Wheat Berry Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing

Servings:

Author: Pamela

1 ½ cups wheat berries -- I used soft white wheat berries or 1 cup quinoa cooked with 1 ¾ cups water
Dressing:
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove minced or mashed to a paste
2 Tablespoons tahini
4 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon sea salt
dash or two of cayenne pepper I use ¼ teaspoon to make it a little spicy
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Salad: these are suggestions ~ you can also go with cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, chickpeas, asparagus, peas
2-3 green onions thinly sliced
2-3 radishes sliced thinly or julienned
2 big handfuls of tender greens such as spinach, watercress, argula, or red leaf lettuce

Put the wheat berries in a medium saucepan and fill the pan with cold water (as if you were making pasta.) Add a big pinch of salt (kosher is fine.) Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook wheat berries until they are tender, about 50-60 minutes. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl to cool slightly.
For the dressing: whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl and season with salt, cayenne and black pepper to taste. Dip a piece of lettuce in the dressing to taste for seasoning.
Combine green onions, radishes and greens with the wheat berries in the serving bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat lightly.