Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad

Dorie's Wheat Berry and Tuna Salad somehow got me fixated on Wheat berry. Ever since, I have been trying a lot of combinations with the berries and this one worked out great. It made my husband say, "we should have salads more often. may be we should make Monday our salad day !" 

As anybody will recognize from the ingredient list, this salad is Mediterranean at heart. I just added and subtracted a  few things to suit our taste and supplies. These flavors also taste great in a panzanella. In a subsequent Monday, I tried this salad using toasted bread pieces instead of wheat berries. Husband approved of that too...

Wheat Berry and Chickpea Salad

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Recipe adapted from NY Times

Prep time: 1 hour + 1 hour chilling                                                     Total time: 2 ½ hours

Serves : 3

Ingredients

• ¼ cup wheat berry
• chickpea, 1/2 cup, cooked
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper or a combination of red, orange and yellow bell peppers, diced 
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 8 kalamata olives, halved
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
• vinaigreatte for the wheat berries
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• salt, pepper and sugar to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• for the salad dressing
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp yogurt ( preferably Greek yogurt, but plain non-fat is fine)
• salt and pepper to taste
• crumbled feta (optional) 

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium sized pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the wheat berries and turn down the heat to low. Cook, stirring every now and then , until the berries are tender but still a little chewy; 45 minutes to an hour. Drain the wheat berries (if necessary) and let them cool to room temperature.
2. Mix all the ingredients listed under vinaigrette for wheat berries in a bowl and pour it over the cooked wheat berries, cover the bowl and let it stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour, The rest helps the berries absorb the vinaigrette. The berries can also be cooked a day in advance and allowed to soak in the vinaigrette overnight. In that case refrigerate the bowl of berries.
3. When ready to assemble the salad, toss together the wheat berries along with the other ingredients in a big bowl, whisk the ingredients of the dressing in a separate bowl and add it to the veggies. Mix all the ingredients with a light hand, check for the salt and pepper and serve.

Hope you had a great weekend. we didn't do much but enjoyed nevertheless...

Will be sharing this salad at the following weekly parties...

Monday Food : Made with Love Mondays, Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks, Meatless Monday @Veggie Mama's,  Meatless Monday My Sweet and Savory, Just Another Meatless Monday @ Hey What's for Dinner Mom, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Inspiration MOnday Party, Sharing Monday, Inspire Me Monday, Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Maniac Monday Linky Party,Mix it up Monday, The Scoop

Tuesday Food:  Totally Tasty Tuesday @ Mandy's Recipe Box, Tasteful Tuesday Party @ Nap Time Creations,  Show Me What You Got @ Our Delightful Home,  Hand Made Tuesday @ Ladybug Blessings, Share it Link Party @ Winthrop Chronicles, Tasty Tuesday

Wednesday Food : What's Cooking Wednesday @ Buns in my Oven, Cast Party Wednesday @ Lady Behind the Curtain ,  Wednesday Whatsit @White Lights on , Show and Share @ Semi Homemade Mom, Wonderful Food Wednesdays at @ Home Take 2, Seasonal Celebration @ Natural Mother's Network

Thursday Food: Link it Up Thursday @ Seven Alive, Creative Thursday @ Michelle's Tasty Creations, Fantastic Thursday @ Three Little Chiefs, Thriving on Thursdays @ Domesblissity, Freedom Friday @ My Turn, Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage  

Friday Food: Foodie Friday @ Home Maid Simple, Friday Favorite (DYI too) @ Simple Sweet Home, Foodie Friday @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes,  Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm , Weekend Wonders @ The Thriftiness Miss, Friday Food Frenzy @ Mostly Food and Crafts , Weekend Potluck @ Sunflower Supper Club,  The Weekend re-Treat @The Best Blog  Recipes