10 1x
Description
Something different for vegetarians and vegans, loved by meat-eaters too!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups soft white wheat berries
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6-ounce jar pesto (for vegan use your favorite vegan pesto)
- 2 ounces Parmesean cheese, grated (omit for vegan)
- 3/4 pound raw asparagus, chopped
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add wheat and enough water to bring the level two inches above the wheat berries.
- Add salt and bring to a boil; simmer approximately one hour, until berries are tender but still have a little crunch and chewiness.
- Drain and rinse.
- In a bowl, combine cooked wheat berries with remaining ingredients.
- Chill.
- For the presentation above, place a large round cookie cutter on the plate and pack the salad into it. Carefully, lift the cookie cutter and garnish with asparagus tips.
An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com, she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.
Vicki
As a vegetarian, this sounds delicious!
faithy, the baker
Lovely presentation! I have no idea what is wheat berries! Looks interesting and thanks for sharing. Looks like barley to me..:D
Lois B
Vicki – I was hoping this vegetarian dish would catch your eye!
Faithy – wheat berries are what gets ground into flour, and I know you are an expert with that! Do you eat bulgar in Singapore? It’s just the berries cracked into smaller pieces (with some of the bran removed.) It’s a little chewier than barley.
Kevin
A really nice simple, tasty and healthy salad!
Sophia
I love asparagus! I wish it was in season all year round. I made Asparagus Roll-Ups for a snack over the weekend! Delicious! I’m going to have to try your recipe next!