Wheat Berry Farmer's Market Salad

Makes A LOT of salad, Probably enough for 5-8 people to eat as a 'main' course. So, it makes lots of leftovers good for the week. This is the reason I keep the 'main' salad separate from the topping (which won't keep as well together).


For wheat berries
1 cup dried wheat berries
3.5 cups water
1/2 tsp salt


Ingredients for base salad [Can be made ahead]
2-4 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach or arugula [do NOT use a food processor!] -- To be honest, I just used as much spinach as a had, probably a lot more than this!
1 bunch cilantro (and/or parsley), minced [use a food processor if you have one]
1/2 bunch mint, minced [food processor]
1 small onion, chopped [food processor]
1 bell pepper diced small [do NOT use a food processor!]
1-2 small cucumbers, diced small [no food processor]


"Toppings" [Prepare right before serving]
1/2-1 cup (cherry) tomatoes, halved
1-2 avocados, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
4-6 oz (french) feta or goat cheese, crumbled
juice of 1-2 lemons [to taste]
2-4 tablespoons of LunaOlivo Arbequina olive oil [to taste]
salt [to taste]


1. Put the dried wheat berries, water, and 1/2 tsp salt into a large pot over medium high heat and allow to come to a rolling bowl. Then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for about an hour. If some of the water won't cook out after the wheat berries become soft, uncover and then allow the water to evaporate off. Stash the wheat berries in the freezer or refrigerator to cool off.


2. While the wheat berries are cooling, chop and mix all the ingredients for the base salad. When the wheat berries are cool/lukewarm, add them to the base salad and mix.


3. When ready to serve, mix the avocados, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. If you are only serving a portion of the recipe (and stashing the rest for later), I recommend halving the topping amounts.
-For two people eating I would go with about 2 dozen cherry tomatoes, 1/2 of an avocado, 2 ounces of feta cheese, juice from half a lemon, and a tablespoon of olive oil.


4. On a large-ish plate, put a ladle full of the main salad. Next, add some of the avocado [reserving the liquid for later], about a dozen cherry tomatoes [halved], a half to an ounceish of crumbled feta cheese [1 inch cube, crumbled], and then drizzle a spoonful or two of the reserved avocado/lemon/olive oil juice on top of the salad as a dressing.