Wheat Berry Salad with Raisins and Pistachios

Wheat Berry Salad with Raisins and Pistachios

****Susan's Note: I have wanted a good wheat berry salad recipe for a while - ever since I first tasted the curried wheat berry salad at Whole Foods. This is delicious and simple to make!!! YUM!! I recommend you add pistachios at the time of serving, though, or they lose their crunch. So good. I bought my wheat berries at the bulk organic section of Wegmans.

Myth-Buster Recipe. Eating fiber-rich whole foods is the best way to gain this essential component of your diet. Whole-grain wheat berries are chewy, mild, and packed with fiber. Prep all the ingredients while the grain cooks.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked wheat berries (hard winter wheat)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3 tablespoons shelled pistachios
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Place wheat berries and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above wheat berries, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Drain.

3. Place pistachios on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes, stirring once. Cool slightly, and chop.

4. Combine oil, juice, honey, coriander, ginger, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add hot wheat berries and raisins; stir well to combine. Let stand for 20 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

5. Add nuts, 1/4 cup green onions, and cilantro to wheat berry mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl, and sprinkle with goat cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
240
Fat:
8.9g (sat 2.3g,mono 4.8g,poly 1.3g)
Protein:
7.2g
Carbohydrate:
36.8g
Fiber:
5g
Cholesterol:
4mg
Iron:
0.7mg
Sodium:
284mg
Calcium:
28mg
Jackie Mills, MS, RD, Cooking Light, APRIL 2010

Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce

Spaghetti with Sausage and Simple Tomato Sauce

***Susan's Note; YUM! I made this with fettucini and roasted pepper/garlic turkey sausage from Whole Foods. I used diced canned tomatoes instead of canned whole. It was good.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon basil)

Ingredients
8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage links
8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Arrange sausage on a small baking sheet. Broil sausage 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove pan from oven (do not turn broiler off). Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil sausage slices 2 minutes or until browned.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

4. Place tomatoes in a food processor; process until almost smooth. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed red pepper and minced garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, and salt; cook 4 minutes or until slightly thick. Add sausage and cooked pasta to pan; toss well. Top with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Nutritional Information
Calories:
460
Fat:
16.9g (sat 5.1g,mono 8.1g,poly 2.8g)
Protein:
24.4g
Carbohydrate:
53.3g
Fiber:
4g
Cholesterol:
57mg
Iron:
4.7mg
Sodium:
895mg
Calcium:
253mg
Ann Pittman, Cooking Light, APRIL 2010