Welcome Wheat Berry!

I think I mentioned this a few days ago, but I found a little natural food store near me, I had a coupon, and I happened upon some wheatberries!  I was so excited, I had been wanting to try them for them for awhile. 

If you've never tried them, I suggest picking them up if you see them when you're out and about.  They're really really good!  They turn into these plump little pillows inside a slightly chewy shell.  My family really liked this whole dish.  My mom was amazed that I was presenting them with yet another foreign grain (quinoa was introduced with hesitation), but her and my brother both really liked it.  

The recipe, is simple.  However, I also completely stole it from Nava Atlas' Vegan Express, so I cannot share.  Her recipe is for the Broccoli Salad, and I combined it with the wheat berry.    

Wheat Berry and Broccoli Salad with Pine Nuts, Cranberries, and Yellow Bell Peppers

 

If you happen to have her book (which I continue to love, no matter how many books I buy), the recipe is on p. 182.  In addition to the cranberries, pine nuts, peppers, and broccoli, there is also a really nice sesame ginger dressing that my ginger-phobe family loved...but then I also just told them it was sesame dressing and they were none the wiser.  Oh, I added, tofu, totally forgot.  So altogether:

1 recipe Broccoli Salad with Yellow Peppers, Pine Nuts, and Cranberries

1 cup wheat berry

1/2 block tofu (I used extra firm, but I almost always use extra firm)

S&P to taste 

Makes 5 servings

Nutrition Information:  336.1 Calories;  13.4g Total Fat;  1.2g Saturated Fat;  0.0mg Cholesterol;  125.9mg Sodium;  46.7g Carbohydrates;  9.1g Fiber;  11.8g Protein. 

I cooked the wheat berry on the stovetop, nothing special.  It took about 1 h 45min...don't let that deter you!!  Supposedly it doesn't take as long if you soak them first (I am not organized enough to plan this ahead), or if you use a pressure cooker (which I do not own).  The tofu I just sprinkled with salt and pepper and sauteed in a pan...I do this a lot, its simple, its easy, my family likes it.  

In fact, my brother wanted everyone to see just how much he liked it

Today's Cooking Song of the Day:  Untitled - Question and Answer

*Never heard of them?  It's my brother's band.  No no, keep reading!  They completed their first studio recording this past weekend, and the song is up on their myspace:  Question and Answer.  It should play when you open the page.  Its very catchy, and is probably one of my favorites of their songs so far.