Wheatberry, Wild Rice and Butternut Squash Salad

When I think about healthy food that's completely delicious, without any compromise in flavor, this is one of the recipes that comes to my mind. I've been making this salad, and its variations, for about five years and it never ceases to amaze me that something so good is so good for me. I keep the base ingredients of wheatberries and wild rice the same but vary other ingredients based on season. In autumn, this salad plays beautifully with one of my favorite seasonal veggies, roasted butternut squash.

If you're not familiar with wheatberries, they are whole grains that can be served as side dishes or baked into whole grain bread and are very high in protein and fiber. You can usually find them in the rice and grains aisle of your market but, if not, you can substitute another hearty grain such as barley. I tend to make a big batch of this salad on the weekends and then have it for lunch during the week. The high fiber content keeps me full all afternoon without those 4:00 pm cookie cravings. Well, OK...nothing completely stops those cookie cravings... :) Enjoy!





Ingredients
1/2 Cup wheatberries
1/4 Cup wild rice
2 1/2 Cups water
1/4 Cup Feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 Cup walnuts, chopped
2 Tablespoons chives, chopped
1/2 lb. Butternut squash, cut into bite size pieces
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 Teaspoon lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Toss the pieces of butternut squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour or until the squash is lightly golden brown. Allow to cool.

Place the wheatberries, wild rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for approximately 1 hour or until all the water has been absorbed and the grains are tender. Allow to cool.

Uncooked wheatberries

Add the squash to the cooked wheatberry / rice mixture. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice. Toss in the cheese, chives and walnuts and season to taste. Makes approximately 6 servings.