Wheat Berry Salad with Orange and Avocado
Instructions:
- Wheat berries are whole unprocessed wheat kernels, a tight pack of fi ber and protein with a nutty taste. One warning: they must be soaked overnight before cooking. Makes 4 servings
- 1 cup wheat berries
- 1 large orange
- 1 ripe avocado, cut in half, seeded, and diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 â„4 cup mayonnaise (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
- 1â„4 cup plain yogurt (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 11â„2 teaspoons ground cumin
- Several dashes of hot red pepper sauce to taste
- Place the wheat berries in a large skillet set over medium-low heat; toast, shaking the pan frequently, until they smell nutty and some pop from the heat, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and cover with cool water to a depth of 3 inches. Set aside for at least 12 hours or overnight.
- Bring a quart (4 cups) of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Drain the wheat berries and add them to the pot. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 50 minutes. Drain in a fi ne-mesh colander set in the sink.
- Slice about 1â„4 inch off the top and bottom of the orange. Set it fl at on your work surface. Slice off the skin and white pith, following the orange’s curve with the blade of the knife. Hold the orange in your hand over a serving bowl; cut between the white membranes to release the sections one by one, letting them and any juice fall into the bowl. Watch your hand—do not slice through the orange. At the end, squeeze the remaining membranes to extract any additional juice.
- Stir the avocado, bell pepper, onion, garlic, and drained wheat berries into the bowl with the orange sections and juice.
- In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, and hot red pepper sauce until smooth. Pour over the wheat berry mixture; toss well.