Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Wheat Berries with Vegetables

Perhaps this post should have come with a hippie food warning. Wheat berries with lots of vegetables isn’t exactly decadent, drool-worthy fare. But, considering that I spared you the millet pilaf of last weekend and the brown lentil salad on mixed baby greens from last Wednesday, I was hoping you’d have a look at this dish. I cut this recipe from an issue of Living magazine eight years ago. Of course wheat berries are a whole grain and are very good for you, but they’re also nutty-tasting, filling, and delightfully chewy. Since my fall CSA just started last week, I was happy to use the eggplant, yellow squash, and tatsoi from my first pick-up in this. The dish also includes chopped, canned tomatoes, garlic, and fresh oregano, and with that mix, it takes on that pleasing pizza parlor aroma that works as well as a dinner bell.

First, the wheat berries were placed in a large saucepan and covered with water which was brought to a boil, and then they simmered for 40 minutes until tender. When the wheat berries were about half-way cooked, I started sauteing the vegetables. Minced yellow onion and garlic were sauteed in olive oil and once softened, chopped eggplant, yellow squash, and broccoli were added. After cooking for a few minutes, chopped, canned tomatoes were added with fresh oregano, and that was left to simmer for 10 minutes or so. Last, the cooked and drained wheat berries were added, and I tossed in a handful or two of fresh tatsoi leaves just because I had them. After the wheat berries were incorporated and warmed through, the dish was ready to serve, and I topped it with chopped parsley.

I know it looks like something that makes you think dessert better be really good, but it’s not like that, I promise. That pizza parlor thing I mentioned about the tomatoes, garlic, and oregano give the dish a lively flavor while forming a sauce. The fresh, crunchy, sauteed vegetables contrast with the chewy wheat berries and give lots of varied texture. Admittedly, I like hippie food, but the flavors here were so good it might not belong in that much maligned category.




23 comments:

  1. It does look incredibly healthy and it does look like the kind of dish where Tom would immediately start to pull faces and ask where is steak is (not that he gets a steak everyday... haha)

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  2. actually as i was planning our dinners for this week, my husband said whats up with up wiht the hippie food. (We had quinoa risotto yesterday.) so, i will definitely think wheat berries next.

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  3. Ive seen wheat berries before but never cooked with them. I dont think my hubby would eat this with no meat involved, but I would like to try it :D

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  4. Just up my alley. Looks and sounds delicious to me. And, don't spare us the millet pilafs and lentil salads in future, please!!!! There are people out there who really enjoy this kind of food: not only for health reason. This stuff truly tastes good to me.

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  5. Anja: I may post the millet pilaf after I tweak it a little. The first time I made it, it was ok, but not good enough to recommend. Always glad to meet people who like this sort of thing too!

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  6. i think you've done a fine job of making a super healthy dish look mouth-wateringly tasty. wheat berries need more exposure--they're good eats!

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  7. I've never tried wheat berries and in this dish they look beautiful and healthy!

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  8. I've never had wheat berries before, but the bright colors of the dish may be too hard to resist.

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  9. I love wheatberries and I love how you showcase the wonderful fall produce. Keep those grain dishes coming!

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  10. Wheat berries are so delicious! I love them as a substitute to my cereal for breakfast.

    However, I have never tried to eat wheat berries with veggies. It sounds delicious!

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  11. I actually got wheat berries in my CSA box two weeks in a row and have been wondering what to do with them. Yum! I love this kind of food. It may not be sexy, but it's nutritious and delicious.

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  12. I love wheatberries and just found a good fresh source. This dish sounds so healthy and tasty, that I think just looking at it I should get bonus points.

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  13. How delightful! I have yet to try wheatberries, but I think they probably are a similar texture to barley, which I love. And the colors here are so gorgeous!

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  14. That looks really healthy and delicious. This is the first time I've heard of wheatberries. That's pretty neat. I learned something new today!! Woohoo!!

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  15. I've never eaten a wheatberry! I don't mind eating healthy when the dishes are like this - loaded with delicious flavor!

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  16. I have not had wheatberries yet, these look so delicious and healthy with vegetables!

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  17. I don't remember I have cooked with wheat berries...this dish looks very healthy,nutritious and delicious.

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  18. I tried a wheat berry dish a while back that we weren't crazy about, but this looks so much better. I'll have to give it a try.

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  19. We make a dish with 'broken wheat' and mung dal(equal amounts) called 'kichidi'(you can even add some veggies to it) and cook it in a pressure cooker. Try it with some spicy chutney-a great combo!!

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  20. A very healthy dish, have not tried wheat berries, wonder how it's called in German here! Need to check this out!

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  21. we recently started getting the wheatberries & love the nutty feel to it. I usually make mediterranean kind salad. nice idea!

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  22. I picked up some wheatberries a few weeks ago, having really enjoyed them in restaurant dishes but never making preparing them myself. This would be a great start!

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