High Protein Wheat Berry and Edamame Salad

Recipe by Danielle Lavallee

If you aren’t familiar with wheat berries, these are a wonderful little whole grain to add to your rotation. They have a nice nutty flavor and a chewy bite. Since the kernel is left intact and virtually none of the nutrients are stripped away in processing, they also have an impressive nutritional profile.

A cup of cooked wheat berries (from ~ 1/2 cup dry) contains 12 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber. Wheat berries are also high in B vitamins, copper, magnesium, and selenium. As with other whole grains, they are great for feeding our good gut microbes, and for helping to prevent diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colorectal, pancreatic, and gastric cancers. Consumption of whole grains, such as wheat berries, has also been linked with improved cognitive functioning and reduced risk of dementia and depression.

If you don’t tolerate wheat products, this salad is equally delicious with an alternate gluten-free whole grain, such as black or wild rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry wheat berries

• ~ 2 cups shelled edamame beans, cooked from frozen

• ~ 2 cups purple cabbage, thinly sliced

• ~ 2 cups cilantro, chopped with stems retained

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped

• 2 small mangos or 1 large mango, chopped

• 1 small red chili, finely diced

• 1 lime

• 3 TBS rice wine vinegar

• 3 TBS maple syrup

• Salt to taste

Method:
Step 1: Cook the Wheat Berries

I like to cook wheat berries in a rice cooker. To do this, measure and cook them exactly as you would white rice. This leaves them chewy and with a nice bite. If cooking wheat berries on the stovetop, boil them as you would pasta. When they are done to your liking, simply drain them into a fine mesh stainer.

Step 2: Boil the Frozen Edamame

Place frozen, shelled edamame beans into a pot of salted, boiling water and cook until they are tender but not mushy (generally 3 to 5 minutes). Strain and then rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Step 3: Chop Veggies and Fruit

• Thinly slice and then chop approximately 2 cups of purple cabbage into bite-sized pieces.

• Chop the red bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.

• Chop the cilantro, including the tender stems.
  (Cilantro stems are edible, taste just like cilantro, and add extra fiber. Plus, less waste!)

• Chop the mango into bite-sized pieces.

Step 4: Make the Dressing

Combine:

• 3 TBS Rice Wine Vinegar

• 3 TBS Maple syrup

• The juice of one lime

• 1 finely minced red chili
  (Start with half the chili and test for heat level, adding more as desired. If you are sensitive to heat, you could omit this entirely.)

• Salt to taste

Step 5: Toss Your Salad and Enjoy!

I hope you like this wheat berry and edamame salad as much as we do. This one is perfect for the lunchbox, as it holds well overnight.

This is also a fabulous recipe for those in the menopausal transition, as it is low-fat, provides a serving of edamame, is filled with fiber and protein, and is packed with abundant phytonutrients from the rainbow of veggies and fruit. Eating a 1/2 cup of edamame daily, in combination with a plant-predominant, low fat diet, has been shown to reduce hot flashes and other vasomotor menopausal symptoms.

Isn’t it wonderful when something so tasty can also make you feel better!
Eating for health is delicious!
🌱💕